The economics of a veterinary hospital

The costs involved in building a small animal hospital are discussed. Running costs and gross turnover are compared immediately before and after building.

SUMMARY

We have attempted to discuss in the frankest possible manner the economics of a purpose-built small animal hospital. It must be remembered, however, that the financial return is only one factor to be considered in such a project. Pleasant working conditions for veterinary surgeon and lay staff, improved waiting facilities, more efficient reception, better surgical facilities and better patient accommodation have led in this practice to a much improved standard of veterinary medicine and surgery. Thus animal, client, staff and veterinary surgeon all benefit from improved facilities.
During the next decade there is little doubt many more hospitals will be built in this country. At the moment many of our colleagues are considering taking what is probably the biggest, single, financial investment of their lives. We hope this paper will assist them in making this decision.
Résumé. Les auteurs donnent des précisions sur les dépenses à engager pour la construction d'un hôpital pour petits animaux et sur les frais généraux et le chiffre d'affaires brut immé-diatement avant et après la construction.
Zusammenfassung. Die bei der Errichtung einer kleinen Tierklinik entstehenden Kosten werden besprochen. Laufende Kosten und Bruttoumsatz unmittelbar vor und nach dem Bau werden miteinander verglichen.     

Cloacal papillomatosis in the absence of herpesvirus and papillomavirus in a sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)

CASE HISTORY A 21-year-old male sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) was presented following the sudden appearance of blood associated with the passage of faeces and urates.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: There was fresh blood-staining of the feathers around the vent. The dorsal mucosal wall of the proctodeum was erythematous and roughened in appearance. An endoscopic biopsy was performed, and histological examination revealed multiple fronds of epithelium; the mucosa varied from simple to pseudostratified columnar epithelium, with diffuse hyperplasia of goblet cells. The underlying connective tissue stroma was well vascularised and was infiltrated with mixed inflammatory cells, comprising granulocytic cells and macrophages. PCR testing for both herpesvirus and papillomavirus, using consensus primers, was negative.

DIAGNOSIS: Cloacal papillomatosis.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This case manifested typical clinical signs and histological lesions of cloacal papillomatosis in the absence of demonstrable herpesvirus or papillomavirus. Veterinarians need to consider this disease in the differential diagnosis of blood in the droppings of parrots and cockatoos even in countries where psittacine herpesviruses are exotic diseases.     

Femtosecond dynamics of electron localization at interfaces

The dynamics of two-dimensional small-polaron formation at ultrathin alkane layers on a silver(111) surface have been studied with femtosecond time- and angle-resolved two-photon photoemission spectroscopy. Optical excitation creates interfacial electrons in quasi-free states for motion parallel to the interface. These initially delocalized electrons self-trap as small polarons in a localized state within a few hundred femtoseconds. The localized electrons then decay back to the metal within picoseconds by tunneling through the adlayer potential barrier. The energy dependence of the self-trapping rate has been measured and modeled with a theory analogous to electron transfer theory. This analysis determines the inter- and intramolecular vibrational modes of the overlayer responsible for self-trapping as well as the relaxation energy of the overlayer molecular lattice. These results for a model interface contribute to the fundamental picture of electron behavior in weakly bonded solids and can lead to better understanding of carrier dynamics in many different systems, including organic light-emitting diodes.