Applicant expectations and decision factors for jobs and careers in food-supply veterinary medicine

This article examines the job expectations of applicants as reported by recruiters interviewing food-supply veterinary medicine (FSVM) candidates and the career-choice decision factors used by year 3 and 4 veterinary students pursuing careers in FSVM. The responses of 1,047 veterinary recruiters and 270 year 3 and 4 students with a food-supply focus from 32 colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada were examined. Recruiters were asked to report the two most important job factors applicants took into account when deciding to accept an offer; students were asked the two most important reasons for choosing a career in FSVM and the two most important benefits of working as a food-supply veterinarian. Recruiters reported that high salaries and good benefits are the two most important decision factors. Interest in the food-animal career area and a desire for a rural, outdoor lifestyle were the top reasons students gave for choosing an FSVM career. Students saw the enjoyment of working with and helping producers and food animals as the most important benefits of a career in FSVM.     

Lomustine for treatment of mast cell tumors in cats: 38 cases (1999-2005)

OBJECTIVE: To determine clinical activity and toxic effects of lomustine when used to treat cats with mast cell tumors (MCTs). DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 38 cats with measurable, histologically or cytologically confirmed MCTs treated with lomustine at a dosage > or = 50 mg/m(2). PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed to determine response to treatment and evidence of drug toxicoses. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate remission duration. RESULTS: 26 cats had cutaneous MCTs, 7 had MCTs of the mesenteric lymph nodes, 2 had gastrointestinal tract MCTs, 2 had hepatic MCTs, and 1 had MCTs involving multiple organs. Targeted lomustine dosage was 50 mg/m(2) in 22 cats and 60 mg/m(2) in 16 cats. Median administered dosage of lomustine was 56 mg/m(2) (range, 48 to 65 mg/m(2)), and median number of doses administered was 2 (range, 1 to 12). Seven cats had a complete response and 12 had a partial response, for an overall response rate of 50%. Median response duration was 168 days (range, 25 to 727 days). The most common toxicoses were neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that lomustine had activity against MCTs in cats and was well tolerated. Further, findings suggested that treatment with lomustine should be considered for cats with MCTs for which local treatment is not an option.     

Economic effect of pneumonia and pleurisy in lambs in New Zealand

AIM: To estimate the cost of pneumonia and pleurisy in lambs to the sheep industry in New Zealand, in order to provide a reference for future cost-benefit calculations for control programmes to reduce the incidence of pneumonia. METHODS: An estimate of the economic cost of pneumonia and pleurisy in lambs was based on: cohort studies of the association between growth rate and the extent of pneumonic lesions at slaughter (n=14 flocks), the prevalence of moderate to severe (MS) pneumonia (> or =10% lung surface area affected) and pleurisy (n=1,719 flocks), the correlation between the prevalence of MS pneumonia and economic loss at the flock level, and data on annual slaughter statistics and carcass value in New Zealand. A stochastic spreadsheet model was developed and run with 1,000 iterations. Input variables represented by probability distributions were growth rate, average cost of loss according to the prevalence of pneumonia per month, carcass value, prevalence of pleurisy, and carcasses downgraded for pleurisy, and annual national slaughter statistics. The output was a posterior distribution of the annual cost of disease. RESULTS: The cost of pneumonia only included the loss associated with reduced growth rate, while mortality due to pneumonia was assumed to be low and was ignored. The cost of pleurisy included the loss associated with downgraded or condemned carcasses. Thus, the simulated annual average cost of pneumonia was NZ$28.1 (95% CI=NZ$15.0-42.0) million, and that of pleurisy NZ$25.1 (95% CI=NZ$10.2-48.1) million. The combined cost of pneumonia and pleurisy averaged NZ$53.2 (95% CI=NZ$32.4-78.9) million. The parameters with the greatest impact on the combined cost of pneumonia and pleurisy were prevalence of pleurisy between March and May, and cost of reduced growth due to pneumonia for lambs slaughtered in June. CONCLUSIONS: The average cost of pneumonia and pleurisy to the sheep industry in New Zealand due to reduced lamb growth and decreased carcass value is likely to be between NZ$32.4 and $78.9 million. This is a conservative estimate, omitting mortalities, indicating that pneumonia and pleurisy have substantial economic impact on sheep farming in New Zealand. Considering that 23,833,000 lambs were slaughtered in 2003/2004 (average value $65.56/lamb), this cost would equate to NZ$1.36-3.31 per lamb. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Pneumonia and pleurisy are common diseases in lambs in New Zealand, leading to substantial economic loss to producers.     

Cytomorphologic differentiation of benign and malignant mammary tumors in fine needle aspirate specimens from irradiated female Sprague-Dawley rats.

BACKGROUND: Fine needle aspiration (FNA) offers a rapid and minimally invasive means to distinguish malignant from benign neoplasms. However, few studies have been published regarding the cytopathology of mammary tumors in rats despite widespread use of the rat model for breast cancer formation and inhibition. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of FNA cytology and to develop distinguishing cytologic criteria for the diagnosis of radiation-induced benign and malignant mammary tumors in rats. METHODS: In a study of radiation-induced mammary carcinogenesis, 100 Sprague-Dawley rats with cutaneous masses were randomly chosen for FNA. The aspirates were smeared, fixed, and stained with a modified Papanicolaou procedure for diagnostic evaluation. Cytologic and histologic diagnoses (benign vs malignant) were compared, and diagnostic accuracy was calculated using the histologic diagnosis as the criterion standard. FNA smears were scored semiquantitatively on a scale of 1-4 for cellularity, atypia, nuclear size, chromatin pattern, nuclear membrane thickness, nucleoli, and mitoses. The background was evaluated for necrosis, hemorrhage, inflammation, and mucosecretory material. Cytomorphologic features were compared statistically between benign and malignant tumors, based on the histologic diagnosis. RESULTS: The sensitivity of FNA was 92.3% and specificity was 89.4% for the detection of malignancy. However, 14% of specimens, all fibroadenomas by histology, had insufficient cells for cytologic evaluation, for an overall accuracy rate of 78.0%. Malignant tumors had significantly higher scores for all cytomorphologic features, and were significantly more likely to contain cell clusters and necrotic debris. CONCLUSIONS: FNA is an accurate method for differentiating benign and malignant rat mammary tumors.     

Genetic (co)variances and breeding value estimation of Gompertz growth curve parameters in Finnish Yorkshire boars, gilts and barrows.

This paper's objectives were to estimate the genetic (co)variance components of the Gompertz growth curve parameters and to evaluate the relationship of estimated breeding values (EBV) based on average daily gain (ADG) and Gompertz growth curves. Finnish Yorkshire central test station performance data was obtained from the Faba Breeding (Vantaa, Finland). The final data set included 121,488 weight records from 10,111 pigs. Heritability estimates for the Gompertz growth parameters mature weight (alpha), logarithm of mature weight to birth weight ratio (beta) and maturation rate (kappa) were 0.44, 0.55 and 0.31, respectively. Genotypic and phenotypic correlations between the growth curve parameters were high and mainly negative. The only positive relationship was found between alpha and beta. Pearson and Spearman rank correlation coefficients between EBV for ADG and daily gain calculated from Gompertz growth curves were 0.79. The Spearman rank correlation between the sire EBV for ADG and Gompertz growth curve parameter-based ADG for all sires with at least 15 progeny was 0.86. Growth curves differ significantly between individuals and this information could be utilized for selection purposes when improving growth rate in pigs.     

Real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer PCR with melting curve analysis for the detection of Opisthorchis viverrini in fish intermediate hosts

A real-time fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) PCR combined with a melting curve analysis was developed for the detection of Opisthorchis viverrini in its fish intermediate host, cyprinoid fishes. Real-time FRET PCR is based on a fluorescence melting curve analysis of a hybrid between an amplicon generated from a family of repeated DNA elements, the pOV-A6 specific probe sequence (Genbank Accession No. S80278), a 162bp repeated sequence specific to O. viverrini, and specific fluorophore-labeled probes. The real-time FRET PCR could detect as little as a single metacercaria artificially inoculated in 30 fish samples. The O. viverrini infected fishes were distinguished from non-infected fishes and from the genomic DNA of other parasites by their melting temperature. Sensitivity and specificity of this method were both 100% in the laboratory setting and it outperformed the microscopic method on field-collected samples as well. Melting curve analysis is a rapid, accurate, and sensitive alternative for the specific detection of O. viverrini infected fishes. It allows a high throughput and can be performed on small samples. The assay has not only great potential for epidemiological surveys of fish intermediate hosts but it could also be adapted as screening tool for a range of foodborne parasites in freshwater fishes.     

Evaluation of five clinical chemistry analyzers for use in health assessment in sea turtles

OBJECTIVE: To compare blood biochemical values obtained from a handheld analyzer, 2 tabletop analyzers, and 2 diagnostic laboratories by use of replicate samples of sea turtle blood. DESIGN: Validation study. ANIMALS: 22 captive juvenile sea turtles. PROCEDURES: Sea turtles (18 loggerhead turtles [Caretta caretta], 3 green turtles [Chelonia mydas], and 1 Kemp's ridley turtle [Lepidochelys kempii]) were manually restrained, and a single blood sample was obtained from each turtle and divided for analysis by use of the 5 analyzers. Hematocrit and concentrations or activities of aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, glucose, total protein, albumin, BUN, uric acid, P, Ca, K, Na, Cl, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase were determined. Median values for each analyte were compared among the analyzers. RESULTS: Significant differences were found among the analyzers for most values; however, data obtained from the 2 diagnostic laboratories were similar for all analytes. The magnitude of difference between the diagnostic laboratories and in-house units was > or = 10% for 10 of the 15 analytes. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Variance in the results could be attributed in part to differences in analyzer methodology. It is important to identify the specific methodology used when reporting and interpreting biochemical data. Depending on the variable and specific case, this magnitude of difference could conceivably influence patient management.     

Laboratory findings, histopathology, and immunophenotype of lymphoma in domestic ferrets

Lymphoma is a common tumor in ferrets, but anatomic distribution, histomorphology, immunophenotype, laboratory abnormalities, and response to chemotherapy are incompletely defined. In this study, lymphoma was diagnosed by histopathology of tumor tissue in 29 ferrets ranging in age from 0.8 to 8.5 years, including 12 males and 17 females. Tumors involved the viscera of the abdominal cavity (n = 11), thoracic cavity (n = 1), or abdominal and thoracic cavities (n = 7); the skin (n = 2); or the viscera of both body cavities plus other sites (n = 8). Microscopically, all tumors had diffuse architecture. Assessment by histomorphology and immunophenotype classified tumors as peripheral T-cell lymphoma (n = 17), anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma (n = 5), anaplastic large B-cell lymphoma (n = 4), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 1), and Hodgkin-like lymphoma (n = 2). Cytologic evaluation of tumor tissue was diagnostic in 11 of 13 cases. Twenty-two of 27 ferrets had anemia, 2 had leukemia, and 5 were neutropenic. Common comorbid disorders were adrenal disease (n = 27) and insulinoma (n = 6). Tumors most frequently involved mesenteric lymph nodes, while enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes was uncommon (n = 3). Ferrets with Hodgkin-like lymphoma had massive enlargement of single lymph nodes. Mean survival of ferrets not immediately euthanized was 5.0 months (T-cell lymphoma) and 8.4 months (B-cell lymphoma). Ferrets treated with chemotherapy survived an average of 4.3 months (T-cell lymphoma, n = 9) or 8.8 months (B-cell lymphoma, n = 4). Results indicate that lymphomas in ferrets most commonly affect abdominal viscera, may be amenable to cytologic diagnosis, are frequently associated with anemia and, in some cases, may be chemosensitive, resulting in relatively long survival times.     

Insulin glargine has a long duration of effect following administration either once daily or twice daily in divided doses in healthy cats

The pharmacological effects of glargine administered once or twice daily were compared in six healthy cats. A two-way crossover study was performed with insulin and glucose concentrations measured following subcutaneous administration of glargine once daily (0.5U/kg) or twice daily (0.25U/kg, repeated after 12h). Nadir glucose concentration and mean daily glucose concentration did not differ significantly following insulin administration once daily or twice daily in divided doses. Time to reach last glucose nadir differed, with longer intervals occurring following twice daily dosing. Blood glucose failed to return to baseline concentration by 24h in three of six cats in each treatment group. Insulin variables were not significantly different following once or twice daily dosing. This study in healthy cats demonstrates that glargine has a long duration of action with carry-over effects to the next day likely, regardless of dosing regimen. A study in diabetic cats is required to determine the best dosing regimen.