Veterinary Record Open最新文献

Background: Sheep scab, caused by the highly infectious Psoroptes ovis mite, is considered to be endemic in Northern Ireland, although little investigation has been reported. A pilot project was undertaken to engage farmers, confirm cases with diagnostic methods and identify specific barriers to control, with the aim of informing future control programmes.

Methods: Through farmers self-reporting suspected outbreaks, on-farm risk assessments and clinical investigations were carried out by the farm's veterinary surgeon, who utilised light microscopy and serological testing to diagnose scab. Treatment was then provided and where macrocyclic lactones (MLs) were utilised, follow-up testing was attempted.

Results: Sheep scab was identified in 60 flocks across all six counties of Northern Ireland. Serological testing proved essential in uncovering scab infestation where light microscopy failed to identify mites, or where no suitable lesions existed to scrape. Where MLs were used, follow-up was incomplete. Furthermore, four of six resampled flocks still showed a positive result. Barriers to better scab control included poor quarantine arrangements and preventative treatment strategies that ultimately proved ineffective.

Conclusions: The project demonstrated that farmers were willing to engage in control efforts, they appreciated the support provided in managing outbreaks and they recognised the need for a coordinated effort to control scab. Greater awareness of biosecurity is needed among farmers. Facilitation of farmer-driven scab control activities is urgently needed, alongside greater understanding of the scale of the disease and the impact that ML treatment failure can have on scab dissemination through the national Northern Ireland flock.

Background: Alternative feeding practices have become increasingly popular among companion animal owners. We sought to identify possible factors behind the choice of alternative feeding types.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with Hungarian pet owners. Descriptive data analysis and logistic regression models were undertaken to determine factors that may increase the likelihood of adopting alternative feeding practices.

Results: In total, 1007 pet owners completed the questionnaire, of which 789 were dog owners and 218 were cat owners. The type of settlement was identified as a possible factor influencing the choice of application of alternative feeding patterns for dogs and cats. In the case of dogs, the owner's diet variable showed significantly increased odds of choosing an alternative feeding pattern where the owner followed an alternative diet. For cats, the owner's diet did not have a significant effect on choosing alternative feeding practices for these pets.

Conclusions: Owners who followed an alternative diet were more likely to choose an alternative feeding pattern for their dogs but not for their cats. Further study is required to identify additional factors that may influence the owners' choice of feeding practices and to more widely investigate the feeding habits of cat owners.

Introduction: Feline respiratory tract infection poses a serious challenge in animal shelters. Potential risk factors include pathogens introduced through animals entering the shelter. We aimed to determine the proportion of animals shedding feline upper respiratory tract (URT) pathogens at the time of entry and to assess how this contributed to the burden of clinical disease and final outcomes.

Methods: Oropharyngeal and conjunctival swabs were collected from incoming cats over 11 months and tested using real-time PCR. The prevalence and distribution of pathogens were reported; causal associations with clinical disease and shelter outcomes were assessed using Bayesian generalised regression models.

Results: On admission, 43% (n = 86) cats were shedding one or more pathogens (feline herpes virus, feline calici virus, Mycoplasma felis, Chlamydia felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica). Shedding was somewhat associated with subsequent clinical disease but not with risk of euthanasia. Animals placed into foster care were less likely (odds ratio [OR] 0.27, Bayesian credible interval [CI] 0.09‒0.78) and those enrolled into behavioural rehabilitation programmes were more likely to develop disease (OR 5, CI 2.4‒11). Kittens had a delayed time to onset of disease (daily hazard 0.39, CI 0.13‒1.2). Geriatric animals (OR 4.1, CI 1.8‒10) and those with comorbidities (OR 8.8, CI 3.5‒25) were most likely to be euthanased.

Conclusions: While a substantial proportion of animals were shedding pathogens on entry, animal characteristics (age and behaviour) and shelter operations (foster care) were more important in impacting the shelter's burden of clinical feline URT disease.

Background: The aetiology of increased mean platelet volume in dogs is currently uncertain. Our aim was to investigate the aetiology of increased mean platelet volume in dogs with and without thrombocytopenia.

Methods: The database of a teaching hospital was retrospectively searched for dogs with increased mean platelet volume (>14.4 fL) over a 3-year period. Complete blood counts were performed with an Advia 120 analyser. Cases with incomplete medical records or belonging to breeds known to be associated with macrothrombocytopenia were excluded.

Results: Sixty-six dogs were included, with Group 1 consisting of non-thrombocytopenic dogs (49/66, 74.2%) and Group 2 consisting of thrombocytopenic dogs (17/66, 25.8%). Diagnoses significantly differed between the two groups (p = 0.003). In Group 1, inflammatory/infectious diseases (69.4%) were the most common cause, followed by neoplastic diseases (8.2%) and diabetes mellitus (6.1%). Dogs in Group 2 were diagnosed with either inflammatory/infectious diseases (50.0%) or neoplastic diseases (50.0%). The small sample size- and a potential delayed haematological analysis of some of the blood samples, could have artifactually affected the mean platelet volume.

Conclusions: In dogs with thrombocytopenia and increased mean platelet volume, inflammatory/infectious or neoplastic diseases should be considered. In non-thrombocytopenic dogs, increased mean platelet volume is primarily associated with inflammatory/infectious diseases, with neoplasia and diabetes mellitus being infrequent causes.

Background: High rates of psychological distress are present in veterinary healthcare professionals and elevated mental health stigma in the field may underlie psychological treatment reluctance. A psychoeducational programme designed to reduce distress associated with difficult veterinary client behaviours (i.e., 'burden transfer') showed reduced stress and burnout in veterinary teams. We hypothesised that exposure to this psychoeducation could also yield reduced mental health stigma.

Methods: Data from 143 veterinary healthcare professionals who were randomised to intervention (n = 72) or control (n = 71) groups were examined. Intervention participants completed three weekly 1-h psychoeducation sessions. Mental health stigma was assessed at pre-test, post-test and 1-month follow-up.

Results: Psychoeducation decreased mental health stigma in the intervention group relative to controls (β = ‒0.28, p = 0.009). The participants in this study self-selected to enroll; thus, the results may reflect attitudes of individuals who were more psychologically open at baseline.

Conclusion: Exposure to evidence-based psychoeducation, to reduce burden transfer, reduced mental health stigma in veterinary teams.

Background: Industry-level figures suggest that up to two-thirds of Thoroughbred breeding operations in the UK are unprofitable and that around half of sales transactions of Thoroughbred yearlings, commercial breeders' predominant income source, return a loss. The industry strategy currently endorses investment in stallion covering fee; however, to date, a comprehensive evaluation of sales price determinants in the UK setting is lacking and could better inform economic decision making to improve profitability.

Methods: Sales catalogue and Weatherbys' stud book data from all Thoroughbred yearlings sold at the 2020 Tattersalls October yearling sale in the UK were used to build a hedonic sales price model. Explanatory variables representing sire, dam, yearling and sales attributes were evaluated. The final model's accuracy was assessed using out-of-sample data from all yearlings sold in the equivalent 2021 sale.

Results: In 2020, a total of 1506 catalogued yearlings, representing around 30% of the UK Thoroughbred foal crop, were sold, with a median price of £42,575 (interquartile range 15,750‒105,000; range 840‒3,570,000). The sires' covering fee, maternal siblings' race performance attributes, whether the yearling was the dams' first foal, consignment size, catalogue book and day of sale within book significantly influenced auction price; however, relationships were complex with significant interaction and confounding observed. The mean model forecasting error was £2074. The use of data from only one sale could affect generalisability.

Conclusions: These novel findings can inform breeding decisions to maximise profitability, give context for current industry strategies and can inform valuations of breeding stock.

Background: Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) is a freely available online artificial intelligence (AI) program capable of understanding and generating human-like language. This study assessed veterinary students' perceptions about ChatGPT in education and practice. It compared perceptions about ChatGPT between students who had completed a critical analysis task and those who had not.

Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed 498 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students at The University of Sydney, Australia. Second-year DVM students researched a veterinary pathogen and then completed a critical analysis of ChatGPT (version 3.5) output for the same pathogen. A survey based on the Technology Acceptance Model was then delivered to all DVM students from all years of the programme, collecting data using Likert-style, categorical and free-text items.

Results: Over 75% of the 100 respondents reported having used ChatGPT. The students found ChatGPT's output relevant and practical for their use but perceived it as inaccurate. They perceived ChatGPT output to be more useful for veterinary students than for pet owners or veterinarians. Those who had completed the critical analysis assignment had a more positive view of ChatGPT's practicality for veterinary students but noted its authoritative tone even when delivering inaccurate information. Over 50% of the students agreed that information about tools such as ChatGPT should be included in the veterinary curriculum. Students agreed that veterinarians should embrace AI but disagreed that AI would eventually replace the need for veterinarians.

Conclusions: A critical appraisal of outputs from AI tools such as ChatGPT may help prepare future veterinarians for the effective use of these tools.

Introduction: In veterinary education, reflection and reflective portfolio learning aim to enhance professional development. Although reflection and reflective portfolio learning are widely used in teaching and healthcare, their demonstrable impact on veterinary education is unclear. Although the benefits are uncertain, reflection may provide potential for self-development and help to prepare students for clinical practice. The aim of this work was to review research into reflective practice and reflective portfolio learning, to find evidence for its use in teaching, to confirm how it is best implemented to optimise professional development and to identify gaps for future research.

Methods: This scoping review was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines adhering to review methodology. Ten databases were searched and screened for reflection and portfolio learning as a primary source of data. Of 29,933 texts identified by title and/or abstract, 51 final works were screened in full. Of these, 16 papers that gathered evidence on reflection were included.

Results: The results confirmed a growing evidence base for reflection in the veterinary field. In total, six works demonstrated a positive impact on professional development. Written reflective assignments were the most common methods of implementation, with 11 papers referencing their use. Other methods included group discussion and facilitated reflection.

Conclusions: This review identified numerous gaps for research, including validating the methods of implementation, exploring the efficacy of methods other than written reflection, examining how reflection is used at different stages of the veterinary career and study of different models of reflection to identify which are most useful.

Background: Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a group of canine inherited retinal disorders affecting up to 100 breeds. Genetic tests are available. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the genetic variants associated with PRA among dogs residing in Italy.

Methods: Genetic data of 20 variants associated with different forms of PRA were collected through DNA tests over a 10-year period for several dog breeds in the Italian canine population. Allelic and genotypic frequencies were calculated.

Results: A total of 1467 DNA tests were conducted for 1180 dogs. Progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRCD) was the most tested form of PRA, with 58.15% (n = 853) of the DNA tests. Among the widespread breeds in Italy, Labrador retrievers and toy poodles showed a prevalence of heterozygous carriers higher than 15%. Among the others, 175 DNA tests for golden retrievers (GR) showed a prevalence of heterozygous carriers of 13.04% (n = 12) for GR-PRA1 and 8.43% (n = 7) for GR-PRA2. The zwergschnauzer breed was tested for the type B and/or the type B1 forms of PRA with 25.32% (n = 20) heterozygous carriers and 0%, respectively.

Conclusion: The study offers an overview of the prevalence of PRCD and other PRA forms within some of the most popular breeds in Italy.