New Zeal Vet J
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In New Zealand, wild deer and feral pigs are assumed to be spillover hosts for Mycobacterium bovis, and so are not targeted in efforts aimed at locally eradicating bovine tuberculosis (TB) from possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), the main wildlife host. Here we review the epidemiology of TB in deer and pigs, and assess whether New Zealand's TB management programme could be undermined if these species sometimes achieve maintenance host status. In New Zealand, TB prevalences of up to 47% have been recorded in wild deer sympatric with tuberculous possums. ⋯ The high rate at which pigs acquire M. bovis infection from dead possums makes them useful as sentinels for detecting TB in wildlife. It is unlikely that wild deer and feral pigs act as maintenance hosts anywhere in New Zealand, because unrestricted year-round hunting keeps densities low, with far less aggregation than on New Zealand farms. We conclude that active management of wild deer or feral pigs is not required for local TB eradication in New Zealand.
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The objective of this study was to describe the use of indwelling epidural catheters post-operatively in dogs in a home environment, and to report associated complications. ⋯ Indwelling epidural catheters are a feasible method of administration of post-operative analgesia in the immediate post-operative period in the home environment and were associated with only a few minor complications in this population.
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Clinical Trial
Comparison of anaesthetic and analgesic effects of emulsified isoflurane used alone or combined with lidocaine and fentanyl in dogs.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a combination of emulsified isoflurane, lidocaine, and fentanyl (EI-L-F) compared with the efficacy of emulsified isoflurane alone (EI), a combination of emulsified isoflurane and lidocaine (EI-L) or emulsified isoflurane and fentanyl (EI-F) for anaesthetising dogs. ⋯ The EI-F-L combination that was used in this study provided an adequate anaesthesia effect in dogs, which was characterised by adequate analgesia and muscle relaxation without any complications.
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To compare the use and provision of analgesia to cats undergoing gonadectomy by a sample of veterinarians in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). ⋯ Contemporary use of analgesics for cats appears focused on provision at clinic and may not address the effects of surgery beyond the first 24 hours. The UK, Australia and New Zealand clearly differ in the types of analgesia administered, possibly reflecting differing professional considerations of the risks associated with the use of NSAID. In the interests of animal welfare, pain relief should perhaps be provided or offered more frequently for owner administration.
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To compare the attitudes and practices of a sample of veterinarians in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom (UK) towards pre-pubertal gonadectomy of cats. ⋯ In general, pre-pubertal gonadectomy is considered a desirable procedure by those practitioners that responded to the survey. However age at which any such procedure occurs differs depending upon a number of factors. Differences among countries may relate to the specific veterinary association's guidelines or possibly differences in social discourse which affect perception of cats. There is substantial overlap between the reported minimum age of gonadectomy and the age at which cats can enter early puberty, allowing a window for unintentional pregnancy when pre-pubertal gonadectomy does not occur.