The Veterinarian Magazine December 2024

Merry Christmas

and Happy

Holidays from

The

Veterinarian

■ December 2024

More than $38k raised for

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital

Comedy masters Jimeoin, Lehmo, Mandy Nolan

and MC Madeleine West drew a capacity crowd

to raise over $38,000 to help treat sick, injured

and orphaned wildlife at Byron Bay Wildlife

Hospital’s second annual WILD AID fundraiser

event in Byron Bay.

“We are so humbled by the generosity of our

community, sponsors and the performers who

donated their time and talents to help us,” Wildlife

Hospital General Manager of Strategy & Story,

Russell Mills, said.

“The Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital is an essential

community service,” Jimeoin, who headlined the

fundraiser event after returning from performing in

the UK and Europe, said.

“I’m proud to be one of the hospital’s wildlife

ambassadors, they do such important work for our

wildlife.”

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital has operated as

the region’s only all species Wildlife Hospital for

over four years, providing expert veterinary services

for over 8000 sick and injured native animals.

“Laughter is powerful medicine, and comedy is a

great way to raise funds for an incredible cause,”

comedian and radio host Lehmo said. “I was thrilled

to be part of it.”

The event featured a high-energy live auction of

items including a Banya Bathhouse experience with

comedian Mandy Nolan, a private surf experience

with former pro-surfer Matt Wilkinson, landscaping

products from Stone Style, party planning services

from the North Byron Hotel, private tours of

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital and Raptor Recovery

Centre, an original artwork by Leila Jeffreys and

limited-edition items signed by Iggy Pop.

Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital Founder and CEO

Dr Stephen Van Mil said his entire team were deeply

grateful for the support.

“Our team have been doing it very tough, with

a nation-wide shortage of vets and nurses exacerbating

a relentless demand for wildlife care. It was

a real boost to share some laughs and raise funds

at a feel-good event with the community that

supports us.”

“We give all of our services away for free, so our

fundraiser events are critical. The proceeds from

WILD AID 2024 will help us pay for treatment

for over 70 patients.”

“WILD AID couldn’t have happened without

the support of our community, auction donors,

the performers and sponsors, Southern Cross

Credit Union, Southern Cross University, the

Beach Hotel Byron Bay, Ray White Real Estate,

Byron Bay High School and local media. We thank

them all from the bottom of our hearts.”

■ www.theveterinarian.com.au

ABS reclassifies

veterinarians

In early December, the Australian

Bureau of Statistics (ABS) announced

it had changed the classification of

“veterinarian” so it will be counted as

a health profession in the Occupation

Standard Classification for Australia

(OSCA) moving forward.

The Australian Veterinary Association

(AVA) made comprehensive submission

to the Australian Bureau of Statistics

(ABS), which manages OSCA, and was

involved in subsequent consultation

which saw the profession moved from

‘2347 under Natural and Physical

Science Professionals,' to ‘2695 under

Miscellaneous Health Professionals.

The AVA submitted support for this

change which more accurately reflects

the regulation of veterinarians and

their responsibility for animal health,

welfare, and public health, and said

in a statement on their website, “The

change better reflects veterinarians’

scope of skills and responsibilities,

standards, and societal value. This is

an important change for the profession

and is anticipated to positively affect

data, modelling, and subsequent access

to government funding and policy

decisions.”

The classification has been updated

in time for use by the 2026 Census

and allows more accurate data to be

collected over time, such as earnings,

hours and jobs.?

The change was part of a large

overhaul of the classification system,

which, since 2006, had been known

as the Australian and New Zealand

Standard Classification of Occupations

(ANZSCO), and was jointly managed by

the ABS and Stats NZ Tatauranga

Aotearoa (Stats NZ) since it was first

published in 2006.

In 2022, the Australian Government

announced $23.7m funding over

four years for the ABS to undertake

a comprehensive update of ANZSCO

and commence an ongoing maintenance

program in 2025, and as of

December this year, Australia and

New Zealand will maintain comparability,

but each country will maintain

their own tailored occupational

statistical classifications.

The OSCA framework underpins jobs

in Australia and provides key data for

workforce and talent strategies, learning

and development, and policy. This

change is anticipated to positively affect

data, modelling, and access to government

funding and policy decisions

for the Australian veterinary profession,

for example, the Commonwealth Prac

Payment placement schemes, which has

assisted students in other healthcare

professions.

■ JULIA GARDINER

MANAGEMENT 9 I HISTORY 10 I CLINICAL REVIEW 12 I ABSTRACTS 24 I CLINICAL FEATURE 25

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News

When ‘forever’ is a deadly problem Charity supports remote

Previous studies have found there are short-term

health risks from exposure to concentrations

of per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals for both

humans and wildlife, but there has been limited

understanding of the long-term effects of

exposure to PFAS - or ‘forever chemicals’ as they

are also called - on aquatic ecosystem-dependent

animals. A joint study by scientists from

CSIRO and the Queensland Department of the

Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation,

and published recently in the journal Science

of the Total Environment, has found populations

of Queensland’s freshwater turtles (Emydura

macquarii macquarii) have not only declined,

but biochemical changes have been observed in

turtle adults and their hatchlings.

Lead author David Beale, Senior Research

Scientist at CSIRO, said major health impacts

were observed in wildlife at sites with high

concentrations of PFAS. Air-breathing aquatic

animals, such as freshwater turtles and amphibians,

are particularly vulnerable to PFAS contamination

due to bioaccumulation, exposure

pathways, physiological sensitivity, an inability

to eliminate the chemicals via their lungs,

and their long lifespans. This bioaccumulation

increases the impacts on aquatic ecosystems,

and terrestrial and semi-terrestrial wildlife such

as birds, fish, marine mammals and reptiles.

“Exposure to high concentrations of PFAS

impacted essential metabolic processes in the

turtles sampled. Adults had a high potential

of forming gout, which is deadly in reptiles.

We also found that eggs had altered ratios of

essential minerals, and hatchlings had a high

rate of defects in their shells,” Beale said.

The three-year study involved the capture of

350 freshwater turtles that were measured and

tagged before being released. Researchers

detected PFAS concentrations up to 30 times

The danger of the common lily to cats has long

been known; however, a study published recently

in the Journal of the American Veterinary

Medical Association has revealed the potential

for successful outpatient treatment for cats

exposed to the toxin.

Lilies in the “true lily” and “daylily” families

are most acutely dangerous for cats, as the entire

lily plant is toxic, including the water in the vase.

Ingesting even a small amount of a leaf or petal,

or the pollen grains can cause cats to develop

fatal kidney failure in a matter of days.

The new study, conducted at the University of

Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine,

investigated the outcomes of 112 cats treated

higher in the blood and organs of turtles from

the highly contaminated area, compared to

control sites where levels of PFAS in the water

were lower.

Co-author Suzanne Vardy, Principal Scientist

at DETSI, said there was a lack of juveniles

at the more contaminated site, and modelling

predicted that over time these impacts could

result in a population collapse.

“Our research made use of omics-based tools,

which are advanced techniques used to assess

thousands of molecules within an organism to

find out how it’s responded to a contaminant

or disease. These tools offer a holistic insight

into animals’ metabolism, the life-sustaining

chemical reactions which turn food into

energy,” she said. To page 30

Cats versus lilies: new treatment options

for lily exposure, comparing cats treated as

inpatients with intravenous fluids to those managed

as outpatients with subcutaneous fluids.

The study found no significant difference in the

prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) between

inpatient (46.9 per cent) and outpatient (43.8

per cent) groups, which suggests hospitalisation

for lily-exposed cats is not always necessary,

which potentially expands treatment options

and improving outcomes for feline patients.

“Our findings suggest that outpatient

management may be a viable option for

some cats exposed to lilies,” Erica Reineke

of the University of Pennsylvania School of

Veterinary Medicine. said. To page 30

Indigenous communities

Rural Vet Mob, a not-for-profit registered charity,

has recently been established in South Australia

to provide accessible veterinary care in remote

regions, particularly in Indigenous communities.

Founder Bindee Davis, a Ngan'gikurunggurr

and KuKu Yalanji woman, had worked as a

veterinary nurse in a variety of general practices,

emergency clinics, and remote Indigenous

communities. Prior to setting up The Rural

Vet Mob, Davis Collaborated with Animal

Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous

Communities (AMRRIC), a national not-forprofit

organisation, where she undertook

research into instrument sterilisation used in pet

desexing programs in the remote Indigenous

communities.

During her time working in these communities,

Davis identified a need for culturally respectful

veterinary services, and educational programs

designed to empower and support Indigenous

communities, which led to her establishing

Rural Vet Mob in August this year.

“The service that we provide is much needed

in remote and rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander communities due to the distance of

travel to get the nearest veterinary clinic or lack

of veterinary services out there to provide to

these areas. These communities deserve the

veterinary services as much as anyone else that

has animals in their lives,” Davis said.

Within months, Davis and her team had

completed a trip to the community of Yalata in

remote South Australia at the eastern end of

the Nullarbor Plain.

“My goal has been for The Rural Vet Mob to be

an Indigenous-led program providing veterinary

services to Indigenous communities, this is

really important to me so community members

can feel safe, trust me, [and] not feel shame

or judged when we visit them. I also want to

be a role model for the younger Indigenous

generation in the communities too,” Davis said.

As well as providing much needed veterinary

services, the Rural Vet Mob aims to educate pet

owners through educational initiatives they have

developed to be both practical and relevant to

remote communities, enhancing animal health

and management outcomes, through a holistic

approach, recognizing the interconnectedness

of human, animal, and environmental health.

“By focusing on this comprehensive One

Health framework, we strive to improve the

quality of life for both people and their pets,

fostering happier and healthier communities,”

Davis said.

■ JULIA GARDINER

Tasmanian vets call for end to greyhound racing

Between reports of animal abuse and cruelty,

and a state government that directed $37m of

taxpayer funds this year to support it, Tasmania’s

greyhound racing industry has long been

the subject of controversy. A petition presented

to parliament in 2022, that called for the

withdrawal of taxpayer funding, attracted more

than 13,000 signatures.

In early December a group of 24 veterinarians

and 14 vet nurses from across Tasmania joined

the growing community-based campaign to

oppose greyhound racing, and that has helped

expose an industry described as ‘unavoidably

and unacceptably cruel and scandal-ridden’,

and ‘archaic and outdated, all in the name of

so-called entertainment’.

Tasmanian Greens Spokesperson for Animal

Welfare Cassy O’Connor, said some of the vets

calling for an end to greyhound racing were

leaders in their profession, and their comments

and courage should not be dismissed by the

Liberals or Labor, both of whom continue to

persistently back the industry.

“If the major parties won’t listen to the growing

number of Tasmanians opposing greyhound

racing, they should at least listen to animal

welfare professionals,” she said.

Katrina Ward, a Hobart-based veterinary

behaviour consultant and spokesperson for

the vet group, said the industry had ‘no answer’

to problems that included the high rates of

traumatic injuries that occurred during races.

“These gentle, sensitive and affectionate dogs

are used as cannon fodder. They’re bred, raised

and kept in often disgraceful conditions. And

they’re discarded when too sick, too injured, or

too slow. Greyhounds are the most systematically

abused dogs in Australia,” she said.

According to Martin Lenz, Tasracing Chief

Veterinary and Animal Welfare Officer, since

2018 there had been a ‘seven-fold reduction’ in

the number of greyhounds deceased or

euthanased due to racing injuries, while Andrew

Jenkins, Tasracing CEO said the industry had

‘zero tolerance’ for any type of animal cruelty

and ‘rules, policies and other strategies were

in place to enhance animal welfare outcomes

for greyhounds’.

Lenz said a Code of Practice for Greyhound

Welfare has been drafted which will ‘set standards’

for nutrition, health, behaviour, hygiene,

kennels, transport and medication throughout

the greyhound lifecycle.

Data from Tasmania’s Department of Natural

Resources and Environment showed 49 racing

greyhounds died during 2024 between January

and September, with 25 euthanased due to

illness, age and natural causes.

In making their opposition to greyhound racing

public, the vet group demanded the government

cease funding the industry by the end of 2029.

■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT

www.theveterinarian.com.au

DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 3

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News from across the network

Latest updates from Australia’s largest specialty and emergency veterinary network

SA

New Greencross Vet Centre in Norwood

The new Greencross Vet Centre in Norwood is now open! Conveniently located on 102 Magill Road, Norwood,

the centre is co-located with the Adelaide Veterinary Services and Referral Centre (AVSARC), bringing

together general practice, 24/7 emergency services and referral services in one location. With a team of

dedicated and highly qualified veterinarians, including dermatology led by Dr. Andrew Carter, this new colocation

provides high-quality care for both routine visits and complex cases.

For referrals or enquiries contact (08) 8132 0533

NSW

Anaesthesia at Animal Referral Hospital (ARH) Homebush

ARH Homebush is pleased to welcome Dr. Justin Grace BVSc (University of Pretoria), MMedVet Anaesth

(University of Pretoria) ECVAA board eligible. Dr. Grace brings extensive experience in regional, neuro,

neonatal, and wildlife anaesthesia. His background includes academic positions at leading universities in

South Africa and Australia, and professional expertise developed through work in the UK and USA at leading

referral and research institutions.

Dr. Grace is available for cases requiring advanced anaesthetic care, including high-risk patients, complex

surgeries and diagnostics that demand precise anaesthetic management. His addition strengthens ARH

Homebush’s commitment to providing comprehensive support for critical and intricate cases.


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Neurology service at Greencross Vet Hospital (GVH)

Greencross Vet Hospital’s Neurology department is proud to offer some of Australia's most advanced

imaging capabilities, supporting the diagnosis and management of complex neurological conditions. Its

state-of-the-art imaging suite includes a high-resolution 3 Tesla MRI for exceptionally detailed brain and

spinal cord imaging and a 128-slice CT scanner for precise cross-sectional imaging in complex cases.

The neurology team includes Dr. Alex Hamilton, who has expertise in spinal surgery and inflammatory brain

disease, and Dr. Samantha Gilbert, who has an interest in idiopathic epilepsy management. These industryleading

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neurological care for their patients.


The Animal Referral & Emergency Network is Australia’s largest specialty

and emergency network, with over 20+ locations nationwide in NSW, ACT,

VIC, QLD, SA and WA. The network operates as an extension of local

veterinary practices, offering clinical excellence and professional advice in

specialist cases and emergencies.

Learn more at www.emergencyvet.com.au

Monitoring bird migration with radar AIDR handbook

released for vet

practices

Although some Australian bird species are

migratory, knowledge about bird migration

patterns has largely focused on northern

hemisphere species. The results of a study

published recently in the journal Current Biology

have shown how the data from weather radar

can be used to monitor bird migrations from

Tasmania to northern Queensland and provide

more information about the migratory patterns

of Australia’s birds.

Team leader, lead author and PhD student

Xu Shi, from the University of Queensland’s

School of the Environment, and Centre for

Biodiversity and Conservation Science, said

scientists analysed 16 years of radar weather data

from the Bureau of Meteorology to monitor

bird migration patterns, and track the timing

and direction of their seasonal movements.

Although bird watchers have long known

that some Australian birds migrate, Xu Shi

said the mass movement of these species has

been critically understudied in the southern

hemisphere, due to a lack of research personnel,

infrastructure, and the complexities of monitoring

their movements in the region.

“We were very excited to discover millions of

birds migrating in Australia each year, escaping

the cold southern winters by moving up the east

coast. Weather radars can tell us how many

birds are flying, when and in which direction

they’re moving,” he explained.

The study identified some distinct variations

compared to northern hemisphere migrations,

including the direction, timing and the intensity

of movements from year to year - which are

rigidly seasonal for the northern hemisphere’s

migratory birds. Xu Shi cited one example,

the tiny silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), that

migrates from Tasmania to as far as southern

Queensland, although he said these birds may

not all migrate every year, and they may migrate

shorter distances. The radar data also revealed

that many Australian birds migrate during the

day, unlike birds in the northern hemisphere,

but he said further study will be needed to identify

possible reasons for this behaviour variation.

Co-author Richard Fuller, Professor at UQ’s

School of the Environment, said the discoveries

paved the way for conservation efforts to protect

Australia’s birds.

“Birds that migrate within Australia are often

overlooked by legislation, and until now we’ve

known very little about which species migrate,

Picture Ah Xin

where they go and when they do it. Our research

shows that a considerable number of birds

migrate within Australia, which highlights the

need for more research into their migration

patterns. By enabling researchers to further

explore how climate change and environmental

shifts affect bird migration, our findings can

help us better protect birds in Australia and

globally,” he said.

■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNETT

“Distinctive and highly variable bird migration system

revealed in Eastern Australia” is available at

www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-

9822(24)01297-1.

News

With summer now upon us, the Australian

Institute of Disaster Resilience (AIDR) has

released its most up-to-date Planning for

Animals handbooks, including state-specific

guides, designed for veterinary practices by

animal and emergency stakeholders, and

provides information on caring for their

teams, treating animals, and assisting clients

and the wider community.

The handbook provides a comprehensive

overview of what steps need to be taken by

practices to develop a comprehensive emergency

plan, with an all-hazards approach

including tornado, cyclone, storm, storm surge,

earthquake, emergency animal disease or

hostile attack, with a focus on bushfires

and floods as the key risks.

The guide looks at the four stages of an

emergency place: prevention, preparedness,

response and recovery.

Prevention includes veterinary facility and

property preparedness, as well as a broader

scale focus on sustainability in the sector, using

environmental social governance.

Preparedness details the practical steps

the practice takes to be ready, including

preparing and revising the plan at least once

a year, ensuring all staff in the practice are

aware of its contents and their roles in

activating and taking part in its roll out,

which includes ensuring all new staff

are trained and that all staff take part in

drills and meeting annually with Hazard

Management Agencies (HMAs), Animal Welfare

in Emergencies Support Agencies, To page 30


DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 5

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CATTLE

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– Specific registration for Pneumonia in cattle

– Second follow up injection in severe cases in

respiratory infections – approved

– Use with an appropriate antibiotic

MASTITIS

– Double dose in severe infections plus appropriate

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– Milk Withholdholding Time 12 hours: NO milk

withholding time when the period from treatment

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PAINFUL AND INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS

– Lameness and foot rot (with an antibiotic)

– Post calving pain management of the cow

– Pain management following de-horning or castration

– Pain related to Pink Eye inflammation

OF CATTLE

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TOLFLAM

MELOXICAM

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Meat WHP days after treatment 10 8

Milk Withholding Time 12h/Nil 1 96-144h 2

Time for use after opening 6 months 28 days

THREE DAY SICKNESS

ONE INJECTION, 3 DAYS TREATMENT

1. Milk WHP NIL when period after treatment and next milking more than 12 hours.

2. One meloxicam injection has a Milk WHP of 96 hours.

Ausrichter Pty Ltd (02) 9517 1166 www.ausrichter.com

Rays of hope

A recently released interim report issued by

researchers at Tasmania’s Institute for Marine

and Antarctic Sciences found encouraging

signs the only known population of the endangered

Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana),

may be stabilising with an increased presence of

young skates being recorded. Data collected

across a range of projects on the species between

2012 and 2021 indicated that the median size

of females had significantly increased, and

the proportion of juveniles and sub-adults

captured had significantly decreased, with an

absence of recruitment detected for a period

of approximately eight years through the 2010s

and into 2020.

Although endemic to Tasmania the skate is

now restricted to the unique environment of

Macquarie Harbour on the state’s west coast

where fears the farmed salmon industry may

be contributing to the decline in its population.

(The Veterinarian: June 2023). Despite these

glimmers of hope in the interim report

the researchers emphasised the importance of

continued monitoring given there has been

no significant population increase since 2021,

and hatchlings take approximately six years to

reach maturity.

Jayson Semmens, professor, researcher and

Maugean skate captive breeding program leader

Australia’s “Three Chiefs” used their final

newsletter in November to highlight the work of

the 2024 Australian Biosecurity Award winners.

Chief Plant Protection Officer, Gabrielle

Vivian-Smith, Chief Environmental Biosecurity

Officer, Bertie Hennecke, and Chief Veterinary

Officer, Beth Cookson regularly release a newsletter

through the Department od Agriculture,

Fisheries and Forestry website, to highlight

achievements in their respective industries.

The Australian Biosecurity Awards were first

granted in 2005, and in 2024 were awarded

across nine categories.

This year saw Leslie Sims awarded the Dr

David Banks Biosecurity Lifetime Achievement

Award, for his decades’ long contribution to

the veterinarian field, a highlight of which

was leading the Australian response to the first

global outbreak of H5N1 high pathogenicity

avian influenza outbreak.

Australia was successful in eradicating the

strain of the virus due to the biosecurity

measures put in place.

The First Nations Award for Excellence in

Biosecurity was awarded to the Western Cape

Turtle Threat Abatement Alliance (WCTTAA),

a partnership of six western Cape York

Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger groups.

The west coast of Cape York provides important

nesting habitat for Queensland’s largest

nesting population of the flatback turtle (Natator

depressus), and significant nesting rookeries

Picture Adam Gibson

Picture Jane Ruckert

News

at IMAS, said that while the population remains

significantly lower than historical levels, catch

per unit effort data – a standard measure of

relative abundance – there has been no overall

further decline since 2021.

“While the immediate recovery of adult

biomass isn’t expected, the presence of juveniles

at a similar proportion relative to adults in the

sampling, as we were seeing in 2014, is a positive

sign. However, continued monitoring will be

crucial to understanding the long-term trajectory

of the species,” he said.

IMAS research fellow David Moreno agreed,

emphasising predictions of long-term outcomes

were premature and ongoing research and

monitoring was required to guide effective

conservation efforts.

“Additional data are needed to determine

whether the observed presence of young

skates will lead to a sustained recovery. Updated

population models and action plans are

needed to ensure the skates’ survival in

Macquarie Harbour – its last remaining habitat,”

he said.

Sean Tracey, Professor of Fisheries and

Ecosystems Sciences, and Head of the Fisheries

and Aquaculture Centre within IMAS, described

the research as ‘science in action’ with all

the work presented to date based on the best

available information at the time.

“As we learn more our role is to ensure that

we’re updating and reassessing To page 30

2024 Australian Biosecurity Award winners announced A shocking practice

for the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), hawksbill

(Eretmochelys imbricata) and green turtle

(Chelonia mydas), all of which have been under

threat from feral pigs, who feed on both the

eggs and hatchlings from the turtle nests.

While the work of the WCTTAA focuses

on reducing the feral pig populations, it also

collects significant data on nest predation and

survival rates of turtle hatchlings on targeted

beaches, which has been integral to attract and

justify significant ongoing support from funding

partners, stakeholders and governments, and

clearly demonstrate outcomes, showing significant

increase in threatened marine turtle

hatchling survival rates in the Cape York region

through reducing feral pig nest predation impacts.

Australian Biosecurity Awards – Government

Acknowledged Brisbane City Council’s Keep

Moreton Island (Mulgumpin) Cane Toad Free

program.

Moreton Island is the third largest sand island

in the world, and has remained cane toad

free, in no small part to the program, which

targets island visitors and educates via public

engagement at Council events. The program

encourages all island residents and visitors to be

vigilant when unpacking their camping gear,

building materials and other supplies transported

from the mainland, and to support

surveillance efforts when travelling around the

island, improving the chance of detecting cane

toads in remote locations. To page 30

Although use of electrical devices on horses is

prohibited in all Australian states and territories,

in some jurisdictions this protection does

not always extend to rodeo horses. A study

published in issue 47 of the University of New

South Wales Law Journal compared the regulation

and enforcement of electric prodders – jiggers –

in the thoroughbred horse racing industry with

those in rodeos.

Co-author Di Evans, RSPCA Australia’s Senior

Scientific Officer, said inflicting electric shocks

on a horse can cause significant pain to the

animal since the thickness of the superficial

pain-sensitive epidermal layer of horse skin is

similar to that of human skin, so electric prodder

use on horses not only impacts on their health

and welfare it can pose a significant danger to

the life of the animal.

“In the specific context of prodder use on

horses in rodeos, the ACT is currently the only

jurisdiction prohibiting rodeos on animal

welfare grounds, so while rodeos continue

elsewhere we need stronger and more consistent

legislation to protect horses from the suffering

caused by the use of electric prodders,” she said.

An earlier 2022 independent study, commissioned

by the RSPCA, found 67 per cent of

the public were concerned or very concerned

about the welfare of animals in rodeos. The

organisation is opposed to rodeos because of the

potential for significant injury, suffering or

distress to the animals involved. To page 30


DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 7

•••••

,,.. "'

ROYAL C"NIN"

Advertorial

CASE STUDY

BEFORE:

CASE DESCRIPTION:

Ruffian was one of a litter of four

kittens, who presented as strays to

the RSPCA ACT in Canberra. He was

three to four weeks of age, and only

weighed 340g when he arrived. His

previous diet was unknown but

given his age he was likely still

feeding on milk from his mum until

shortly before he was found and

brought into the RSPCA ACT. Ruffian

and his siblings were small but had

no major health issues when they

first came into care. However, a

week later they had all developed

diarrhoea and were losing weight.

EXAMINATION AND

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS:

Ruffian's examination showed

he had dropped over 25% of his

body weight. Testing was initiated

to determine a diagnosis. This

included a faecal floatation which

did not reveal any parasites, and

a faecal PCR panel was negative

for all pathogens except

Clostridium perfringens.

FINAL ASSESSMENT AND

TREATMENT:

Ruffian's diarrhoea [and that of

his siblings] was presumed to

be due to their rapid change of

diet, a consequence of being

abruptly separated from their

mother before the normal age

of weaning. Clostridium

perfringens [bacteria] detected

on PCR testing was thought to

be contributing to general

dysbiosis of the gut.

AFTER:

CONCLUSION:

Ruffian and his siblings started on the ROYAL CANIN® Gastrointestinal Kitten diet to support their

digestive upsets whilst providing the recommended level of nutrition for kitten growth and weight gain.

It had the added advantage of being soft enough to syringe feed, if necessary, although as it turned out,

all the kittens found it very palatable and ate it happily.

The diet also incorporated prebiotics Fructo-oligosaccharides [FOS] and Mannan-oligosaccharides

[MOS] to help limit harmful bacteria and promote a healthy intestinal microbiome, beneficial in

supporting any dysbiosis. The kittens were also given another deworming treatment [they were

dewormed on first arrival] and given some probiotics.

Within three days of starting on ROYAL CANIN® Gastrointestinal Kitten,

Ruffian and his friends were all gaining weight.

On the recheck two weeks later, the diarrhoea had completely

resolved, and they had nearly doubled in size - Ruffian was up to 600g!

Ruffian was examined again two months on from when diarrhoea and weight-loss

were threatening his life. He was back from foster care for desexing and is now

a happy and healthy three-month-old boy, weighing in at 1.8kg and ready to find

his forever home.

ROYAL CANIN® Gastrointestinal Kitten has been a game changer, we see so

many kittens with diarrhoea and this product allows us to support them while still

maintaining the nutrition they need for growth, and they seem to love the taste!

Ruffian is just one example of many kittens for whom nutrition has made a positive impact.

••l!£..

ll=r

-: :

• •""' \ ROYALC!li.NIN"

•,-,.• I\

·•

ROYALC!li.NIN'

i j PliH!WfiiWi11 1 i

liH!WfiWii"i --====·

Simon Palmer

is the Managing Director

of Practice Sale Search,

Australia’s largest vet

practice brokerage. If you’d

like more information on

practice sales or want

to have a confidential

discussion about your

practice’s circumstances,

email Simon Palmer at

info@practicesalesearch.

com.au or call

1300 282 042.

Vet corporate confidential Part 2

In May 2000, a relatively unknown

chef called Anthony Bourdain

decided that he was going to

change careers and not run

kitchens in New York City any

more. As a final goodbye to his

previous career, he wrote a book

revealing some things that he felt

restaurant patrons should know.

The book was called Kitchen

Confidential; it would become a

worldwide best seller and launch

his second career as a famous

food and travel journalist.

Having recently said goodbye

to almost a decade working in

Acquisitions for one of the larger

dental corporates in Australia, I am

at a similar juncture in my career,

and there are some things that I

think practice vendors should

know about corporate acquisition.

Over my eight years, I would have

spoken to and visited close to a

thousand practices wanting to sell

and had my hand in the actual

purchase of close to a hundred.

Being involved with that many

practices and transactions, I saw

many put their best foot forward

in terms of presentation and

negotiation, and get the best

possible offer that we could have

given them… Unfortunately, I also

saw many practices that could have

done better for themselves, if only

they had known what to look for

and how best to deal with us.

Now that I have left the world of

corporate acquisitions and jumped

over to selling practices, I can share

with you my top five secrets about

how corporate acquisition works

and how vendors can get a better

result for themselves.

(Part 1 of this article was in the

previous issue of The Veterinarian

and covered secrets 1–3. It can also

be found at practicesalesearch.

com.au/vet/articles/vet-corporateconfidential.)

4. It is not as hard as you think

for an owner-operator buyer to

compete with a corporate

Many Vendors think that it’s impossible

for an owner-operator to

compete with a corporate for good

practices, because the corporates

have deeper pockets and can afford

to pay more. Often, vendors don’t

seek out owner-operator buyers

and just stick to seeking interest

from Corporates, which is how the

Corporates like it. In reality, owner

operator-buyers can absolutely

compete with Corporates for some

practices:

a. They can compete on terms

Corporates generally don’t buy

practices that allow vendors to exit

inside a 2-year time frame or pay

100% upfront or without future

targets. What is the opportunity

cost to the vendors of the time and

stress that come along with these

terms? Some vendors will accept

less money to get fewer post-sale

terms.

b. You can compete on compatibility

Many vendors prefer the idea of

selling to a person, rather than a

company. They prefer knowing

the ethics and clinical ability of the

clinician who will take over from

them when they leave. If they are

going to stay in the practice, they

like the idea of having an owner

onsite who they can talk to about

clients, staff and problems, rather

than needing to call a head office

in another state.

Management

5. Understand your targets

If you are thinking about selling

to a corporate, like the price

they are giving you, but don’t

COMPLETELY understand how

they calculated your post-sale profit

target, STOP! Make sure you get

clarity before proceeding.

Don’t let a big, shiny headline

purchase price woo you into

signing on to an offer that has a

post-sale target calculated in a way

that you don’t understand.

You will need to be able to reach

this target to get the full sale

price that they are offering. You

need to understand not just how

they calculated it, but also, as

importantly, feel confident that you

will be able to replicate it!

In my experience, missing

targets due to a vendor’s poor

understanding of them is way

too common, and the number

one reason for disharmony in

practices that have been sold to

corporates.

Conclusion

It is not uncommon for a practice

owner to feel overwhelmed or

unprepared when negotiating

the sale of their practice with a

corporate. After all, it isn’t a level

playing field with you on one side

(often selling a business for the

first time) negotiating against

someone who has done this a

hundred times before. How do you

ensure that you don’t shortchange

yourself in the biggest deal of

your life? If only you had someone

on your side who had also done

the transaction a hundred times

before and knew the moving

parts as well as the corporates

did…

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DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 9

HISTORY

In the Festive Spirit

Christmas with the animals in early 20th Century London

For those in the care of the Victoria Animal

Hospital in London, Boxing Day in the year 1906

was even better than Christmas. This was

because, for the first time, the hospital put on

a Christmas dinner for all its sick animals.

Arranged by Miss Marion Cureton and her

friends, the dinner saw the Hospital’s surgeon

oversee a special (albeit not necessarily what

modern veterinary science would describe as a

healthy) feast. To host this event with its “menu

of dainties,” the hospital bedecked its wards

with holly and mistletoe and wrote out the

menus on large, decorative cards for each of

the different species.

On the corner of Hugh Street and Belgrave

Road, just across from Victoria station, the

Animal Hospital was established through

the efforts of the “Our Dumb Friends’ League,”

-- a society encouraging kindness to animals.

It was officially opened in May of 1906 by

the Duchess of Teck and welcomed those

Londoners who were too poor to pay for their

animals’ treatment. The December 29 issue of

the Penny Illustrated Paper from the same year

described how, every day, from nine until four,

hundreds of the London poor bring their pets

to the entrance of the great Animal Hospital.

The rule of the hospital is never to turn away

an animal in distress.

The hospital took in all manner of patients

including the usual dogs, cats and horses but

also birds, donkeys, mice and rats. It was dedicated

to the plight of the needy, so much so that

it turned away the rich who wanted to take

advantage of the magnificent veterinary talent at

the command of the institute…no matter how

wealthy a person is -- and even if he should be a

patron of the hospital -- his animals are not received.

On December 26, those undergoing treatment

at the establishment were in for a treat.

According to the Daily Mail reporting on the

27th, there were forty-seven guests in total. The

nine horses and three donkeys (one of whom

was forty years old) were the eager recipients of

corn, hay, carrots, apples and sugar. The fifteen

cats in attendance ate a special spread of

codfish, sardines, beef and cream. For the dogs,

including one terrier who had been hit by a bus,

there was a mouthwatering banquet of roast

beef, sweet biscuits and sugar. The avian guests

(one hen, three parrots, one cockatoo, one

lovebird and three canaries) got to feast on

walnuts, sweet biscuits, bananas and grapes. The

last guest, a rabbit recovering from an operation

for a tumour, was happy to eat his lettuce and

carrots but, as the Daily Mail noted, refused his

treat of sugar.

Archdeacon Wilberforce was in attendance to

say grace for the animals at the feast, though

he mentioned that it was hardly necessary as

they lived their lives in perpetual quiet. He

questioned whether the animals “care a straw for

people visiting them -- in fact, I rather think they

find us a bore. They are something apart from

us, something mystical and unexplained, and

we call them dumb animals because we do not

understand their language.” The Archdeacon

found that there was something quite appropriate

about an animal dinner party to celebrate

the Nativity, on account of the original guests

around the manger, and insisted that it was

important to publicly acknowledge that the animals

at the hospital were worthy of deeper consideration

than what was usually given to them.

The hospital was not the only place in the

English capital where animals were included in

Christmas celebrations. The London Zoo was

often similarly festive and, even if the staple

meals remained largely unchanged, the animals

sometimes celebrated too. In 1900, the

December 26 edition of the Daily Mail detailed

what it described as “one of the biggest

Christmas dinners in the world.” According to

the report, the pelicans were treated with fish at

2:30pm, before the otters got their turn half an

hour later. The lions and tigers were particularly

excited by the rumble of their approaching food

cart, which carried in huge lumps of beef for

each of the diners. One lioness, Rhody, did not

partake in the feast though, preferring to retire

to her sleeping apartment than deal with the

fuss of the visitors all watching on and cheering.

Having to earn his treat by turning head

over heels, the orangutan received apples,

though he was rather unmoved to do so after

having already eaten bananas for breakfast. Hay

was also in demand at the Christmas dinner,

with the elephants, rhinoceroses and giraffes

all given special trusses.

As the years passed, the Zoo found new ways to

get into the Christmas spirit. In 1923, Winnie

the brown bear received a Christmas cracker,

which she was photographed pulling with her

keeper. Visitors were also encouraged to bring in

special Christmas treats on Boxing Day, the Zoo

closed on Christmas Day itself. A few handfuls

of French beans would bring joy to the monkeys

and rodents, whereas the bears would keenly

accept a gift of golden syrup. Lettuce was recommended

for birds, great and small, except for

birds of prey and soft-billed birds, who preferred

small mealworms as their treat.

The celebrations of 1924 saw the monkeys

receive their own Christmas stockings, with one

by the name of Jenny taking particular interest

in a hand mirror. Then in 1925, five-year-old

Murphy the orangutan found it amusing to see

mistletoe hung over his head. The Daily Mirror

even reported that he kept with tradition and

gave his keeper a kiss! Murphy then picked

through a box of crackers, choosing all the

yellow ones before throwing the box over his

keeper’s head. A Burnett monkey named Ginger

received a stocking filled with toys and treats.

He went through the contents, discarding those

bits and bobs that didn’t take his fancy, but

made sure to keep the little picture books and,

of course, the sweets.

In 1928, the monkeys were put to work! The

Daily Mirror reported how Bobo and Joey were

given a bowl, spoon and ingredients, which

they took up eagerly. Bedecked in hats, the

chimpanzees mixed up their own Christmas

pudding, although it is unclear if their efforts

resulted in any actual cake!

The propensity to include animals in

Christmas celebrations was surely a joy to behold

and well-intentioned but, often, not in the best

interests of their health. The founder of the

People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, Maria

Elisabeth Dickin, warned in 1927 that almost

thirty per cent of the animals treated at the

various dispensaries after Christmas suffered

from the ill effects of overeating. This included

indulging in foods more suited to human tastes.

She urged,

In seeking to give your own particular animal

friend a good time, bear in mind the practical

fact that they are different; not necessarily lower,

but different. For the same reason that you

would not spread the nursery dining table with

caviar, cocktails or the like, don’t give plum

pudding and splintery game bones and a nosetoasting

position on the hearth rug to your dog.

To ensure four-legged friends did not pay the

unpleasant penalties for unnatural indulgences,

Dickin suggested a square of chopped lean

beef and broken biscuit with gravy, as this

would be more than sufficient as a festive relish

for dogs. Indeed, she noted that they would

probably even enjoy that more.

In 1932, the People’s Dispensary held a

Christmas market fundraiser and, in the spirit

of Dickin’s dietary recommendations, displayed

what The Times called “the largest dog biscuit in

the world.” The Dispensary, which was started

in 1917 in a small cellar in the East End, held

its fundraising event at the Royal Albert Hall.

By this time, it had grown to include seventy

permanent locations and six travelling ones,

which, like the Victoria Animal Hospital, provided

veterinary care free of charge to the animals of

the poor.

Baked especially to provide a Christmas meal

for all the starving dogs in the neighbourhood of

the East End dispensaries, the biscuit measured

14 feet high and 13 feet wide, weighing in

at three-quarters of a tonne. In true Christmas

spirit, the biscuit was broken up into pieces

and personally delivered by Santa, to the joy of

the local pooches.

■ ELIZABETH BURRELL

10 TheVeterinarian DECEMBER 2024


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Clinical Review

David Vella

graduated with a

Bachelor of Science in

1992, and a Bachelor

of Veterinary Science

(Hons) in 1996 - both

from the University

of Sydney. In 2009,

David became a

Diplomate of the

American Board

of Veterinary

Practitioners in Exotic

Companion Mammals,

the first Australian

vet to achieve these

credentials. Since

graduating, his

interest in exotic

veterinary medicine

has engaged Vella to

work on a range of

exotic animals. David

has gained extensive

clinical experience in

treating exotic pets

having focussed

on this field while

working in the United

Kingdom and Sydney.

Vella is a consultant

for the exotics only

service Sydney

Exotics & Rabbit Vets

(established in 2005)

based at Sydney’s

North Shore

Veterinary

Specialist Centre

in Artarmon.

Vella is involved in

both casework and

training in wildlife

rescue, handling,

rehabilitation, and

foster care. He is a

member of the

Association of

Exotic Mammal

Veterinarians and

Association of Reptile

and Amphibian

Veterinarians. Part of

his spare time is spent

building and running

'Escape Rooms'

with his wife.



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Clinical Review



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Clinical Review



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Clinical

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DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 19

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Clinical

Review


DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 21

Treat Canine

Osteoarthritis early

so your patients

can keep moving

and doing the

things they love

Recommend Galliprant as first-line treatment

FIRST-IN-CLASS non-COX inhibiting NSAID 1

UNIQUE MODE OF ACTION specifically blocks the

EP4 receptor, a key mediator of OA pain, but

allows the production of prostaglandins involved

in GIT and renal homeostasis

FOR ALL STAGES of OA from the earliest clinical signs

For more information, please contact an Elanco Animal Health Consultant

on 1800 995 709 from anywhere in Australia Monday to Friday.

INDICATION Galliprant is a NSAID that controls pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs.

1. Kirkby Shaw, K, et al. Vet Med Sci. 2016;2:3-9.

Read product leaflet for full instructions. The safety of Galliprant has not been established in dogs less than 3.6 kg or less than 9 months of age.

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contact Elanco Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN 64 076 745 198): productsupportau@elancoah.com. ELAN0638 09/24. PM-AU-24-0548.

www.elanco.com.au

Clinical

Review


DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 23

Abstracts

■ EDITED BY JENI HOOD BSc (Hons) BVMS PhD

Integrating animal welfare into

the WHO pandemic treaty: a

thematic analysis of civil society

perspectives and comparison

with treaty drafting

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed critical weaknesses in the global

health system, highlighting the urgent need for a coordinated

international approach to pandemic prevention and management.

As negotiations for a new WHO pandemic treaty progress, the

effective integration of animal welfare is crucial. This paper aims to

investigate the perspectives of key civil society organizations on the

integration of animal welfare provisions into the pandemic treaty.

Through a thematic analysis of documents prepared by FOUR

PAWS, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Action for Animal Health

between 2020–2023, five major themes are identified: prevention

of zoonotic spillover, One Health approach, animal health systems

and infrastructure, sustainable and ethical animal management

practices, and policy coherence and governance. A comparative

analysis of these themes against the April 2024 draft of the pandemic

treaty reveals areas of alignment and divergence. Due to the

ongoing controversies and the need for further improvements, the

WHO's intergovernmental negotiating body was unable to finalize

the treaty text for the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024,

leading to an extended mandate until 2025. Based on the findings,

the paper proposes recommendations to strengthen the integration

of animal welfare into the treaty, arguing that incorporating these

recommendations is critical for developing a transformative,

equitable, and effective treaty that addresses the systemic drivers

of pandemic risk.

Ying Huang 1 , Shisong Jiang 2 , Nasiya Daminova 3 , Emmanuel Kumah 4

Front Vet Sci. 2024 Nov 13:11:1421158. doi:

10.3389/fvets.2024.1421158.

1 School of Marxism, Yangtze Normal University, Chongqing, China.

2 School of Law, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.

3 Faculty of Management and Business [Just Recovery From Covid-19?

Fundamental Rights, Legitimate Governance and Lessons Learnt

(JuRe) Project], Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.

4 Department of Health Administration and Education, Faculty of

Science Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.

Free article

Premature mortality analysis of

52,000 deceased cats and dogs

exposes socioeconomic disparities

Monitoring mortality rates offers crucial insights into public health

by uncovering the hidden impacts of diseases, identifying emerging

trends, optimising resource allocation, and informing effective policy

decisions. Here, we present a novel approach to analysing premature

mortality in companion animals, utilising data from 28,159

deceased dogs and 24,006 deceased cats across the United Kingdom.

By employing PetBERT-ICD, an automated large language model

(LLM) based International Classification of Disease 11 syndromic

classifier, we reveal critical insights into the causes and patterns of

premature deaths. Our findings highlight the significant impact

of behavioural conditions on premature euthanasia in dogs,

particularly in ages one to six. We also identify a 19 per cent

increased risk of premature mortality in brachycephalic dog breeds,

raising important animal welfare concerns. Our research establishes

a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and premature

mortality in cats and dogs. Areas with the lowest Index of Multiple

Deprivation (IMD) scores show nearly a 50 per cent reduction in the

risk of premature mortality across cats and dogs, underscoring the

powerful impact that socioeconomic factors can have on pet health

and longevity. This research underscores the necessity of examining

the socioeconomic disparities affecting animal health outcomes.

By addressing these inequities, we can better safeguard the

well-being of our companion animals. To page 30

Impact of growth rate on the

welfare of broilers

Selection for the more efficient production of broilers has resulted

in rapid growth rates. The aim was to review the existing

knowledge on the effect of growth rate on broiler welfare.

Genotypes with faster growth rates consistently demonstrate

poorer gait scores and increased prevalence of disorders affecting

their legs than slower-growing genotypes. Reduced mobility

places faster-growing broilers at an increased risk of developing

contact dermatitis, as they spend increased durations sitting in

contact with litter. Poor walking ability, heavy body weights, and

conformational differences such as proportionally larger breast

muscle in genotypes with faster growth can impact a bird's

ability to walk and navigate the environment, making it difficult

to access resources and express natural behaviours. Faster

growth has also been associated with poor cardiovascular health,

increased susceptibility to heat stress, increased prevalence of

mortality, ascites, as well as multiple breast muscle myopathies.

Feed restriction, a practice associated with hunger and frustration,

may be used to control the growth of broiler breeders, with

birds having higher growth potential typically experiencing

higher restriction levels. Overall, there is strong evidence that

fast growth rates negatively impact welfare, and that slowergrowing

genotypes show significantly improved welfare.

Furthermore, some evidence suggests that even minor

reductions in growth rate can lead to welfare improvements.

Anja B Riber 1 , Kaitlin E Wurtz 1 2

Animals (Basel). 2024 Nov 19;14(22): 3330.doi:

10.3390/ani14223330.

1 Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Aarhus

University, Blichers Allé 20, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.

2 Livestock Behavior Research Unit, USDA-ARS, 270 S. Russel St.,

West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.

Free article

Genetic factors of equine

osteochondrosis and fetlock

osteochondral fragments:

A scoping review - Part 2

Equine osteochondrosis and osteochondral fragments in the

fetlock joint are linked to various environmental and genetic risk

factors. To assess the scope of the literature linking these risk

factors to the development of these osteochondral disorders,

while identifying knowledge gaps and challenges to guide future

research, a scoping review was performed. This article constitutes

the second part of this scoping review and focuses on genetic

factors, with the first part addressing environmental factors. To

identify potentially relevant papers, online bibliographical databases

PubMed and Web of Science were utilised, supplemented

with articles listed on the OMIA website (OMIA:000750-9796).

After collecting entries, removing duplicates, screening titles,

abstracts, and full-text documents for eligibility, and manually

searching reference lists of the remaining articles, a total of

212 studies were identified for this scoping review. First, a brief

overview of the etiopathogenesis of equine osteochondrosis

and osteochondral fragments in the fetlock joint is provided.

Subsequently, this article delves into the genetic aspects by

presenting an overview of significantly associated quantitative

trait loci and potential candidate genes. Next, the challenges

in both phenotypic and genomic selection against these osteochondral

disorders are discussed, with a focus on the difficulties

in phenotyping, the establishment of large and representative

reference populations, publication bias, lesion-specific heritabilities,

and studbook policies. In conclusion, while there is considerable

potential to implement preventive measures that can alleviate

the economic burden and enhance animal welfare, further

research is necessary. This research should utilize precise and

standardized phenotype definitions applied across studies

with preferably larger populations. To page 30



John H C Hutt

Registered Specialist –

Veterinary Dermatology

BVSc (Hons) BA (Hons)

MA (CW) CertVD

MANZCVS DipACVD.

John Hutt graduated from

the University of Queensland

in 1988. He worked in general

practice in Brisbane for

18 months before travelling

to the UK in 1990, where

he worked in small animal

practice for the next 11 years.

He was a clinical assistant in

dermatology at the Animal

Health Trust from 1998 to

2001. In 2001 John set up

North Kent Referrals, a multidisciplinary

referral practice

in the south of England, and

he owned and ran the

practice until its sale in 2012.

Hutt is a registered specialist

in Veterinary Dermatology.

He holds the RCVS Certificate

in Veterinary Dermatology, is

a member of the Australian

College of Veterinary

Scientists (MANZCVS) by

examination in small animal

medicine and is a diplomate

of the American College

of Veterinary Dermatology.

John is a past President

of the British Veterinary

Dermatology Study Group.

He is Adjunct Associate

Professor at the University

of Queensland, where he

provides the dermatology

referral service.

Following his return to

Brisbane in 2013, Hutt joined

the team at Dermatology for

Animals. His clinical interests

include the management of

allergic skin disease in dogs,

immune mediated skin

disorders, and all aspects

of feline and equine

dermatology. John has

regularly presented on

veterinary dermatology

to veterinary surgeons and

nurses all over the world.

Skin cancer in dogs and cats

We all know that skin cancer in dogs and cats can

manifest in various ways, often appearing as lumps,

bumps, or sores on the skin, which may be red,

ulcerated, or bleeding, and which sometimes cause

discomfort or pruritus. We also know that there is a

wide variation in the type of cancer that can affect

the skin, and that these can range from entirely

benign to malignant and/or locally aggressive.

In this article, because of this wide variation, and the

necessary limitations of covering such a big subject

in a single article, we’re going to limit our discussion

to those diseases that are usually dealt with by or presented

to dermatologists as opposed to oncologists,

and concentrate on the following aspects of cutaneous

oncology:

■ Tumours of the skin itself, rather than the

subcutaneous tissues

■ Tumours we can effectively treat with early

intervention

■ Tumours we can prevent, and how we can do this.

Types of skin cancer we’ll be covering in this article

■ Sebaceous hyperplasia/adenoma

■ Melanoma

■ Squamous Cell Carcinoma

■ Bowen’s Disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ)

■ Cutaneous Haemangioma and Haemangiosarcoma

■ Cutaneous Lymphoma

General recommendations

One huge advantage that dermatologists have over

those who deal with other organ systems is that our

area of interest is on the outside of the patient. This

means that we can see what is going on as it’s right in

front of us! So even small changes in the appearance

of the skin are going to picked up early, either by the

pet’s owner, or by us during physical examination.

This further means that we have the opportunity to

intervene far earlier in the course of disease than we

can when dealing with other systems. The practical

implication of this is that even potentially fatal

malignancies can be dealt with via early removal of the

primary tumour. In fact, early removal of the primary

tumour is curative in the vast majority of skin tumours,

regardless of their potential for metastatic spread or

locally aggressive behaviour.

If we assume that any skin mass has the potential to

behave in a malignant fashion then we should always

recommend removal of skin masses as the preferred

treatment option, along with histopathology for

definitive diagnosis. On a practical and economic

basis, we need to recognise that that’s probably not

going to happen for every skin mass that we

encounter, so we’ll start with the skin tumours that we

can safely treat with “benign neglect” or at least adopt

a “wait and see” approach before acting.

Sebaceous hyperplasia/adenoma

These are probably the most common skin tumours

that we encounter in practice, and in fact there is

debate amongst pathologists as to whether they

truly represent a state of neoplasia or whether

they should be classified as a hyperplasia instead.

Regardless of the outcome of that, these are benign

lesions. We have all I’m sure seen these “warty”

(although they are not warts as they’re not virally

induced), “old dog” lesions on the skin or our

patients. Poodles (and by extension the various

“oodles”), beagles and cocker spaniels are particularly

prone to their development later in life.

In most cases the lesions are few in number and

don’t bother the patient. These are very characteristic

growths and in these situations it’s perfectly

acceptable to adopt to adopt a “wait and see”

approach, and only act if there is a change in the

lesions or how they affect the pet.

In some cases though, the lesions can be pruritic

(usually this presents as an extension and focus for

the pruritus in an already allergic pet), they can

become infected, or they can be in an awkward

location resulting in damage to the lesion and

bleeding. In some patients, literally dozens of lesions

develop over time, causing distress to the client

and sometimes the pet as well.

Melanoma on dog's lower eyelid

Clinical

Sunburn on the abdomen of a dog

Feature

For small numbers of problematic lesions, surgical

removal is curative. In the case of large numbers of

lesions, CO2 laser ablation is the treatment of choice,

as this allows for the removal of large numbers of

lesions in one sitting, sutures are not required, and

post-operative recovery is fast. CO2 laser ablation

is not available in all geographical locations, or

within financial reach of all clients – as alternatives,

electrocautery, cryotherapy or selected surgical

removal of the lesions causing the most problems

can be considered.

Melanoma

Living in Australia, and in particular if you live in

the tropics or sub-tropics, it’s highly likely that you

have known someone, or know of someone, who has

died as a result of a cutaneous malignant melanoma.

The story usually involves a comment indicating

that by the time they discovered the primary skin

tumour, that it was “already too late” and metastasis

had already occurred. Clients are therefore understandably

concerned if they discover a dark coloured

mass on their pet’s skin.


DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 25

Clinical

Feature

Sunburn on a cat's nose

The good news however is that the vast

majority of cutaneous melanomas in dogs and

cats are benign. This doesn’t mean we should

ignore them, because there is a small percentage

of course that aren’t. But it does mean that the

urgency and need to move to early clinical

staging is not usually required in our patients.

Removal and confirmation via histopathology

is indicated and is in most cases curative.

Squamous cell carcinoma

This is primarily a disease of white or light

coloured, short-coated pets who like to lie in the

sun. UV light is hugely implicated in the development

of this tumour, and strategies to protect

the skin of all pets falling into this category are

highly recommended and covered in a separate

section below. It’s important to recognise

that the damage that UV light does to skin is

cumulative, there is no reset and it’s this

accumulation over time and the amount of DNA

damage sustained that ultimately leads to

neoplastic transformation.

These are potentially malignant tumours and

although metastasis tends to occur late in the

course of disease, it can and does happen so

prompt intervention in these cases can literally

be lifesaving. They are often presaged by

changes in the appearance of the skin,

starting with the erythema and scaling of

sunburn, followed by the development of

actinic keratosis (pre-cancerous crusting

lesions). If left untreated, or if preventative

measures are not taken, these can develop into

squamous cell carcinomas, which usually present

as ulcerated masses, or sometimes ulceration

without a mass effect.

Predilection sites tend to be where hair

coverage is sparse and the skin is thin – this

means the abdomen in white sun-bathing dogs

and the nasal planum and ear tips of cats where

the skin is unpigmented and the surrounding

hair is white.

As with all skin cancer, surgical removal of

the primary tumour or tumours is indicated.

If surgical margins are not clear, or if there is

evidence of metastasis (usually to the local

lymph nodes in the first instance), then further

treatment in the form of chemotherapy or

radiation therapy may be necessary. Topical

treatment of small focal lesions with Imiquimod

and 5-fluorouracil have been described and

may be an option but the discomfort that this

treatment can induce needs to be carefully

considered on a patient-by-patient basis.

Bowen’s disease

Bowen’s disease, or squamous cell carcinoma in

situ, is a poorly understood disease entity seen

in cats – it doesn’t appear to be related to

Actinic Keratosis on a dog's abdomen

sun exposure, and papillomavirus may be

implicated. Effectively it’s a squamous cell

carcinoma where the tumour does not broach

the basement membrane – hence it remains

in the epidermis (in situ).

Lesions present as scaling and crusting areas

of hyperpigmentation – these lesions are

usually noted on the head initially, but other

parts of the body are often affected in the

same individual, so careful examination of any

patient presenting in this way is warranted.

This cancer is also potentially malignant but

because it’s a relatively rare disease there isn’t

much data on how likely this is or how quickly

it can happen.

Treatment of Bowen’s disease is challenging

due to the widespread nature of the disease.

Surgical removal of solitary lesions is indicated.

CO2 laser ablation is probably the treatment

of choice for more widespread lesions as the

precision of the laser allows removal of tissue

down to the level of the basement membrane,

thus removing all neoplastic cells without

affecting surrounding tissues. Topical treatment

using Imiquimod has been described, with

the same caveats applying as for squamous cell

carcinoma.

Alopecia and actinic keratosis on a cat's pinna

Cutaneous haemangioma

and haemangiosarcoma

This is another UV light induced skin cancer,

generally seen in dogs, and again in those

short-coated, light coloured sunbathing individuals.

The predilection sites are the same as for

squamous cell carcinoma and in some cases both

tumours can develop in the same patient. More

commonly however, it seems that one type of

neoplastic transformation prevails over the other

on an individual basis.

The lesions appear as small “blood blisters”

on the surface of the skin, which exude dark

haemorrhagic material when they rupture.

Depending on the location of the lesion, regular

bleeding from the lesion may be a feature.

If left unchecked, these can lead to larger

lesions and ultimately to the development of

haemangiosarcoma, with attendant potential

for metastasis.

As with most forms of skin cancer, surgical

removal is the treatment of choice for small

numbers of lesions, with CO2 laser being

preferred if there are large numbers of lesions

(again, cryotherapy and electrocautery can be

considered where CO2 laser is not available or

feasible). In advanced cases, chemotherapy

or radiation therapy may be indicated.

Cutaneous lymphoma

This is something of an outlier in this article,

being a skin cancer that can’t be cured by cutting

it out, but it warrants attention as although it’s

a rare disease, we do see it as a presentation

in our clinic reasonably frequently, and it’s often

not been picked up.

The classic history is of an older dog, without

prior history of skin disease, that develops a

sudden onset of pruritus with marked erythema

and scaling of the skin. Secondary infection

is common and the disease can progress

to ulceration and crusting, and occasionally to

overt masses on the skin.

Diagnosis is by biopsy and histopathology and

sadly lymphoma that presents in this way is often

poorly responsive to chemotherapy, meaning

that the prognosis is poor for these patients.

Treatment with Lomustine (CCNU) can help

in some cases and the use of oclacitinib has

recently been described as improving patient

comfort but having little impact on the ultimate

course of the disease.

UV light avoidance strategies

The most common potential malignancies that

we see in our dermatology practice are squamous

cell carcinoma and haemangioma/haemangiosarcoma.

As both these entities are induced

by excessive exposure to UV light, no discussion

of skin cancer in pets is complete without

mentioning strategies to minimize this.


DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 27

Clinical Feature

To protect dogs and cats from the harmful

effects of UV light, we can consider the following

strategies:

■ Limit sun exposure during peak hours, typically

between 10am and 4pm in temperate climates,

but in the tropics and subtropics, this means

all daylight hours!

■ Bring the pet indoors and behind a window.

Glass blocks most UV-B wavelength light (the

part of the spectrum that causes sunburn)

and although it doesn’t block UV-A (which

penetrates deeper and causes DNA damage),

it will help to limit the amount of damage that

can be done to the skin, and does reduce the

chances of neoplastic transformation.

■ Get a sunsuit! These are well tolerated by most

dogs and are great at blocking UV light. If a

dark suit is obtained, it will encourage the dog

to seek shade and thus protect the areas that

can’t be covered with the suit.

■ Use pet-safe or baby (high SPF, no fragrance)

sunscreens on exposed skin areas. However, as

with humans, sunscreens need to be reapplied

often to be effective.

Feline squamous cell carcinoma

If we start early with getting our susceptible

patients used to these strategies, we can prevent

them from ending up needing extensive

treatment later in life, and we might well

actually save their life!

Actinic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma

on a dog's abdomen

Bowen's disease

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?

Is there a topic you’ve wanted

to tell everyone about?

Have you ever thought you would like to write a

clinical review but don’t know where to start?

Do you have a hobby or history that you think

vets everywhere would like to learn more about?

Then don’t delay – email The Veterinarian

at editor@vetmag.com.au and let us know –

because your words could be in the pages

of next month’s issue!



BUSINESS

Global radiation safety campaign begins

VET.CT, a teleradiology and specialist

consultancy company, has launched a global

campaign to raise awareness about the

importance of radiation safety in veterinary

practice, providing a comprehensive suite

of free resources and real-life case studies

to support veterinary teams.

The campaign champions the health and

safety of people and patients with the use of

ionising radiation in diagnostic imaging.

VET.CT has created the X-Pert Radiation

Safety Centre, with free downloadable toolkits

for both small animal and equine practice,

including positioning guides, top tips, chemical

restraint protocols, with a series of practice

case studies on how to put the principles

into practice, which includes Queensland

Veterinary Specialists (QVS).

“Radiation safety breaches represent a

significant health and safety incident and

a risk to the health of veterinary team members

and their patients,” David Reese, VET.CT

director of clinical support and radiologist,

said. “Despite this, we know that breaches are

not uncommon in clinical practice,. To help

A virtual reality tool designed by a University

of Adelaide academic with local agriculture

tech company Think Digital, launched to

the United States at the 97th Future Farmers

of America convention in Indianapolis in

late October.

The origins of the convention stretch back

to 1925, when several teachers at Virginia

Tech organised the Future Farmers of

Virginia for young men in agriculture classes.

The FFV then served as the model for the

Future Farmers of America, which this year

saw more than 70,000 agriculture-focused

educators and students at the event.

The Australian VR tool, called CattleVR,

was designed by Mandi Carr, from the

university’s School of Animal and Veterinary

Science, to provide experience to the high

number of students with limited large-animal

meet the challenge of improving safety in

busy practice workflows, VET.CT has created

a comprehensive suite of practical resources

to support veterinary teams in applying best

practice to ensure the health of their personnel

and patients. We have also partnered

with clinics from around the world, including

QVS, to provide some great case studies.”

Paul Robins, radiographer at QVS highlighted

the importance of embedding good habits.

“Having a culture where good radiation safety

is the norm and being open and accountable

to each other is key to ensuring we build

and maintain good habits and best practices,”

he said. “Not only does this ensure we safeguard

the health and safety of our team and

patients, it also leads to better quality diagnostic

images and more efficient workflows.”

“We know that taking extra care to ensure

good patient preparation, positioning and

optimising settings results in fewer exposures

and higher quality diagnostic images for

more accurate interpretation,” Reese said.

“This all contributes to improved efficiency,

patient management and outcomes, greater

Aussie VR education tool launched in US

experience entering the University’s animalbased

degrees.

“We were finding students were fearful of

cattle, leading them to behave unsafely

around them in the yards,” Carr said.

“Due to the size of the animals, and the

potential for injury to the students and

the stress to the cattle when they’re handled

incorrectly, I knew there was an opportunity

to improve training.”

Think Digital is an Adelaide-based extended

reality (XR) studio with a focus on solving

problems in agriculture using XR and AI.

“This immersive virtual reality tool allows

students to put on a headset and learn

first-hand about the size of the animals,

the flight zones, and how to move them

safely through the yards,” Think Digital CEO

Kat Bidstrup said.

Vets raise the alarm on tick paralysis

As Australia enters the peak of its paralysis

tick season, the risk to pets has never been

higher. Leading veterinarians urging pet

owners to act now, emphasising that

prevention is the key to safeguarding the lives

of their beloved pets. Despite 81 per cent of

Australians recognising that a single tick bite

can lead to paralysis or even death in dogs

and cats, the number of cases continues to

climb across the country. 1

Martine Perkins, Senior Veterinarian and

Owner of Killara Veterinary Hospital is urging

every dog and cat owner to prioritise paralysis

tick prevention, especially to avoid an

expensive and sometimes heartbreaking

trip to the vet. “Tick paralysis is the most

challenging disease we face as veterinarians,”

Perkins said. “Paralysis tick prevention is so

important for cats and dogs, as a single

paralysis tick can kill our pets. Many people

think that tick paralysis is only a spring or

summer problem but unfortunately, we see

cases of tick paralysis all year round.”

Unique to Australia’s eastern seaboard,

the paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, poses a

significant threat as the single most

dangerous parasite for pets, capable of

causing paralysis and even death. 2 “Although

your vet will do everything they can to save

your pet if it is affected by a paralysis tick,

severe cases often result in days in the ICU on

ventilators, and still, not all pets can be saved.

This is not only a huge emotional toll on pet

owners but also a financial one. Don’t wait

until it’s too late – taking preventative action

now is paramount,” Perkins said.

Australia’s peak paralysis tick season, which

runs from August to March, is a critical period

when these dangerous parasites are most

abundant. 3 Each year in Australia, it is estimated

that at least 10,000 dogs and cats are

presented to veterinarians for treatment. 2

Sydney-based dog owner, Emilia Stagg’s

experienced this firsthand when her

labradoodle, Bronte, was bitten by a paralysis

tick. "When the vet told us Bronte had been

bitten by a paralysis tick, I was terrified. The

treatment was intensive and costly, amounting

to around $5,000. Bronte was placed on

an intravenous drip for two days, receiving

numerous treatments to combat the effects

of the paralysis tick. Even after she was discharged,

Bronte remained sore and needed

plenty of rest to recover fully.”

“Now with excellent and long-lasting tick

prevention products like Bravecto, we can

significantly reduce their risk. These modern

products are very effective and have

significantly reduced the number of cases

of tick paralysis that we see coming into our

hospitals.” Martine said.

To effectively minimise the risk of tick

paralysis, pet owners are encouraged to

address three key areas:

David Reese

satisfaction, and of course, happier owners.”

The free X-Pert radiation safety resources

and case studies for small animal practice

can be accessed at au.vet-ct.com/welcometo-x-pert

and the equine resources at

au.vet-ct.com/welcome-to-x-pert-equine.

Founded in the UK by veterinary radiologist

Victoria Johnson and independently

owned, VET.CT has grown globally with

subsidiaries in Australia, the USA and

Canada, with over 270 team members globally,

including more than 200 diplomates across

a broad range of clinical disciplines.

“CattleVR is a fantastic complementary tool

for educators that bridges the knowledge

gap for new students, and, most importantly,

we know for sure that no student has been

injured being kicked by a virtual cow.”

Mandi Carr’s insight and experience was

crucial to ensure CattleVR was accurate and

appropriate for use in classrooms. She says

the result gives students the insights they

need to feel more comfortable handling

large animals, with more than a thousand

University of Adelaide students having

already been through the CattleVR training

program.

“Kat and her team developed a large

amount of responsiveness within the

experience so that students get the full

experience of the size, and the different

responses animals have, depending on where

to stand and how you move,” Carr said.

■ JULIA GARDINER

1. Preventative treatment: Every at-risk dog

and cat should have access year-round

effective tick protection treatment. Pet

owners need to be educated on how severe

tick paralysis can be and how missed

doses or inconsistent use of preventative

treatments can have potentially fatal

consequences.

2. Daily tick searching: Inspecting your pets

daily provides the best chance of finding a

paralysis tick before severe symptoms develop.

Use your fingertips to feel your pet’s coat.

Start at the head and work your hands down

to each paw, ensuring you check every

fold and between each claw for any lumps. If

you find a tick, consult your vet immediately

so that they can identify the tick and advise

on the best removal method and whether

your pet requires veterinary attention.

3. Symptoms: Dog and cat owners need to

stay vigilant because death can occur if

symptoms aren’t noticed quickly enough.

Dogs developing tick paralysis typically show

weakness of their back legs and a wobbly

walk, which then progresses to total paralysis

of all four legs. They may also regurgitate

food due to weakness of muscles in their

throat and oesophagus. Cats get agitated and

develop an odd breathing pattern with a

soft grunt as they breathe out. Weakness is

typically less obvious to their owners, at least

in the early stages. To page 30

■


DECEMBER 2024

TheVeterinarian 29

News

Cats versus lilies: new treatment options

From page 3

“This could be particularly relevant

for pet owners with financial

limitations, lack of access to

24-hour veterinary facilities or

other cat specific factors.

Inpatient cats had a 100 per cent

survival rate compared to an 87.5

per cent survival rate for outpatient

cats, leading researchers to caution

that their findings should not be

interpreted as definitive treatment

recommendations, with larger,

controlled studies are needed to

establish evidence-based guidelines

for managing lily toxicity in cats.

However, the high survival rate for

outpatient cats, suggests that outpatient

treatment can still lead to

favourable outcomes in many cases.

Reineke added that the study

also revealed a higher overall

prevalence of AKI in both groups

Rays of hope

From page 7

that information, so decisions are

made based on the best contemporary

data,” he said.

The researchers said monitoring

of the Maugean skate population

should be considered a ‘cornerstone

A shocking practice

From page 7

This latest study recommended that

legislative exemptions or defences

that allowed electric

prodders to be used on rodeo

horses in some jurisdictions be

removed, and that possession of

an electric prodder in the vicinity of

a horse be made an offence

throughout the country.

AIDR handbook released for vet practices

From page 5

Local government, surrounding

veterinary practices and other key

stakeholders to discuss each other's

needs and ensure all stakeholders

have the correct assumptions.

The response module covers the

contingencies for what the practice

will and won't do, including

shelter-in-place contingencies, evacuation

procedures including the

triggers to evacuate, where evacuation

kits, crates, identification,

leads, floats and vehicles are

located, and where the practice will

handle the treatment of patients

impacted by the disaster.

Finally, the recovery phase begins

compared to previous reports.

However, many cats with AKI

showed improvement or stabilization

of their condition, and the

overall survival rate was excellent.

While in-patient cats had a 100

per cent survival rate compared

to an 87.5 per cent survival rate for

outpatient cats, this difference --

though statistically significant --

suggests that outpatient treatment

can still lead to favourable outcomes

in many cases.

For cat owners, the study underscores

the importance of lily

awareness and quick action in case

of exposure. It also offers hope that

with proper veterinary guidance,

various treatment options may be

available depending on individual

circumstances.

■ JULIA GARDINER

of any conservation actions going

forward’, to ensure contemporary

in-situ data is available to assess trends

in the population, particularly with

substantial work being conducted

to determine the causative links to

factors that may affect it and any

conservation actions being considered.

■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNET

“This will achieve greater

national consistency, and ensure

horses are subject to the same

level of protection whether they are

used in horse racing or rodeo

events. Animals face the same

welfare risks in relation to electric

prodder use, but only rodeo horses

are legislatively exposed to this

risk,” Evans said.

■ ANNE LAYTON-BENNET

at the cessation of everything that

began in response, including

ongoing patient care, including

providing support for the team

before, during and after the event

and an outline of the triggers to

deactivate the response.

The AIDR has prepared the

handbooks with a one-health-onewelfare

approach, with the health

and welfare of each stakeholder

impacting the others.

The handbook can be downloaded

from knowledge.aidr.org.au/

resources/handbook-animals-indisaster.

■ JULIA GARDINER

2024 Australian Biosecurity

Award winners announced

From page 7

The program also explores and

deploys innovations and tools to

further reduce the risk posed

by cane toads, with detection

dogs undertaking surveys to sniff

out these toxic pests and eDNA

surveying of water bodies to look

for microscopic presence of cane

toads.

Further information about other

recipients of this year’s awards can

be found at www.agriculture.gov.au/

biosecurity-trade/policy/australia/

public-awareness/aba.

Abstracts - mortality analysis

From page 24

Sean Farrell 1 , Katharine Anderson

2 3 , Peter-John Mäntylä Noble 3 ,

Noura Al Moubaye 4 5

Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 20;14(1):28763.

doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-77385-8.

1 Department of Computer Science,

Durham University, Durham, UK.

sean.farrell2@durham.ac.uk.

2 Dogs Trust, London, UK.

3 Institute of Infection, Veterinary

and Ecological Sciences, University

of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.

4 Department of Computer Science,

Durham University, Durham, UK.

5 Evergreen Life Ltd, Manchester,

UK.

Free article

Abstracts - equine osteochondrosis

From page 24

B Van Mol 1 , S Janssens 2 , M

Oosterlinck 3 , F Pille 3 , N Buys 2

Vet J. 2024 Dec: 308: 106258.doi:

10.1016/j.tvjl.2024.106258.

1 Department of Large Animal

Surgery, Anaesthesia and Orthopaedics,

Faculty of Veterinary

Medicine, Ghent University,

Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820,

Belgium; Center for Animal

Breeding and Genetics, Department

of Biosystems, KU Leuven,

Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Leuven

3001, Belgium. Electronic address:

bram.vanmol@ugent.be.

2 Center for Animal Breeding and

Genetics, Department of Biosystems,

KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg

30, Leuven 3001, Belgium.

3 Department of Large Animal

Surgery, Anaesthesia and Orthopaedics,

Faculty of Veterinary

Medicine, Ghent University,

Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke 9820,

Belgium.

TheVeterinarian

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When ‘forever’ is a deadly problem

From page 3

Beale said the approach that involved a deep

analysis on thousands of biochemical molecules,

proteins, and lipids to understand the trajectory of

the turtles’ health in contaminated environments,

was revolutionary and had allowed researchers

to draw the link between levels of PFAS contamination

and impacts on animal health.

“It lays the groundwork for omics-based techniques

to be used in future research assessing how

PFAS affects a range of biological processes in

Australian wildlife, and to better understand the

impacts on our wildlife where these contaminants

are accumulating in the environment,” he said.

DETSI is undertaking a range of regulatory

activities to manage PFAS, including taking part

in an interdepartmental committee, funding

ground-breaking research into ways of removing

PFAS from the environment, and collaborating

with other government agencies to provide a

coordinated response to managing PFAS in

Queensland.

Although a small number of turtles were

euthanised for the study – with peer-approved

animal ethics approval – the research builds on

previous studies that conducted blood tests

on approximately 100 turtles.

Given their widespread presence globally,

the researchers said freshwater turtles could

serve as valuable indicators for assessing PFAS

in aquatic ecosystems, offering deeper insights

into their concentration and impacts for

wildlife.

■ ANNE-LAYTON BENNETT

‘Forever chemicals don’t make hero mutant ninja turtles’

is available at doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176313

Vets raise the alarm on tick paralysis

From page 29

References

1. deciBel Research Consumer Survey,

which was funded by Smith & Nephew,

was conducted amongst 588 Australians in

June 2024. Data on file.

2. Padula, A.M. (2018). Tick paralysis of

animals in Australia. Australian Veterinary

Journal. www.researchgate.net/publication/324180376_Tick_Paralysis_of_Animals

_in_Australia

3. Brown, D., Edwards, H., Seaton, L. and

Buckley, T. (2022) Lewis's medical-surgical

nursing: Assessment and management of clinical

problems. 6th Australian and New Zealand

edn. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

This article was supplied by Merck Animal

Health.



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The Veterinarian Magazine December 2024

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