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Vets carry out rare ultrasound on rhino
Greater one-horned rhinos are threatened by expanding human populations in their native Nepal and India.

Behan’s irregular reproductive cycles were causing concern 

Vets have performed a rare ultrasound on a rhino at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, after becoming concerned about her reproductive cycles.

Keepers were worried that the zoo’s 22-year-old greater one-horned rhino, Behan, was having irregular reproductive cycles.

Whilst it is rare to put such a large animal under general anaesthetic, owing to the risks, vets said the only way to diagnose Behan’s problem was to carry out an internal scan.

To help with the procedure, zoo vets called in Robert Hermes, an international specialist in rhino reproduction from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin.

Fortunately, the scan showed that Behan is in good health and the issues with her reproductive cycle can be treated with regular hormone injections.

Whipsnade Zoo’s veterinary officer, Fieke Molenaar said: “To be reassured that she is in good health is great news for all of us that work with Behan.

“It’s also fantastic for the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), because we now know that, although she is an older female, it may still be possible for her to have another calf… which would be her fifth!”

Greater one-horned rhinos are threatened by expanding human populations in their native Nepal and India. ZSL is working with other organisations in Nepal to protect the species. Improved law enforcement and management of protected areas has helped increase the number of rhinos in Chitwan National Park from 100 to 645 in five decades. 

Image © ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.