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Vets urged to be aware of the signs of animal abuse
‘Veterinarians must be alert to recognise signs of animal abuse' - Ira Roth.

Paper describes abuse case first diagnosed as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease

Veterinary professionals are being urged to be aware of the signs of animal abuse and to understand the link between human and animal abuse.

Writing in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, vets from the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine describe a case of animal abuse, which was first diagnosed as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.

On initial presentation, a dog - a one-year-old male shitzu - was non-weight bearing in the right limb. An ophthalmic exam also revealed a corneal ulcer in the right eye and blood in the anterior chamber.

Radiographs of the right limb indicated avascular necrosis (AVN) on the right hip, with resilient fracture and possible AVN on the left side.

Twenty days later, the dog returned for evaluation of acute lameness in the left leg. Radiographs revealed a left display femur Salter-Harris type II fracture, a non-disposed healing right pubic fracture and a healing right zygomatic arch transverse fracture.

‘The dog's initial injuries were attributed to a routine fall at home, and radiographic interpretation suggested that this was plausible,’ writes author Ira Roth, a clinical assistant professor in the department of small animal medicine and surgery.

'Subsequent patient visits, evaluation of additional injuries, and interviews with the owner indicated that both animal and domestic abuse had occurred. Veterinarians must be alert to recognise signs of animal abuse and must be aware of the connection between animal and domestic abuse'.

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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.