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Prickly procedure for the Animal Health Trust
Porcupine
Mwoiba has been reunited with her mate after the successful procedure to restore her vision.
Vets operate to restore the sight of a porcupine

 Staff at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) in Suffolk were recently presented with the unusual case of a porcupine with sight loss.
 
Zoo staff at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey first noticed that something was amiss with 10-year-old porcupine Mwoiba (pictured) when her eye became blurry.
 
The resort called upon the AHT in Suffolk for advice, and Mwoiba was admitted to be investigated for a suspected cataract.
 
To determine the cause of the problem, Mwoiba was anaesthetised and intubated for examination. This difficult procedure was made no easier by the prickly patient, who was in no mood to be investigated.
 
Claudia Hartley, head of small animal opthamology at AHT, said: “It was instantly clear that Mwoiba did not want to be examined. She continually gave a defiant rattle of her spines as a warning to us all to 'watch our step'."
 
Once successfully anaesthetised, Claudia was able to perform an ocular ultrasound – a procedure that pinpointed the exact damage to Mwoiba’s eye. 
 
“We could see that she had suffered a severe trauma to her left eye,” explained Claudia. “We suspected she had incurred this whilst 'arguing' with her housemate, and had suffered a perforating trauma (perhaps from one of the threatening spines).”
 
Luckily for Mwoiba, her retina had not become detached during the scuffle, as this finding would have meant that it was impossible to restore her sight. Claudia was able to perform surgery to remove the cataract, successfully restoring her vision.
 
Now, seven weeks since the surgery, Mwoiba has been reintroduced to her spiny companion and is slowly weaning on a dose of medications.
 
Commenting on her progress, Claudia said: “We’re thrilled to see that vision has returned to Mwoiba’s left eye again, and we hear from her handlers that she is back in good health. She is a real character, and we at the AHT are all thrilled to have been able to help her see clearly again.”
 
Image courtesy of the Animal Health Trust.
 

 

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.