Month: March 2013

Rat aversion to isoflurane versus carbon dioxide

Some experts suggest that sedation of laboratory rodents with isoflurane before euthanasia with carbon dioxide (CO(2)) is a humane alternative to euthanasia with CO(2) alone, but little research has compared aversion with these agents. Albino rats were tested in a light-dark box where they had the choice between remaining in […]

Multistage carbon dioxide gas stunning of broilers

The stunning quality of animals for slaughter remains under constant scrutiny. In response to previous research showing low stunning efficiency in poultry, the conventional water bath will be phased out in the Netherlands. Presently, the main practical alternative to water bath stunning of poultry is a 2-phased gas stunning method. […]

An emergency caesarean with a twist

Urban sprawl may allow us to actualise the “great Aussie dream” of a big house with a big back yard, but at worst it can be a nightmare for our  wildlife, with motor-vehicle accidents and predation by domestic animals resulting in countless injuries and fatalities daily. According to Robert Johnson, […]

Vitamin D intoxication caused by ingestion of commercial cat food in three kittens

Two siblings, a 6-month-old sexually intact male weighing 2.5 kg (cat 1) and a sexually intact female (cat 2) British shorthair cat weighing 2.3 kg, were examined because of a 3-week history of polyuria, lethargy and laboured breathing. One year previously, another sibling (cat 3) had been presented because of […]

DAFF labelled ‘out of touch’ over exports

Veterinarian Lloyd Reeve-Johnson has called for an overhaul of what he describes as systemic flaws in the Australian government’s live export system. Reeve-Johnson from Pacific Animal Consulting and Agribusiness visited Mauritius at the request of Animals Australia to report on the status of cattle exported from Australia on the MV […]