General anaesthesia is undertaken every day in veterinary practice, so much so that anaesthetising dogs, cats and horses is reasonably routine. But anaesthesia of captive wildlife – even for experienced keepers – takes extensive planning, and requires a team approach to ensure the wellbeing of the patient and the safety […]
Abstracts: Comparison of serum concentrations of symmetric dimethylarginine and creatinine as kidney function biomarkers in cats with chronic kidney disease
BACKGROUND: Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) has been shown to be an accurate and precise biomarker for calculating estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in humans, as well as a more sensitive biomarker than serum creatinine concentration (sCr) for assessing renal dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this retrospective study was to report on […]
Abstracts: A scientific comment on the welfare of domesticated ruminants slaughtered without stunning
This review provides a scientific comment on the welfare of ruminants slaughtered by ventral-neck incision without stunning. Evidence is derived from studies of calves, sheep and goats. Reference is also made to findings in other mammals including humans. Pain is an inherently subjective experience and only indirect indices are available in animals. Neurophysiological […]
ASAVA names 2014’s Practitioner of the Year
The Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association has announced that the 2014 Practitioner of the Year is Mary Porter, a clinician in Sydney. The award did not surprise Porter’s colleagues, who applauded her diagnostic and psychological skills and said, “She enjoys complex cases, listens to her clients and likes to give […]