Page 115 – Australia's leading veterinary magazine.

Importance of dog morphology in apparent behaviour and trainability: examining how morphological differences in dog breeds can affect perception of their trainability

August 4, 2014September 1, 2014admin1 Comment

Introduction Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are one of the most morphologically varied species, exhibiting an enormous variety of sizes and body types. Different breeds also exhibit different behavioural traits, and are perceived by dog trainers and owners as having variable abilities to be trained. There is evidence of a strong genetic component in canine […]

Bearing witness: Adele Mapperson

July 28, 2014July 16, 2014admin2 Comments

The bond between human and animal is increasingly recognised in published literature as unique, important and typically mutually beneficial. More veterinary schools are explicitly training veterinarians to recognise and acknowledge that bond. But what happens when it breaks down? A US study involving 177 clients across 14 practices found that 30 per cent of pet […]

Handling and welfare of bovine livestock at local abattoirs in Bangladesh

July 25, 2014July 16, 2014admin1 Comment

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) allows rope casting and the tying of legs for nonhuman animal slaughter without stunning. The handling and welfare of bovine livestock (Bos indicus and Bubalus bubalis) were studied in 8 local abattoirs in 5 districts of Bangladesh. A total of 302 animals were evaluated. At the local abattoirs, […]

Pigeon Post: Ian Neville reports from the UK

July 23, 2014July 16, 2014admin1 Comment

The British veterinary profession’s relationship with its regulatory body, The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), was for many years one of mute acceptance; presumably because any institution prefixed ‘Royal’ was dutifully honoured and most definatly obeyed. In recent years as the rate of change and complexity in the veterinary world has accelerated, the profession […]

Essay: A review of current methods used to control free-roaming cat populations and their effects on feline welfare

July 21, 2014July 16, 2014admin2 Comments

Introduction After recent debate over the best method for reducing free-roaming cat populations (Robertson, 2008), the general consensus is that methods should be effective, practical and, most of all, humane. Free-roaming cats present a variety of issues, such as the spread of zoonotic diseases, wildlife predation, threats to native species, spread of disease to […]