VET Julie / July 2024 The Monthly Magazine of the SOUTH AFRICAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION Die Maandblad van die SUID-AFRIKAANSE VETERINÊRE VERENIGING Organophosphate Poisoning in Cattle CPD THEME Wild: Pangolins nuus•news CPD article QR code
Dagboek • Diary Ongoing / Online 2024 August 2024 SAVETCON: Webinars Info: Corné Engelbrecht, SAVETCON, 071 587 2950, corne@savetcon.co.za / https://app.livestorm.co/svtsos Acupuncture – Certified Mixed Species Course Info: Chi University: https://chiu.edu/courses/cva#aboutsouthafrica@tcvm.com SAVA Johannesburg Branch CPD Events Monthly - please visit the website for more info. Venue: Johannesburg Country Club Info: Vetlink - https://savaevents.co.za/ SAVA Western Cape Branch Congress 02-03 August Venue: Protea Hotel, Technopark, Stellenbosch Info: www.vetlink.co.za Understanding Alpacas Seminar 04-05 August Venue: The Alpaca Visitors' Centre, Walkerville, Gauteng Info: Alison 0826629670 or alpacas@helderstroom.co.za Understanding Alpacas Seminar 09-10 August Venue: Helderstroom Alpacas Stud, Villiersdorp, WC Info: Alison 0826629670 or alpacas@helderstroom.co.za SAVA Oranje Vaal Branch Mini Congress 09-10 August Venue: Khaya Ibhubesi, Parys Info: conference@savetcon.co.za NVCG Bush Break 12-13 August Venue: Skukuza, Kruger National Park Info: https://vetlink.co.za/nvcg-2024/ 21st Annual SASVEPM Congress 21-23 August Venue: Lagoon Beach Hotel, Cape Town Info: Vetlink: https://sasvepm.org/sasvepm-congress-2024/ September 2024 October 2024 November 2024 SAVA Eastern Free State Branch Mini Congress 06-07 September Venue: Protea Hotel, Clarens Info: conference@savetcon.co.za SAVA Eastern Cape and Karoo Branch CPD Day 07 September Venue: Dolphins Leap, Port Elizabeth Info: www.vetlink.co.za 8th World One Health Congress 20-23 September Venue: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa Info: https://globalohc.org/8WOHC or contact conferences@vetlink.co.za SAVA Northern Natal and Midlands Branch Congress 05-06 October Venue: Lythwood Lodge, Midlands Info: www.vetlink.co.za PARSA Conference 06 – 08 October Venue: Villa Paradiso, Hartbeespoort, Gauteng Info: corne@savetcon.co.za SAAVT 2024 Conference 09 – 10 October Venue: 26 Degrees South, Muldersdrift Info: conference@savetcon.co.za or https://savetcon.co.za/2024-saavt-biennial-congress/ 12th IAVRPT Symposium 30 October – 02 November Venue: Somerset-West, Cape Town, South Africa Info: https://iavrpt2024.co.za/ or contact conferences@vetlink.co.za Poultry Group of SAVA Annual Congress 06-08 November Venue: 26 Degrees South, Muldersdrift, Gauteng Info: conferences@savetcon.co.za https://savetcon.co.za/poultry2024/
Vetnuus | July 2024 1 Contents I Inhoud President: Dr Paul van der Merwe president@sava.co.za Managing Director: Mr Gert Steyn md@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Editor VetNews: Ms Andriette van der Merwe vetnews@sava.co.za Bookkeeper: Ms Susan Heine accounts@sava.co.za/+27 (0)12 346 1150 Bookkeeper's Assistant: Ms Sonja Ludik bookkeeper@sava.co.za/+27 (0)12 346 1150 Secretary: Ms Elize Nicholas elize@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Reception: Ms Hanlie Swart reception@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Marketing & Communications: Ms Sonja van Rooyen marketing@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Membership Enquiries: Ms Debbie Breeze debbie@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Vaccination booklets: Ms Debbie Breeze debbie@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 South African Veterinary Foundation: Ms Debbie Breeze savf@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)12 346 1150 Community Veterinary Clinics: Ms Claudia Cloete cvcmanager@sava.co.za/ +27 (0)63 110 7559 SAVETCON: Ms Corné Engelbrecht corne@savetcon.co.za/ +27 (0)71 587 2950 VetNuus is ‘n vertroulike publikasie van die SAVV en mag nie sonder spesifieke geskrewe toestemming vooraf in die openbaar aangehaal word nie. Die tydskrif word aan lede verskaf met die verstandhouding dat nóg die redaksie, nóg die SAVV of sy ampsdraers enige regsaanspreeklikheid aanvaar ten opsigte van enige stelling, feit, advertensie of aanbeveling in hierdie tydskrif vervat. VetNews is a confidential publication for the members of the SAVA and may not be quoted in public or otherwise without prior specific written permission to do so. This magazine is sent to members with the understanding that neither the editorial board nor the SAVA or its office bearers accept any liability whatsoever with regard to any statement, fact, advertisement or recommendation made in this magazine. VetNews is published by the South African Veterinary Association STREET ADDRESS 47 Gemsbok Avenue, Monument Park, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa POSTAL ADDRESS P O Box 25033, Monument Park Pretoria, 0105, South Africa TELEPHONE +27 (0)12 346-1150 FAX General: +27 (0) 86 683 1839 Accounts: +27 (0) 86 509 2015 WEB www.sava.co.za CHANGE OF ADDRESS Please notify the SAVA by email: debbie@sava.co.za or letter: SAVA, P O Box 25033, Monument Park, Pretoria, 0105, South Africa CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS (Text to a maximum of 80 words) Sonja van Rooyen assistant@sava.co.za +27 (0)12 346 1150 DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENTS Sonja van Rooyen assistant@sava.co.za +27 (0)12 346 1150 DESIGN AND LAYOUT Sonja van Rooyen PRINTED BY Business Print: +27 (0)12 843 7638 VET nuus•news Diary / Dagboek II Dagboek • Diary Regulars / Gereeld 2 From the President 4 Editor’s notes / Redakteurs notas Articles / Artikels 6 Interview with Dr Debbie English 10 Lily's Story 12 39th World Veterinary Association Congress (Continued) Association / Vereniging 28 CVC News 30 SAVA News 36 In Memoriam 38 Legal Mews Events / Gebeure 32 Houseparents of Onderstepoort residence: 1976 to 1985 Vet's Health / Gesondheid 37 Life Coaching Technical / Tegnies 40 Ophthalmology Column Relax / Ontspan 48 Life Plus 25 Marketplace / Markplein 42 Marketplace Jobs / Poste 43 Marketplace/Jobs / Poste 46 Classifieds / Snuffeladvertensies 6 32 12 Scan the QR code for easy access to this month's CPD article « 43
Vetnews | Julie 2024 2 « BACK TO CONTENTS Mr Gert Steyn, Managing Director of SAVA, and I had the privilege to attend the International Veterinary Workforce Well-being Leadership Summit in Lisbon, Portugal from 5 to 7 June 2024. The goal of the summit was to establish a Global Collaboration to Improve Veterinary Workforce Well-being by utilizing a systems approach. Improving occupational well-being in the veterinary profession is a shared responsibility that requires collective action by all stakeholders in the animal health system and those who influence the systems that support it. Veterinary interest groups should work collectively to coordinate, facilitate, report, and enable accountability to effect long-term change. Global collaboration action across professions, settings, and regions; fairly representing all sectors of the profession; and unequivocally embracing the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is necessary to address burnout and improve the well-being of veterinarians across the globe, now and in the future. However, quite recently when I used the term “Mental Health” I was reprimanded that I should rather use the term “Mental Well-being” as “Mental Health” has some negative connotations. Seeing that the Leadership Summit concentrated on the term “Well-being” I did some reading to clear my mind on what the different terms implied and how, if at all, they are related to each other. Employee or workforce well-being is defined as the overall mental, physical, emotional, and economic health of your employees. It’s influenced by various factors such as their relationships with co-workers, the decisions they make, and the tools and resources they have access to. Mental well-being, as a component of employee well-being, is our internal positive view that we are coping well psychologically with the everyday stresses of life and can work productively and fruitfully. Mental health is thus a state or level of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Good mental health means we can realise our full potential and feel safe and secure. It also means we thrive in everyday life. Mental health is a basic human right. If an individual’s mental health is not at an optimal state, it might be due to some other condition that affects your mood, thinking or behaviour, such as stress and burnout. It was therefore apt that during the summit the following aspects were discussed: • How to create and sustain positive work and learning environments and culture. • Investment in measurement, assessment, strategies, and research. • How to support mental health and reduce stigma. • Address compliance, regulatory, and policy barriers for daily work. • To address compliance, regulatory, and policy barriers for daily work. • How to engage effective technology tools such as electronic recordkeeping, data sharing and AI. • How to institutionalize well-being as a long-term value; and • How to recruit and retain a diverse and inclusive healthy veterinary workforce. The core group that attended the summit was established as an international working committee to draft an International Veterinary Workforce Well-being Framework to be finalised by April 2025 for launching in July 2025. SAVA is privileged, honoured and proud to be part of this committee to ensure South Africa’s needs for a healthy veterinary workforce are addressed. May this be a cardinal step in addressing the shortcomings in our system to ensure quality veterinary care in the interest of Animal-, Human- and Environmental Health and Well-being. v Kind regards, Paul van der Merwe From the President Dear members, Well-being, Mental Wellness and Mental Health
Vetnuus | July 2024 3 “The South African Veterinary Association aims to serve its members and to further the status and image of the veterinarian. We are committed to upholding the highest professional and scientific standards by utilising the professional knowledge, skill and resources of our members, to foster close ties with the community and thus promote the health and welfare of animals and mankind”. MISSION STATEMENT Servicing and enhancing the veterinary community since 1920! Tel: 012 346 1150 E-mail: vethouse@sava.co.za www.sava.co.za STUDY VETERINARY MEDICINE IN CYPRUS DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE (DVM) 5-Year Programme for High School Leavers unic.ac.cy/vet EARLY CLINICAL EXPOSURE AND TRAINING in small groups with both large and small animals from year one. CURRICULUM ALIGNED WITH RCVS, AVMA, EAEVE, AND WORLD ORGANIZATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH INNOVATIVE, HANDS-ON CURRICULUM designed to offer you the necessary Day One skills required to follow any career pathway in veterinary medicine. COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ANIMAL WELFARE volunteerism and service opportunities with sheltered animals. TALENTED AND DEDICATED FACULTY MEMBERS AND STAFF facilitating and guiding your learning and development as a veterinarian. FINANCIAL AID SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
Vetnews | Julie 2024 4 « BACK TO CONTENTS A season of change The change of seasons has a rhythm. We are aware of this and anticipate that during the year there will be 4 major changes in the climate. We are not surprised by this. But life changes are a little different. Some may be anticipated like ageing. It is something we physically experience. It is something we expect. It may come in forms we did not foresee, but we knew it was coming. There are many stages and many new exciting and scary things we discover. There is a saying: “Today you are the oldest you have ever been, and the youngest you will ever be.” Interesting, and very true words. Tomorrow will be an expedition into your future. And to quote Rafiki: (all-time favourite character to quote) “You can either run from it, or learn from it”. A dear friend sent me the following: Our condolences are with the friends and family of Dr Chris Palmer. Look out in this edition for the interview with Dr Debbie English on her work with pangolins, truly inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time. Pangolins are the world’s most poached and trafficked animal. The magazine continues with some of the most attended presentations at the World Vet Association Congress. May you all experience a wonderful July. Uldri (our vet daughter) is getting married right here in the heart of the bushveld, busy times for us ahead. Andriette v From the Editor Editor’s notes / Redakteurs notas “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” - Albert Einstein
Vetnuus | July 2024 5 We, the members of the Association, resolve at all times: • To honour our profession and the Veterinary Oath • To maintain and uphold high professional and scientific standards • To use our professional knowledge, skills and resources to protect and promote the health and welfare of animals and humans • To further the status and image of the veterinarian and to foster and enrich veterinary science • To promote the interests of our Association and fellowship amongst its members. Ons, die lede van die Vereniging, onderneem om te alle tye: • Ons professie in ere te hou en die Eed na te kom • ‘n Hoë professionele en wetenskaplike peil te handhaaf en te onderhou • Ons professionele kennis, vaardigheid en hulpbronne aan te wend ter beskerming en bevordering van die gesondheid en welsyn van dier en mens • Die status en beeld van die veearts te bevorder en die veeartsenykunde te verryk • Die belange van ons Vereniging en die genootskap tussen sy lede te bevorder. CREDO Order SAVA name badges for your practice! Available in gold or silver Price: R140 per badge (VAT inclusive, excludes packaging & courier fee) For more information or orders contact Sonja van Rooyen at SAVA Tel: 012 346 1150 E-mail: assistant@sava.co.za
Vetnews | Julie 2024 6 « BACK TO CONTENTS Dr Debbie English is a true Kruger Park baby; born and bred. With Dad Don English, the bush was her first school. It seems like she had no other choice but to become involved in animals one way or the other, being a vet is what she always wanted to do. After completing her Compulsory Community Service year in Lydenburg and working at Longtom Animal Hospital in 2019, she accepted a position in Hoedspruit at Provet Animal Hospital in 2020. How did your path intersect with Pangolins? Provet Animal Hospital has been involved with the rescue and stabilization of pangolins for a long time as the area is prone to these special animals being poached. Dr Pete Rodgers taught me everything he knew but I felt challenged to know more and I knew I could play a bigger role in conserving them. Historically, rescued pangolins were handled by the African Pangolin Working Group and usually transported to Johannesburg for further treatment, rehab and release. I felt compelled to give them the best chance of re-introduction into the bush they most likely came from and were accustomed to without the additional stress of long road trips and this is how my journey started. Where do the confiscated pangolins come from? Although large predators, starvation, fires and possibly disease pose a threat to wild pangolins, the vast majority of threats facing pangolins today are of a human origin. The confiscation of illegally handled pangolins usually originates from tip-offs or community handovers. It has to be understood that, unlike a rhino, a pangolin is a very small animal that can easily be hidden in for instance a backpack. There is no large body at a poaching site with vultures exposing the terrible deed, pangolins are picked up and carried away. It is not difficult to hide them. The decline in pangolin numbers in Asia shifted the focus to Africa, and due to poverty, this is very difficult to curb. Please tell us more about the Community Handovers. Community Handovers are where people voluntarily surrender the animal. Pangolins can be a little naïve and may wander into populated areas or be forced to move through built-up areas due to habitat destruction as a result of the increasing human population in the country. Being such a strange animal people are not familiar with, they are collected and kept in a yard or shown around. Many people may, through being uneducated, not even know that it is a protected animal or an animal of value. People do not realise it is the most trafficked animal in the world. I believe that it is often poachers who get cold feet, they may be in possession of an animal but not have an offset point, or they may have come to their senses not to keep or sell the animal. Sometimes animals are found wandering in the rural area, possibly being released or escaped. This accounts for about a quarter of confiscation cases. Interview with Dr Debbie English Provet Veterinary Hospital Hoedspruit Dr Debbie English on Pangolin rescue, rehabilitation, and release. Around 100,000 are taken from the wild in Africa and Asia each year, driving a silent extinction. Populations have declined dramatically across the continent, with pockets of isolated wilderness areas retaining the last healthy populations. – AfricanParks.org
Vetnuus | July 2024 7 Are the animals more valuable dead or alive? Surely it is easier to transport the scales than a whole animal. Pangolins are not only poached for their scales, the complete animal can be utilised. It is also used for bushmeat, bones and even the fetuses are an Asian delicacy. Pangolin trade has not seen its height in South Africa yet. With the number of cases still rising there are likely many pangolins still out there. How difficult is it to treat, rehabilitate and successfully release a pangolin? Of all the species of wildlife I have treated before, pangolins are by far the most challenging. Many many factors lead to unsuccessful treatment. Pangolins come in at different stages of suboptimal health. To triage and determine the true state of health is something that only comes with experience. Not a lot is known and published in terms of the veterinary care of these animals and a lot is still done by trial and error and the development and improvement of these skills takes a great deal of time. For starters, pangolins have, between individuals, very different personalities. It almost takes a developed sixth sense to determine how well an individual is going to respond to human handling and treatment. Pangolins are very prone to stress in captivity and unfortunately, no drugs have been found to be effective in curbing this. There is very little known about their normal values – although Dr Karin Lourens from Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital has done a great deal of work determining haematology and biochemistry reference ranges. Because pangolins curl up in their defensive ball one cannot perform any procedures or treatments unless they are anaesthetized – therefore inhalation anaesthetic is used in an induction chamber to minimise stress. Pangolins also do not feed in captivity at all and therefore have to be tube-fed under anaesthetic if they aren’t meeting their intake requirements. There is a very fine margin between a hungry animal that will try to forage and feed properly and one with a negative energy balance that then won’t heal or recover from whatever ailments are present. Most of the confiscations come in dehydrated and emaciated so prompt diagnostics and correct treatment is of utmost importance. Finding a vein is nearly impossible in any other species in this condition but even more difficult in pangolins as your options of viable veins to use are also limited to the coccygeal vein as well as the cephalic vein in really compromised animals. The cephalic and saphenous veins are a bit more challenging as the IV lines often get pulled out as soon as the animal is healthy enough to start moving around more and will also get severed by their sharp scales. In my opinion, the golden rule is if any abnormality is picked up, it needs to be thoroughly investigated without any delay as the slightest problem can cause huge complications given the nature of these animals and the challenges one faces in terms of treatment options. An apparent healthy animal can die very easily if the attention to detail is not there. What are the most common conditions in a confiscated animal? Pangolins are very prone to stress-related conditions. Pneumonia and pancreatitis, associated with refeeding syndrome, are among the very common conditions that should be detected and treated as early as possible. Pangolins are natural carriers of Babesia and very often when these animals are compromised they develop clinical disease. Pangolins with clinical babesiosis often present with similar clinical signs that one would find in canines and felines but can also be very non-specific and often “poor-doers” actually recover and improve dramatically after treatment with anti-babesial drugs. Pangolins are also incredibly prone to forming bonds with specific individuals and this can have a huge impact on the level of stress that an animal experiences as well as the subsequent behaviour and recovery of these animals. What happens to pangolins after they have been stabilised? Pangolins cannot be hard-released. It does not work. As soon as the animal is out of danger they are taken on walks to get them to feed on their own. Here the different personalities come in again. Some animals will feed easily but again the balance has to be kept that they still have an appetite and have the need to feed but have enough energy to do it. Some days an animal will come across an active termite mound or nest of ants and gorge himself, and another day walk right over it and pay no attention. Pangolins are incredibly picky in terms of what species of ants or termites they prefer depending on the region they originate from and what vegetation they are accustomed to. During treatment and rehabilitation, pangolins are never woken to go for a walk, the walker has to accommodate the animal. They are weighed before and after the walk to monitor and measure certain values such as the amount of food consumed, weight of defecation and/or urination and in doing so one gets a good idea of the efficiency of their feeding. Is there advice to a Veterinarian presented with a pangolin? The best advice is to get hold of a specialist as soon as possible so that they can assist with the stabilisation and assessment process. Hereafter, it is in the animal’s best interests to be moved to a practice with the knowledge, infrastructure and protocols in place to give the animal the best chance of survival. You never feel completely confident until the successful release has taken place, and even after that you still worry a little. >>> 8 Leading Article
Vetnews | Julie 2024 8 « BACK TO CONTENTS What are the legal implications of being involved in Pangolins? According to CITES CoP17, 2016, all pangolin species are Appendix I – no trade allowed animals. Article II, paragraph 1 of CITES, “Appendix I shall include all species threatened with extinction, which are or may be affected by trade” The species found in Southern Africa is the Temminck’s Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). They are being brought into South Africa from neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique as well as locally sourced, often in Limpopo Province. They are locally protected by the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, Act 10 of 2004 (with 2013 revisions). The Temminck’s Ground Pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) is nationally listed as a Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS). A fine not exceeding ZAR 10 million] or imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten years, or both such a fine and prison sentence may be imposed. In Gauteng Province, this species is listed as Protected Game (Schedule 2), section 15(1) (a) in terms of the Nature Conservation Ordinance 12 of 1983. The result hereof is that I can be and have been subpoenaed to appear as an expert witness in court cases where sentences of up to 10 years imprisonment have been reached. I have to travel to rural courts and am under the constant awareness that I testify against poaching syndicates which have proven to be dangerous. Customdesigned courses and workshops are presented by the African Pangolin Working Group, to South African Police, (the Hawks), anti-poaching units, Department of Environmental Affairs - Green Scorpions, prosecutors, magistrates and customs (SARS) PortsAuthorities. These are presented around the country. All confiscated animals get a SAP 13 evidence number that it keeps until the release of the animal. It means that a complete trail of records has to be kept for each animal and their whereabouts be traceable at any time during the treatment, rehab and release process. v Leading Article
Vetnuus | July 2024 9 Leading Article
Vetnews | Julie 2024 10 « BACK TO CONTENTS Lily’s ordeal started when she was ripped away from her “normal” by ruthless poachers in September 2020. She was kept in captivity - with no food or water and lying in her urine and faeces, cold and terrified - for days before she was confiscated from poachers and brought in for emergency stabilization and treatment. Not only was she in an extremely compromised state, emaciated, dehydrated and traumatized but carrying a tiny new life inside her as well. After a lengthy period of extremely intensive treatment in the hospital and a long and gruelling road of rehabilitation, Lily was finally released back into the wild and although we suspect she had a miscarriage she would be able to be a wild and free pangolin again. She would be safe. On the 26th of September, however, devastation struck as we got word that a pangolin had been poached. Lily was brought to us on the 26th of September 2021 after being confiscated from poachers in a coordinated sting operation. All parties involved were truly devastated and when Emma, the cofounder and director of Umoya Khulula Rehabilitation Centre who brought Lily for immediate veterinary treatment, got out of her vehicle our eyes met and both realized the magnitude of the situation, the emotions and absolute down-to-the-core devastation was too much to control and we both broke down a bit. It was Lily’s story Not just a pangolin but Lily. Lily had been poached … AGAIN…
Vetnuus | July 2024 11 soon after this that we realized we had to be strong for Lily and we needed to start doing what was necessary to ensure her survival – which at this stage was not guaranteed. I never believe what poachers say when giving statements on these animals and the conditions of captivity but they said they had kept her in a rucksack for about 12 days before being caught. I believed them somewhat because the pangolin I saw in front of me, the pangolin that was once feisty as hell, was now weak, fragile, dehydrated, totally emaciated and traumatized beyond human comprehension. Once again Lily was hospitalized and treated aggressively for pneumonia, severe dehydration, malnutrition and this all while she was carrying another little fetus. After a very stressful few days, Lily started perking up and after regaining enough strength she started walking again and foraging for her food. She was then transferred to Emma for rehabilitation. A few days later she collapsed in the veld and after rushing her back to me she was diagnosed with clinical babesiosis. Most healthy pangolins are carriers of this tickborne blood parasite but very seldom show any signs of clinical disease. Lily’s immune system and whole body were so severely compromised that she had no defence mechanisms to fight off any more insults. She was treated with numerous drugs as she proved to be resistant to most of the drugs used to treat babesiosis, she received three blood transfusions as she was so anaemic that she was at risk of dying due to organ failure and after literal blood, sweat and tears she seemed to have recovered. This joy was short-lived as she started deteriorating again. She had now developed Immune Mediated Haemolytic Anemia. After many different approaches and unconventional methods, she was treated for this and slowly started recovering. This was not where the struggles ended. I remember it as clear as day. I came in to treat her on a quiet Sunday morning and did a routine ultrasound examination to check that the fetus was still healthy. Sadly, in front of me, I had a very still image of this tiny little pangolin fetus. The scan showed no movement and I immediately started changing settings and tried to scan again as if I had made some mistake. Nothing changed… there was no heartbeat anymore. Sadly Lily had only enough left in her to fight for only one life… her life. One is always torn between finding a balance of interfering and letting nature take its course but with the risks of uterine infections, amongst others, I had to intervene. The first induction in a pangolin in South Africa was performed and after a long struggle, Lily eventually expelled the fetus and could focus on healing from this tremendous loss and huge trauma. These are just a few of the challenges that were faced with Lily and her journey to where we are now. From about September 2021 to July 2023 Lily underwent various treatment and final stages of rehabilitation and was eventually released in August 2023 and is now living her best life as a wild pangolin again. The journey was extremely tough - mentally, physically, emotionally and financially but this little girl was worth all of this and more. Lily deserved a chance to be wild and free and that is what we gave her in the end. v
Vetnews | Julie 2024 12 « BACK TO CONTENTS Perioperative inflammatory reaction, inflammation resolution and wound healing: the effects of Tr14 Melanie Christiane Wergin Heel GmbH, Baden- Baden, Germany After any trauma an inflammatory reaction is initiated and only after resolution of the inflammation the tissue can start to heal. The trauma can either be a blunt trauma such as a strain or sprain, or it can be a trauma with tissue disruption causing an open wound. Especially in open wounds a fast wound closure is essential to prevent bacterial infection, a feared complication. A well-orchestrated wound healing can thereby avoid antibiotic over usage by preventing bacterial infection. In horses, it is well known that there is a high risk of complications after wounding or surgery. Even standard procedures such as castration of stallions have a risk of post-surgical complications. Castration induces an acute phase response (APR) and an exuberant inflammatory response. Serum Amyloid-A (SAA) is a well-studied major acute phase protein (APP) that can be used to monitor the acute APR. SAA has been shown to be a good marker for the development of post-surgical complications. A randomized, double-blinded study in stallions, monitored before and after castration, demonstrated that the natural medicinal product Tr14 seemed to have proresolving effects, shown by a lowered amplitude and duration of the SAA increase. Tr14 had also significantly lower wound healing complications compared to a NSAID group, and Tr14 had no kidney associated side effects, making Tr14 a valuable and well tolerated treatment option to reduce the APR induced by castration. This presentation will give an overview on the efficacy of Tr14, focusing on recent research in mice and horses covering preclinical and clinical aspects. The preclinical studies will give insights in the mode of action of Tr14, showing the beneficial effect on inflammation resolution and wound healing. Diagnostic analgesia: the distal limb Erin K Contino Colorado State University, Colorado, USA Before embarking on diagnostic analgesia (aka diagnostic blocking) it is important to understand that lameness needs to be repeatable and/or consistent enough to reliably be able to detect a difference after blocking. Thus, it can be beneficial to determine the scenario in which the horse is most lame and then subject that horse to that exact scenario after each block. It should also be recognized that some horses that are not visibly lame may have a behavioural oddity in hand or under saddle that can be diminished with diagnostic blocking. Another important concept to keep in mind is that diagnostic blocking is not as specific as once believed. It is becoming increasingly clear that diagnostic analgesia can desensitize remote structures and the foot is no exception. Typically, diagnostic blocking is performed from the bottom up, meaning that one would start blocking as distal as possible. In the foot, this usually means starting with a palmar digital (PD) nerve block which blocks the palmar third of the foot and the sole. A PD nerve block can variably block the distal interphalangeal joint and in some cases, can even block as high as the metacarpo-/ metatarso-phalangeal joint! A recent study showed that diffusion from a PD nerve block is lessened with use of a tourniquet around the pastern region. Moving proximally, some practitioners elect to perform a ‘pastern ring block’ but most often an abaxial and/or basisesamoid nerve block is placed next. This block will reliably desensitize the remainder of the foot, including the distal interphalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joint. Intra-articular analgesia is typically considered more specific than perineural blocks but can also desensitize unintended structures. In the foot, the distal interphalangeal joint is the most commonly blocked structure but does also desensitize the navicular bursa. Interestingly, blocking the navicular bursa does not tend to desensitize the distal interphalangeal joint. Anatomically, the digital tendon sheath also extends into the foot so is another synovial structure that could block certain structures that extend into the foot. 39th World Veterinary Association Congress, Cape Town, 16-19 April 2024 (Continued)
Vetnuus | July 2024 13 Poor performance in equine athletes Erin K Contino Colorado State University, Colorado, USA Working through cases of poor performance can be extremely challenging. In the author’s opinion, it is rare for a horse to misbehave for no reason and behavioural issues under saddle are usually indicative of an underlying issue. A thorough history, physical examination and baseline lameness examination can offer hints of where to start working up these difficult cases. If an overt lameness is present, the first step is usually to block out the lameness. Re-evaluating the horse under saddle after the lameness has been blocked can clarify if the lameness is the source of the behavioural issue or not. There are musculoskeletal issues that can manifest as behavioural issues without lameness including pain of the front feet, axial skeleton or hind proximal suspensory ligaments. Therefore, in horses without overt lameness, it can be rewarding to block the front feet and/or hind suspensory ligaments to see if it subsequently changes their behaviour under saddle. For the axial skeleton, blocking the dorsal spinous processes in cases of kissing spine is straight forward and can be telling. Blocking the neck and sacroiliac region are less common and if involvement of these regions is suspected, many practitioners rely on imaging and trial treatment. Horses that suffer from muscle diseases such as myofibrillar myopathy, polysaccharide storage myopathy and exertional rhabdomyolysis can also present with vague signs of poor performance. Outside of the musculoskeletal system, there are many other systems that can be involved in these cases. Respiratory issues are a common cause of exercise intolerance and can include ailments of the lower airway such as induced pulmonary haemorrhage and equine asthma. Obstructive conditions of the upper airway such as pharyngeal collapse, dorsal displacement of the soft palate and laryngeal hemiplegia can also lead to exercise intolerance. A bronchoalveolar lavage and dynamic scope can help to rule in and rule out most of these respiratory conditions. The cardiopulmonary system should also be evaluated in cases that present for exercise intolerance. Gastric ulcers are another common cause of behavioural issues. While gastroscopy is the gold standard to diagnose gastric ulcers, riding the horse following “blocking” the stomach with lidocaine or following a dose of sucralfate can help clarify if gastric ulcers are contributing to the horse’s clinical signs. While not an exhaustive list, the above investigations will lead to an answer in the many of these cases. Variability in interpretation of pre-purchase radiographs Erin K Contino Colorado State University, Colorado, USA Introduction: Radiographs are a common part of pre-purchase examinations, but the clinical relevance of the radiographic abnormalities are not always well understood. Further, the interpretation of the radiographic findings and the perceived future implications may vary between veterinarians. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the level of risk that individual veterinarians assigned to various sets of pre-purchase radiographs. Further, the study aimed to determine how a veterinarian’s experience level, primary discipline or board certification status influenced their interpretation and to determine how a horse’s discipline, current level of work and buyer intent (sell versus retain ownership) influenced their subsequent recommendation. Materials and Methods: A worldwide electronic survey of veterinarians was performed. Respondents were given 4 separate series of radiographs of varying degrees of severity (normal, mild, moderate, and severe), of 3 anatomic regions (navicular bone, distal tarsal joints and medial femorotibial joint) for a total of 12 radiographic series. Respondents graded their level of concern for each series from 1 (no concern) to 10 (very concerned) for 3 different case scenarios which included an English sport horse performing at the intended level, a western performance horse performing at the intended level, and a younger prospect horse intended for a higher level of performance and resale. Diagnosis of suspensory disease: from blocking to imaging Erin K Contino Colorado State University, Colorado, USA The suspensory ligament is divided into three portions: proximal third, body and suspensory branches. Injury of the proximal aspect, termed proximal suspensory desmopathy (PSD) and/or of the branches is far more common than injury of the suspensory body. PSD may also be called proximal suspensory desmitis but desmopathy is more correct as there is not always active inflammation present from a histological standpoint. Additionally, the nomenclature can be misleading because ‘desmopathy’ refers >>> 14 Events I WVAC 2024
Vetnews | Julie 2024 14 « BACK TO CONTENTS to disease process of the ligament but in reality, PSD can affect the osseous origin, innervating nerve and/or the palmar/plantar fascia. PSD is a prevalent cause of lameness in athletic horses, including racehorses, English and Western performance horses. Horses can present with varying degrees of lameness and even if the lameness seems ‘acute’ in its onset, the disease is typically chronic with an insidious onset. Lameness tends to be most apparent on soft ground with the affected limb on the outside of the circle (IE a RF lameness when circling left). In cases of forelimb PSD, flexion of the digit/ distal limb tends to exacerbate the lameness while response to carpal flexion is much more variable. In cases of hindlimb PSD lameness tends to worsen with digit/ distal limb flexion and also with tarsal/ full limb flexion. Diagnostic analgesia is recommended to regionalize the lameness. To isolate PSD, various subcarpal and subtarsal diagnostic analgesia techniques exist, though none are entirely specific to the proximal suspensory ligament. Diagnostic imaging most commonly entails ultrasonography although radiographs can be helpful to assess insertional lesions such as proximal suspensory enthesopathy or suspensory branch enthesopathy, which may be associated with sesamoiditis. On ultrasound, evaluating the proximal suspensory ligament non-weight bearing is often more rewarding than traditional weightbearing evaluation. If imaging findings are not correlating to the clinical examination, more advanced imaging such as MRI may be required. Less frequently, nuclear scintigraphy can also be utilized to determine if there is a more active osseous component of the disease process. Ultimately reaching a diagnosis and characterizing the tissues involved in the disease process will help guide appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. v Stirring up hope: One Health success stories from South Africa Drienie D. (Didi) Claassen Afrivet Technical and Training Services, Pretoria, South Africa. National Rabies Advisory Group, Pretoria, South Africa South Africa is home to numerous zoonotic diseases: Rabies, Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever, brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, Q-fever, and psittacosis, to name a few. The veterinary Events I WVAC 2024
Vetnuus | July 2024 15 sector constantly promotes the concept of One Health through its involvement in disease outbreak management and communication with animal owners. In many instances, veterinarians are seen as the main drivers and custodians of the control of major zoonotic diseases, such as rabies. However, for the One Health approach to be effective, a predefined network of professionals needs to be in place for when disease outbreaks and suspected cases arise. In South Africa, we have several examples (especially of rabies cases) where an effective One Health team made the difference between life and death for affected people. Unfortunately, South Africa also has examples where the lack of teamwork led to the death of people or the incorrect management of cases and wastage of scarce resources. Examples of rabies, brucellosis, and CCHF will be discussed. Although rabies control is the best example of a successful One Health in South Africa, there is much more work to be done. We need to extract the valuable lessons learnt from these field cases on rabies, brucellosis, and CCHF, and extrapolate them to other zoonotic diseases and health events, to better equip ourselves in the application of the One Health approach. This needs to be applied across the relevant sectors, at all governance levels in South Africa to prevent disease, save lives, and improve the use of our resources. This resonates with the Global Alliance for Rabies Control theme for 2023: “All for 1, One Health for all”. A single assay to identify multiple pathogens that cause abortions in livestock Lia S Rotherham, Antoinette Van Schalkwyk, Marco Romito Agricultural Research Council - Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa Abortions in livestock could be caused by numerous environmental or genetic factors in individual animals. In the majority of the cases where multiple abortions are observed in the same herd, a wide range of pathogens could cause this loss. Rapid and accurate identification of the specific pathogen involved could save the farmer time and money by implementing a proactive response to protect the remainder of the herd, as well as farm workers if a zoonotic pathogen is the causative agent. This study describes the development and validation of a single assay that could simultaneously identify 24 of the possible pathogens causing abortions in livestock. It utilizes the previously described molecular assays used to identify each of the individual pathogens as recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) in the terrestrial manual. The unique characteristic of this assay is the mechanism employed to visualize all the resulting amplicons simultaneously. African penguin health and the role of One Health in assessing threats to a charismatic, endangered species Darrell Abernethy Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science, Department of Life Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom. The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is endemic to southern Africa and is classified as endangered: less than 2.5% of the population remains compared to 100 years ago and the species may be extinct in the wild within our lifetime. In 2017, following an H5N8 avian influenza (HPAI) epidemic that killed many penguins, a multidisciplinary research platform was created to explore healthrelated factors that might impact the decline of the population and assist agencies involved in penguin conservation. We report here on the development of the platform, progress in the project and the extent to which a One Health approach influenced programme outcomes. The platform commenced with several workshops, inclusive of the multiple regulatory bodies, NGOs and research organisations involved in penguin conservation. Avian influenza research was identified as the priority, which was then used as a basis for sample collection and fundraising. Additional research areas were added as funding calls were assessed. Events I WVAC 2024
Vetnews | Julie 2024 16 « BACK TO CONTENTS Events I WVAC 2024 By 2019 and based on several grants, five interlinked research areas were identified: avian influenza (with subsequent testing for other diseases), environmental toxic compounds (associated with marine effluent discharge), population monitoring (through use of apps and drones), statistical modelling and stakeholder engagement. Three epidemiological zones were identified for the survey and over the next three years, almost 900 penguins were tested for HPAI, and samples were collected for biobanking. Tissues or carcases from 25 penguins were tested for multiple toxic compounds, while significant progress was made with the remaining projects. Such a wide-ranging programme was only possible due to the explicit One Health nature of the programme. It permitted diverse ideas, encouraged dialogue, and ensured all aspects of the human-animal-ecosystem health triad were addressed. In this presentation, we discuss the benefits and challenges of such an approach, particularly given the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns, and appraise the lessons learnt for future projects. Role, frustrations, and success stories of South African private veterinarians Drienie D. (Didi) Claassen Afrivet Technical and Training Services, Pretoria, South Africa. National Rabies Advisory Group, Pretoria, South Africa South Africa (RSA) has medical, veterinary, and allied health professionals working in private and public sectors. The public sector governs the control of animal and human rabies as it is a notifiable disease with fatal human health consequences if cases are not properly reported and controlled. RSA legislation and supporting rabies guidelines provide the steps to be followed in suspected rabies cases. The public sector is the custodians of the relevant legislation; however, the private sector must follow this legislation and ideally support the public sector where resources are not always, and in some regions never, available. This lack of resources for rabies control is particularly felt in the veterinary sector. Some of the challenges faced by private veterinary practices in rabies control include but are not limited to (1) Limited and varying availability of state veterinary services, (2) difficulty in sending diagnostic samples to laboratories, (3) insufficient knowledge on how to handle suspect rabies cases, (4) vaccination resistance from pet owners, (5) incorrect information and/or support provided to clients and staff who are referred to medical facilities for postexposure prophylaxis treatment. Due to these frustrations faced by the private veterinary sector, numerous initiatives to advance towards #Zeroby30 are being taken. For example, the South African Veterinary Association Community Veterinary Clinics are holding vaccination campaigns across RSA, sending funded vaccination teams into outbreak areas, and are now starting a private veterinarian-driven education programme in schools. Private practices provide rabies vaccinations either at no cost or at a reduced rate, particularly during World Rabies Month. The current situation in South Africa highlights the importance of One Health and cross-sector collaboration in reaching the goal of #Zeroby30. Down-the-drain pathways for fipronil and imidacloprid applied as spot-on parasiticides to dogs - estimating aquatic pollution Rosemary Perkins University of Sussex Fipronil and imidacloprid have been widely detected in UK surface waters in recent years, often at concentrations that ecotoxicological studies have shown can harm aquatic life. Down-the-drain (DTD) passage of pet flea and tick treatments is being implicated as an important source, with many of the UK’s 22 million cats and dogs receiving routine, year-round preventative doses containing these parasiticides. The UK Water Industry’s 3rd Chemical Investigation Programme (UKWIR CIP3) has confirmed wastewater as a major entry pathway for these chemicals into surface waters, but the routes by which they enter the wastewater system remain unclear. We addressed this knowledge gap by conducting the first quantification of DTD emissions from 98 dogs treated with spot-on ectoparasiticides containing fipronil or imidacloprid, through bathing, bed washing and washing of owners’ hands. Both chemicals were detected in 100% of washoff samples, with bathing accounting for the largest emissions per event (up to 16.8% of applied imidacloprid and 24.5% of applied fipronil). Modelled to account for the frequency of emitting activities, owner handwashing was identified as the largest source of DTD emissions from the population overall, with handwash emissions occurring for at least 28 days following product application and an estimated 4.9% of imidacloprid and 3.1% of fipronil applied in dog spot-ons passing down-the-drain via this route. The normalised daily per capita emissions for all routes combined were 8.7 µg/person/day for imidacloprid and 2.1 µg/ person/day for fipronil, equivalent to 20-40% of the daily per capita load in wastewater, as estimated from UKWIR CIP3 data. Within the current international regulatory framework adhered to by the UK, the environmental exposure of veterinary medicines intended for use in small companion animals is assumed to be low, and DTD pathways are not considered. We recommend a systematic review of regulations and practices to address this overlooked pollution pathway. v High time we talk about cannabis in veterinary medicine: a series of discussions Erika L Venter-Van Zyl Private, Cape Town, South Africa A growing body of Pet owners are looking at Veterinarians for empathetically sound scientific counselling to use cannabis as a therapeutic modality. The ever-growing Cannabis industry is already blooming, and the pet market is flooded with Cannabis containing products but, as of yet, there are no registered veterinary products in South Africa. Veterinary “Cannabinology”, the study into the Endocannabinoid system (ECS) and Cannabinoids’ influence on the ECS is still in its infancy. There is no bodily system that is not influenced by the ECS and its homeostatic role modulates and regulates physiological and pathological conditions encompassing analgesia, immune functioning, stress response, sleep, appetite
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