Clinical

Anaesthesia for caesarean section in the bitch

Complicating factors in anaesthesia of the peri-parturient bitch include altered physiology of the bitch during pregnancy, immature physiology of the foetuses, and elective versus emergency...

Commonly used dietary supplements in canines

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful condition involving synovial inflammation and breakdown of articular cartilage, and in dogs is the most commonly observed non-traumatic orthopaedic condition in the UK...

Environmental enrichment in veterinary practice

Research shows that animals undergo physiological changes, including increased heart rate and cortisol release, that are associated with negative feelings such as anxiety or fear (Gregory, 2004)....

Feline calicivirus: unveiling data on viral inactivation

Like all Caliciviruses, FCV mutates readily in nature, and this has resulted in the recent emergence of a highly virulent haemorrhagic variant of FCV (Pedersen et al, 2000; Ossiboff et al, 2007;...

Diabetes pathophysiology and disease management

Diabetes is an endocrine disease affecting some of the glands that regulate metabolism. There are two main forms of the disease, diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus: Diabetes insipidus — This...

Dressings used in equine traumatic wound care

There are 12 key factors which can inhibit healing of equine wounds. These are infection, movement, foreign bodies, necrotic tissue, continued trauma, paucity of blood supply, poor oxygen supply, poor...

Chronic pruritus in dogs: a systematic approach to diagnosis

Atopic dermatitis is a very common cause of pruritus in the dog. There is a defect in the skin's barrier function allowing access by allergens, such as pollens and house dust mites, to induce an...

Egg yolk coelomitis in a North Island brown kiwi

‘Ataahua’ (Maori, meaning beauty) is a 4-year-old female North Island brown kiwi. She is Wellington Zoo's only female and is part of a captive breeding programme. She presented initially in late...

Wound healing and management of open wounds

A wound is described as the disruption of the continuity of cells and structures through injury. Wound healing is referred to as the physiological function that restores the continuity of tissues...