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Could I have a pet at university?

Missing her cats, Jordan ponders the feasibility of owning a pet while at university.

I’ve always had cats at home, and they often played the role of revision buddy/lap warmer. That was one of the things I missed most when I first went to university.

Pets aren’t allowed in student halls, but now that I live in a flat with other vet students, pet ownership becomes a possibility (landlord permitting).

As a student, I meticulously budget in order to ensure I eat well, am able to enjoy myself and get some travelling in without blowing all of my cash the first week that student loan comes in. But even with this amount of planning, could I find some spare to pay to feed a cat as well as myself? Probably. Could I find the money if something went wrong, if said cat needed lifetime insulin or thyroxine treatment or broke a limb in a road traffic accident? Probably not.

Pet insurance would extinguish the worry surrounding the “what ifs”, and I do know other students with pets that are insured. Even then, premiums that cover long-term conditions come at a fair price, and I wouldn’t want to find myself in a financial position forcing me to cancel insurance and risk my pet requiring costly treatment.

Money is not the only commitment that you make to a pet though. The other major consideration is time – although this is more of a concern with dogs, which require a greater time commitment than cats.

I often feel that owning a dog would be excellent stress relief, but as idillic as dog walking seems, could I commit several hours a day, every day, including around exam time?

Even if I could commit the time while I’m around, I know that I don’t stay permanently in one place. For the majority of the time I’m in Glasgow, but during the holidays I’m at home (Leicestershire), on EMS or travelling. Who would look after the pet then? Since I live with vets, they have similarly busy lifestyles and it would be unfair to expect them to pet-sit while I’m away.

And what would happen when I graduate? I don’t know where I’ll be living, where my first job might take me, or whether it will be feasible to take a pet along for the ride.

An alternative to pet owning is fostering. The Glasgow branch of Cats Protection has recently advertised their fostering service to vet students at Glasgow. The fostering scheme encourages taking on a cat, with bedding, litter and food provided. They will provide all veterinary care and will even take back the cats if you go on holiday.

I think fostering is a great way of caring for cats without a lot of the concerns outlined above, and perhaps the only option I’d consider while at university with regards to pets. As much as I’d love to own a pet in Glasgow, I think it would be unfair on the animal if I could not offer the money and time to give it a great quality if life.

It’s unfortunate that many people do not undertake greater consideration when deciding to own a pet. Perhaps many of the day-to-day ethical issues faced in practice could be avoided if they did.

May 30, 2014
How to examine a patient’s rima glottidis for suspected laryngeal paralysis

Intraoral view of a dog with bilateral laryngeal paralysis during inspiration. The arytenoid cartilages (a) are immobile and the vocal folds (b) are medially displaced. Credit: Daniela Murgia.

Anaesthesia normally depresses laryngeal movements, making diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis challenging. The animal should be anaesthetised to the point at which the mouth can be easily opened but a laryngeal reflex is still present.

If jaw tone is such that you are afraid of being bitten during the examination, then the plane of anaesthesia is appropriate. If the GA is too deep, the patient will not have normal vocal fold movement and even a normal larynx may appear paralysed. In this case you should wait for drug redistribution allowing the patient to approach consciousness and repeat the examination.

Exposure of the larynx is more readily accomplished with thiopental or propofol than with diazepam-ketamine.

May 19, 2014
Diagnosis of Lyme disease

Using darkfield microscopy technique, this photomicrograph (magnified 400x) reveals the presence of spirochaete, or “corkscrew-shaped” bacteria, known as Borrelia burgdorferi – the pathogen that causes Lyme disease. Image courtesy US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Diagnosis of Lyme’s disease is challenging and normally depends on evidence of exposure along with clinical signs and diagnostic tests.

Tests for Borrelia burgdorferi can be divided into those that demonstrate presence of the organism, and antibody tests.

Detection of the organism by culture, cytology, or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay can be difficult as the organism is difficult to culture and very rarely found in blood, urine, joint fluid or CSF.

Serological testing is helpful, but subclinical infections can occur, and antibodies to B. burgdorferi may cross react with other spirochaetes. A positive serological test does not equate to a diagnosis of Lyme disease, but animals with clinical Lyme disease are unlikely to be negative for anti-Borrelia antibodies.

The cytological changes in synovial fluids from dogs with Lyme disease are often more typical of low-grade immune-mediated joint disease than of a bacterial infection.

May 7, 2014
Glasgow Vet School Rodeo
My responsibilities included poster/flyer design.

The Glasgow Vet School Rodeo is an annual charity event organised by vet students. It is traditional for second year students to make the event happen, and so this year, I was involved in its organisation.

My responsibilities included taking minutes at weekly meetings, correspondence with print media for advertising, compiling the programme and poster/flyer design.

Each year, we support several (usually animal-related) charities with the aim of hosting a fun-filled family day out while raising money for worthy causes. The year, the final total raised came to a huge £16,162.74, which will be split between the charities [see bottom of page for a full list].

The 54th annual Rodeo was held within the grounds of Glasgow Vet School on April 12.

After the committee was soaked to the skin while unloading and directing exhibitors to their pitches in the morning, the rain (but unfortunately not the wind) stopped just in time for the gates to open at 11am – much to everyone’s relief.

The day included falconry, dancing, duck-herding and husky demonstrations in the main arena, with SMAART horse, Trec and horse rescue demonstrations in the horse arena. There was also a dog show, which offered all owners the chance to enter their dog in a variety of classes, as well as an animal tent, reptile tent and pony rides.

Jordan (left) and “friends”

If that wasn’t enough, there were craft stalls in the marquee, bouncy castles, horse and carriage rides, and local animal charities also came along to promote their work.

As has become traditional, we ended the day by drawing our “rodeo raffle”. We had some fantastic prizes, such as a family pass for Blair Drummond Safari Park, afternoon tea at Hilton Glasgow, “Tee Time” at Royal Troon Golf Club and many more – we are grateful to the various organisations for providing these.

Despite battling through the fury of Scottish weather in the morning, and relentless wind throughout the day (resulting in many stalls being relocated into one of the marquees), the committee felt the day was a success overall. After eight months of planning, we pulled it off, and celebrated that evening in true Scottish style with a ceilidh open to students at Glasgow Vet School.

The charities being supported this year were:
- World Horse Welfare, which is an international horse charity that ‘improves the lives of horses in the UK and around the world through education, campaigning, and hands- on care’.
- Blue Cross, which “finds the right homes for unwanted pets throughout the UK, treats sick and injured animals at their hospitals when owners can’t afford private fees, promotes animal welfare and provides the Pet Bereavement Support Service”.
- Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, which helps people experiencing hearing loss throughout the UK by creating “life-changing partnerships between deaf people and specially trained hearing dogs”.
- Veterinary Development Fund: the James Herriot Scholarship fund will enable Glasgow Vet School to award scholarships to excellent undergraduate and postgraduate veterinary students who, through financial constraints, may otherwise not be able to study at Glasgow.
- Inti Wara Yassi is a Bolivian charity that works to rescue wildlife by confiscating illegally kept wild animals or by offering sanctuary to animals that are voluntarily brought to the charity. These animals are cared for in one of three parks throughout Bolivia (I also volunteered at two of the parks last summer).
- Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue, is a charity in North Ayrshire, Scotland, that aims to rescue, treat, rehabilitate and release birds and animals back to the wild.
- Students for Animals In Need is a charity made up of veterinary students from the University of Glasgow who work together to provide treatment to sick or injured animals that might not otherwise be treated, due to financial difficulties.
- Riding For the Disabled Association (RDA): Glasgow RDA provides equine therapy to more than 300 children and adults with disabilities from across the greater Glasgow area.
April 30, 2014
Topical treatment of Pseudomonas otitis externa in dogs

Severe otitis externa in a four year old cocker spaniel. The ear canal is inflamed and swollen shut, and ceruminous exudate is present. Image by Joel Mills [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons.
As a general guideline, 5-10 drops (depending on the dog’s size) of topical antimicrobial agent should be applied to the ear twice daily, but in cases with ruptured tympanic membranes, all topically applied antibiotics are potentially ototoxic.

When the tympanic membrane is not intact or its patency is unknown, pet owners must be warned of potential adverse reactions. However, such cases are rare, and the benefits of topical antibiotics outweigh the risk of ototoxicity.

In acute Pseudomonas otitis cases, first-line topical antibiotics include neomycin, polymyxin and gentamicin.

Cases that fail to respond to initial therapy or cases of chronic Pseudomonas otitis call for second-line topical antibiotics such as tobramycin, amikacin, enrofloxacin, ticarcillin and silver sulfadiazine.

In these circumstances, presoaking the ear canal with Tris-EDTA enhances the activity of the subsequently applied topical antibiotic. Tris-EDTA disrupts the cell membranes of gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas species, allowing the antibiotics to permeate the bacteria and work more effectively.

April 21, 2014
Ammonia tolerance test for diagnosis of portosystemic shunts

Image © iStockphoto.com/Dizzy

Normal hepatic function is essential for conversion of ammonia to urea. Increasing resting ammonia concentration indicates decreased hepatic mass or shunting of portal blood.

Concentrations of blood ammonia are not well correlated with severity of hepatic encephalopathy, and ammonia levels may be normal in 7% to 21% of dogs with portosystemic shunts (PSS), especially after prolonged fasting.

The ammonia tolerance test was developed to provide a more accurate diagnosis of liver dysfunction.

A heparinised baseline sample is taken after a 12 hour fast, and ammonium chloride is administered orally by stomach tube or in gelatin capsules or as an enema. A second blood sample is obtained 30 minutes after administration. Blood samples are then transported on ice for immediate plasma separation and analysis.

Normal values vary with the method of analysis; results in animals with PSS should be compared to a control sample from a healthy animal to ensure accuracy.

March 11, 2014
It takes balls to neuter

A close up of a vet performing sterilisation surgery on a dog. Image ©iStockphoto.com/Dan-Edwards

As graduates, one of the most routine surgeries that we will be expected to be competent at is neutering. As students, when on work experience or EMS, we will have seen at least one of these procedures a day at small or mixed practices… often more.

But routine does not necessarily mean easy, simple or without risk. When learning about reproductive anatomy, we were faced with a harsh truth: the concept of spaying is actually fairly terrifying, particularly as there is a considerable risk of a bitch bleeding to death.

Spaying is not to be underestimated. Among the usual complications and risks involved in the use of general anaesthetic, there are also a few scary blood vessels to worry about.

During the surgery, it is necessary for both pairs of ovarian and uterine arteries to be cut. It is of vital importance that these are ligatured (tied off) securely to prevent the likelihood of internal bleeding post-surgery. Neither of these are to be underestimated – the ovarian arteries are particularly important to ligature properly, since they branch directly from the aorta. A slipped ligature could result in serious problems, and could potentially result in the patient bleeding to death.

Clients should always be made aware of surgical risks and all eventualities, but I would imagine that the last thing an owner would expect after taking their dog or cat to be neutered would be the death of their beloved pet post-surgery.

This is quite a daunting prospect for the “most routine” surgery in practice. You can’t afford to be complacent – you really do have to get it right.

As an avid traveller, I had always intended on getting involved in a neutering clinic in India for EMS, even before learning just how risky neutering can be if not done properly. Now, I will make sure to realise that aim, in order to get as much surgical practise as possible before graduating. Hopefully, it will help boost my confidence, so that I won’t be as concerned as I am currently about this “routine” surgery by the time I am a qualified vet.

March 3, 2014
Media in the veterinary world
Media savvy vet, Pup Aid founder and #wheresmum author Marc Abraham.

In January, I attended my first AVS (the Association of Veterinary Students) congress. It was a fantastic event, featuring inspiring talks and lectures, fascinating practicals and the infamous AVS ball.

I would strongly urge any vet student to attend congress at least once during their time at vet school – aside from all the events available during the weekend, it’s a great opportunity to meet students from other vet schools and make valuable contacts that you may well need in the future. It certainly opened my eyes and made me realise just how small the veterinary world can be.

TV vet Mark Abraham opened the event with a talk to illustrate his achievements and work to date. He talked briefly about his Pup Aid campaign, which aims to prevent puppy farming in the UK and promote obtaining puppies from registered breeders or rescue centres only.

In addition, he gave some valuable advice: fight for a cause you believe in and use the media to your advantage.

He reiterated the importance of media within the veterinary world, which includes not only journals and papers within the profession, but other forms such as TV and social media that are more accessible to the general public.

In particular, he emphasised the impact that Twitter has had on spreading the word about the Pup Aid campaign. With the support of well known celebrities “retweeting” the link to the online e-petition, Marc gained the required number of signatures, and puppy farming is currently being debated in Parliament as a result.

A recent storyline on Eastenders involved breeding a dog and selling the puppies as a way to make money. This is a crucial example of the impact the media can have on public opinion. After seeing this, many viewers may be inspired to do the same in order to make a bit of spare cash, which is exactly the sort of attitude that the Pup Aid campaign is trying to abolish.

In today’s age of technological advancement, there are so many media platforms available to bring the veterinary world into the public eye. We must use this to our advantage, whether that is to promote campaigns such as Pup Aid, raise awareness of veterinary issues or even to promote individual practices and the services they provide.

The media is a powerful thing, and we must not forget that just because it sometimes feels like we live in a bubble that is the veterinary world.
- Marc’s petition to ban the sale of young puppies and kittens without their mothers being present runs until 02/05/2014 – SIGN THE PETITION HERE!
February 17, 2014
When to extract retained deciduous teeth

Yorkie’s retained deciduous or baby fangs, circled in red. Both lower permanent fangs did not grow right underneath the baby fangs. Photo by Socknye [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.
A common abnormality in canine dentition is retention of deciduous teeth.

This occurs when the permanent tooth bud does not grow immediately beneath the deciduous tooth, and therefore does not cause the roots of the deciduous tooth to be resorbed.

A retained tooth can cause the permanent tooth to erupt in an abnormal position or cause other types of problems, such as crowding, which may lead to debris accumulation between the teeth and greater plaque stagnation.

In these cases, the retained tooth should be extracted.

February 17, 2014
PETS with rabies, in the UK?

Close-up of a dog’s face during late-stage “dumb” paralytic rabies. Animals with “dumb” rabies appear depressed, lethargic, and uncoordinated. Gradually they become completely paralyzed. When their throat and jaw muscles are paralyzed, the animals will drool and have difficulty swallowing. Image credit: CDC/Barbara Andrews

Lectures on legislation regarding veterinary-related issues are never the most interesting, often involving endless lists of dates and figures, but the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) lecture this week had a slight edge to it.

Among other important factors, such as microchipping and documentation, the focus was quite obviously on the recent changes to the rules regarding rabies.

It was evident that abolishing the blood test was not a great move in the opinion of this particular lecturer. But he’s not alone – there seems to be a ripple of discomfort throughout the veterinary community in response to the new regulations.

Pets are now free to travel within the EU just 21 days after having received one dose of the rabies vaccine, despite the incubation period of rabies being up to three months.

Although Defra claims the risk of rabies entering the UK is still very low, there still seems to be an underlying concern within the veterinary world.

It has been proposed that the potential increase in risk of exposure to rabies means that vets should be routinely receiving the rabies vaccination.

I myself have had a course of rabies vaccinations. Not because I’m a vet student, but because I was travelling in South America, where there was a possibility of coming into contact with rabid animals.

However, my understanding is that the vaccine does not prevent you developing rabies if bitten, but just puts it off for 24hrs, to give you time to get back to the UK to be appropriately treated. With this in mind, would providing the vaccine for those working in the veterinary profession in the UK be of any benefit if it is purely used to “buy time”?

I’m not convinced that vaccinating vets would be an effective measure to take, but we must now include rabies as one of our differential diagnoses and be open to the possibility (however slim) of being presented with rabid animals in practice. Perhaps more advice about the risks and clinical signs of rabies would put the minds of vets and owners alike at rest.

January 31, 2014