Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of wild freshwater turtles with fishing hook injuries.
ANIMALS
126 wild turtles residing in central North Carolina that were presented to a wildlife rescue clinic.
METHODS
Medical records from July 1997 to July 2022 were reviewed, and data were collected and analyzed.
RESULTS
The most common species presenting for a fishhook injury was the yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) (n = 69/126 [54.8%]; 95% CI, 45.7 to 63.6). The most common location identified was the oral cavity (n = 77/140 [55%]; 95% CI, 46.4 to 63.4) and the most common removal method was retrograde removal after cutting the barb off of the hook (76/120 [63.3%]; 95% CI, 54.1 to 71.9). Fishhooks embedded in the esophagus had a significantly higher chance of complications affecting recovery (OR estimate, 3.49; 95% CI, 1.07 to 11.38). There was no significant increase in mortality associated with the location of the injury; however, there was a significant increase in mortality in patients that experienced complications (P < 0.001). The time in care ranged from 1 to 150 days (median, 16 days). Of the turtles evaluated, 10.8% (n = 12/111; 95% CI, 5.7 to 18.1) were euthanized or died after treatment and 89.2% (99/111; 95% CI, 81.9 to 94.3) were released.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
These findings describe various successful techniques to remove fishhooks from turtles. While no superior treatment was identified, considerations should be taken to provide patient comfort, decrease injury-associated complications, and shorten recovery time by using minimally invasive techniques. Overall, freshwater turtles with fishhook injuries have a high release rate even when the injuries are severe.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate predictive model ability to determine whether an animal finished the feeding period using data known at first treatment for bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Additional comparisons evaluated the potential benefits of predictions by adding weather data, utilizing balancing techniques, and creating models for individual feedyards.
ANIMALS
This retrospective study included animal, pen, and feedyard data from 12 US feedyards from 2016 to 2021. The final dataset consisted of 96,382 BRD cases of which 14.2% did not finish the feeding phase.
PROCEDURES
Five predictive models were trained and underwent threshold probability adjustment to maximize F1 score. Model performance was evaluated using accuracy, sensitivity specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC).
RESULTS
Overall, model performance was low with a median AUC value of 0.675. The addition of weather data had little effect on AUC but resulted in more variation in sensitivity and specificity. Resampling the dataset had a limited effect on performance. Individual feedlot models had higher AUC values than others with the decision tree typically performing best in most feedyards.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Results indicated some utility of predictive models evaluating BRD cases to predict cattle that did not finish the feeding phase. These models could be valuable in assisting health providers making decisions on individual cases.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of variable centrifugation protocols on the cellular composition of the final product of a canine autologous conditioned plasma double-syringe system.
ANIMALS
30 client-owned healthy adult medium- to large-breed (17- to 45-kg) dogs.
METHODS
35 mL of anticoagulated whole blood from each subject was aliquoted into 3 samples: a baseline and 2 double syringes. The syringes were processed for platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Each double syringe was randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups, which varied in centrifugation settings between 580 and 1,304 X g and 5 and 10 minutes. CBC analysis was performed on each of the samples to determine cellular composition. A mixed-effect linear model was fit to the data.
RESULTS
60 PRP samples and 30 whole blood samples were analyzed. Manufacturer settings generated a platelet fold change > 1 but did not increase concentration to the extent expected. When comparing speed alone, increased centrifugation force was associated with lower platelet fold change. When comparing time alone, increased centrifugation time was also associated with lower platelet fold change and lower leukocyte concentration.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Autologous conditioned plasma double syringes require a low volume of initial whole blood, making them preferable for canine PRP in clinical settings. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the centrifugation protocol on the final product cellular composition in dogs and add to the available data on protocols to maximize platelet yield in PRP. Due to inherent individual variability, this study emphasized the importance of evaluating biological samples prior to administration to predict and improve patient outcomes.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recently published the 2023 AAHA Selected Endocrinopathies of Dogs and Cats Guidelines to help practitioners identify and treat common endocrine diseases while effectively communicating with clients and the care team.
During AVMA Convention 2023, held July 14-18 in Denver, 13 individuals received AVMA Excellence Awards for their contributions related to veterinary medicine.
Dr. Joseph Kinnarney is this year’s recipient of The AVMA Award, which he accepted during the keynote at AVMA Convention 2023 in Denver. Among his accomplishments, his service to both the American Veterinary Medical Foundation and the AVMA Trusts helped both entities evolve into the vital, relevant entities they are today.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition and the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) are celebrating their 75th anniversary and the enduring legacy of their shared founder, Dr. Mark L. Morris Sr.
This year’s AVMA Meritorious Service Award recipient is Dr. Phillip D. Nelson. He stepped down in September 2022 as dean of Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) College of Veterinary Medicine after 15 years. This award recognizes a veterinarian who has brought honor and distinction to the veterinary profession through personal, professional, or community service activities that are conducted outside the scope of organized veterinary medicine or research.
Dr. Willie Reed is the inaugural recipient of the Frederick Douglass Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award. The award aims to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the veterinary profession through innovative and transformative leadership in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
