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Archive for the ‘Veterinary Medicine’ Category

Thailand begins mass vaccination of horses to curb African Horse Sickness spread – Reuters

Tuesday, April 21st, 2020

Veterinarian Aree Laikul from Kasetsart University's faculty of Veterinary Medicine, vaccinates a horse amid an outbreak of the deadly African Horse Sickness (AHS) in the country, at Farm Mor Por stable in Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand April 20, 2020. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Nakhon Ratchasima (Reuters) - Thailand began vaccinating some 4,000 horses on Monday in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly African Horse Sickness (AHS), a disease that only affects horses and other equine animals.

More than 200 horses in seven provinces have died since the outbreak was first reported earlier this year, the first time the highly infectious AHS virus, transmitted by insects, has appeared in Southeast Asia.

Horse owners in northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province have installed mosquito nets on stables and conduct regular temperature and health checks, while putting sick horses under quarantine.

The government has also banned the import and export of horses, zebras and related animals.

Veterinarians say if the disease cannot be contained by the mass vaccination, it could wipe out all 11,800 horses in Thailand, where they are kept mostly for racing and leisure riding for tourists and private owners.

Without any prevention, 10 out of 10 horses will contract the virus... nine out of 10 sick horses will die from it, Aree Laikul a veterinarian from Kasetsart Universitys faculty of Veterinary Medicine who is helping the vaccination drive.

There have been no reported cases of AHS in humans, and it is not related to the coronavirus pandemic.

AHS is endemic in the central tropical regions of Africa, from where it spreads regularly to Southern Africa and occasionally to North Africa, according to information from the World Organization for Animal Health.

Editing by Kay Johnson & Simon Cameron-Moore

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Why the New Coronavirus Affects Some Animals, but Not Others – Smithsonian

Tuesday, April 21st, 2020

In just a few months, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put billions of humans at risk. But as researchers work around the clock to understand SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the disease, some have begun to worry that countless others may be at stake: animals who could catch the germ from their distant Homo sapiens cousins.

Recent reports of SARS-CoV-2 infecting creatures such as monkeys, dogs, ferrets, domestic cats and even a tiger have raised the possibility that the pathogen could plague other speciesincluding, perhaps, ones already imperiled by other, non-infectious threats.

Though researchers suspect the virus originated in a wild creature such as a bat, they stress that humans remain the virus most vulnerable victims, as well as the hosts most likely to spread the disease from place to place. There is also no evidence that animals are passing the pathogen to people, says Jane Sykes, a veterinarian and animal virus researcher at the University of California, Davis. However, studying the creatures this stealthy virus has affected so far could help scientists understand what makes some speciesbut not otherssusceptible.

Coronaviruses are notoriously indiscriminate infectors. The number of different coronaviruses that exist in the wild number in at least the hundreds, with most likely inhabiting the bodies of bats. On the whole, members of this large family of viruses seem very capable of frequent hops into new species, including humans, making recent detections of SARS-CoV-2 in non-human animals somewhat unsurprising, says Linda Saif, a virologist and animal coronavirus expert at Ohio State University. Already, a commonality in these cases has emerged: the molecular compatibility of the virus with its host.

To infect a cell, a virus must first break in. This encounter typically requires the pathogen to fit itself into a specific molecule, called a receptor, on the surface of its target cell. Its a bit like a key opening a lock. Not all viral keys will work on a given cells lock, but the better the fit, the more easily the virus can gain access.

Unfortunately for humans and our animal relatives, SARS-CoV-2s key, called spike protein, is a multifunctional tool. It homes in on a cellular lock called ACE2a blood pressure-regulating protein thought to be universal among vertebrates, the group that includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, says Jim Wellehan, a zoologist and microbiology at the University of Floridas College of Veterinary Medicine.

Millions of years of evolution have subtly tweaked the shape of ACE2 in each of these lineages. But in domestic cats and several primates, the regions of ACE2 that bind to SARS-CoV-2s spike protein look nearly or completely identical to the vulnerable human version.

Such molecular similarities may help explain why a cat in Belgium and another in Hong Kong, each under the care of owners who fell ill with COVID-19, reportedly tested positive for the virus in March. During the SARS outbreak that began in 2002, SARS-CoV-1a similar coronavirus that also uses ACE2 to enter cells (albeit less effectively than SARS-CoV-2)also hopped from sick humans into domestic felines.

Sykes says these isolated incidents shouldnt be cause for alarm. Although a recent study in the journal Science corroborated that cats can contract SARS-CoV-2 when experimentally dosed with large amounts of virus, pets probably arent getting seriously sick very often in the real world, she says. (If they were, wed probably know by now.)

The felines most at risk, Sykes says, are probably those in the company of sick owners, who may be exposing their pets to high quantities of viral particles. Even then, infection isnt a guarantee. Another recent study, which has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, found no evidence of the virus in a group of cats and dogs that had spent several weeks cooped up with several SARS-CoV-2-infected humans. Large surveys in places like Hong Kong, the United States and South Korea have borne out similar results: thousands of pet cats, as well as horses and dogs, tested negative for the new coronavirus. (But another studyalso not peer-revieweddid find antibodies against the virus in some feral felines from Wuhan, China, hinting that the animals may have encountered the pathogen before.)

Theres also no evidence that infected cats can shuttle the virus into humans, Sykes says. And while the researchers behind the new Science study noted that cat-to-cat transmission was possible in confined laboratory spaces, these artificial settings are poor proxies for the natural world, she says. Just because an animal can harbor a virus in its body doesnt mean it will be good at spreading the pathogen.

Findings in domestic cats dont always translate into other species, even closely related ones. Earlier this month, a Malayan tiger named Nadia at the Bronx Zoo made headlines when she tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Though the cause remains unclear, zoo personnel suspect an infected keeper unwittingly passed the pathogen to the tiger during routine care, triggering a dry cough and diminished appetite in the big cat. (A handful of other tigers, as well as a trio of lions, seemed slightly ill as well, but werent tested.) A vulnerable ACE2 molecule might explain Nadias spate of mild symptoms. But more than 10 million years of evolution separate domestic cats from their wild tiger kinand the two species arent always susceptible to the same diseases.

A recent mouse study reinforces the importance of ACE2 in the spread of the new virus. These rodents version of ACE2 is pretty dissimilar to ours, making them resistant to the new coronavirus; only when genetically engineered to express human ACE2 do mice fall ill. Yet other animals with less human-like variations of ACE2, including dogs and ferrets, can be vulnerable to the new coronavirus without any genetic rejiggering. ACE2 is not the whole story, Saif says.

Another influential factor in cross-species transmission is probably proximity. Even if a creatures molecular makeup isnt perfectly compatible with the pathogen, frequent exposures to humans harboring the coronavirus could eventually sicken a small percentage of the population.

This scenario may be what has played out in dogs, who seem to be poor hosts for the new coronavirus, according to the recent Science study. Some 470 million canines are kept as pets, and almost none appear to have caught SARS-CoV-2 naturally: So far, only two pupsa Pomeranian and a German shepherd, both in Hong Konghave tested positive for the pathogen.

Ferrets present a curious case as well. While their ACE2 receptors dont seem to be a perfect fit for the new coronavirus, the germ can take hold in their lungs. Researchers have known for decades that the airways of these weasel-like mammals make them susceptible to several infectious respiratory illnesses that affect humans, including the flu and the original SARS, Saif says. SARS-CoV-2, another lung-loving microbe, is no exception. Stricken with the germ, ferrets come down with fevers and coughs, helping spread the pathogen when in close contact.

Still, anatomical similarities cant fully explain why viruses find success in certain mammals. Guinea pig airways, for example, also bear some resemblance to ours, but these rodents dont always experience disease like we do. That leaves the full story of ferrets odd viral vulnerabilities somewhat mysterious, Saif says. Perhaps the ferret immune system is easily duped by the virus and struggles to purge the pathogens early on during infection.

With these preliminary findings in hand, pet owners worldwide are understandably worried about their furry family members. Sykes encourages them not to fear contagion and instead foster solidarity with our animal kin.

Its important we emphasize that human-to-human transmission is whats driving this pandemic, she says. People need to be enjoying the human-animal bond, rather than thinking about abandoning their pets.

Still, Sykes and other experts advise caution around pets, especially for owners who have reason to suspect theyve been infected with the new coronavirus. The CDC recommends treating cats and dogs as you would any other family member: self-isolating for the duration of an illness to avoid the spread of disease. Pet owners should also try to ensure their furred companions comply with physical distancing measures as much as possible, Saif adds, which means keeping them indoors and limiting contact with people and animals outside their own households.

A handful of studies have begun to survey other species for susceptibility to the new coronavirus. So far, the virus appears capable of infecting batsthe suspected original animal source of the pathogenas well as golden Syrian hamsters, but struggles to replicate in the bodies of chickens, pigs and ducks.

With more than 6,000 species of mammals inhabiting the globe, these lists are by no means comprehensive. But researchers are unlikely to get answers about other animals until they test them directly, says Smita Iyer, a virologist and immunologist at the University of California, Davis. With new viruses like these, you just dont know what you dont know.

Nevertheless, researchers have begun to take precautions against the possibility that the virus will move not from animals into humans, but the other way around. The major vector [of disease] is us, says Wellehan, who interacts with several mammalian species including bats in his work. I dont see them as a threat. I see them as potential victims.

Should humans accidentally carry SARS-CoV-2 back into the wild, the effects could be catastrophic, especially if a threatened or endangered species contracted severe disease. Concerns about our vulnerable great ape cousins, who harbor coronavirus-friendly versions of ACE2 on their cells, have already prompted conservation sites and parks to shutter.

Zoos that house wild cousins of species already shown to be vulnerable are also adopting new safety measures. At the Smithsonians National Zoo, keepers are donning extra protective equipment and practicing extensive physical distancing around primates, felids (the group that includes wild cats such as tigers, lions and cheetahs) and mustelids (relatives of ferrets, such as otters). Also being monitored are animals such as civets, the small, cat-like mammals that played a crucial role in the SARS outbreak nearly two decades ago.

Guarding these species from infection isnt an easy process, says Don Neiffer, the National Zoos chief veterinarian. Amidst a pandemic, resources are limited, he says, and some of the changes have been especially difficult for active species that spend a lot of their time engaging in play with keepers. However, Neiffer stresses, these measures are in place to maximize protection for as many species as possible for the duration of the outbreak.

By keeping wild animals safe, were also protecting ourselves. Even if most other animals dont experience severe forms of COVID-19, Saif says, they could quietly harbor the pathogen in their bodies. The virus might then be poised to reenter the human population in the future, sparking another devastating outbreak.

The breadth of the SARS-CoV-2s evolutionary reach should be an eye-opener, Iyer says. Cross-species transmissions happen in all directions: animal to animal; animal to human; and human to animal. These jumps brought us the pandemic in the first place, she says, and should be a cautionary tale for people as they continue to encroach on and destroy the worlds wild spaces.

We might want to start with the basics and respect the territory of our neighbors out in nature, Iyer says. Theres a reason theyre called wild animals.

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Efficacy of laser therapy in veterinary medicine: thoughts from a novice – dvm360

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Christian Mller / stock.adobe.com

Like many clinicians, I find it daunting to stay current with the many evolving topics in veterinary medicine. Photobiomodulation (also referred to as low-level laser therapy [LLLT] or cold laser) represents a particularly challenging modality to approach for several reasons. For one, colleagues who know more about LLLT than I do have a wide range of often strong opinions regarding its effectiveness. Also, the biophysics involved are less familiar to me than are other aspects of veterinary medicine. Nevertheless, the use of LLLT is quickly becoming widespread for a wide range of applications, and I thought I should learn a bit more about it.

For those who can relate, what follows is my novice attempt to reach an evidence-based and open-minded opinion about the efficacy of LLLT in small animal patients.

As I started my inquiry, I found that an American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery exists, with an official journal: Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. This journal ranks in the top 25% for journal impact factor (which reflects frequency of citation) for both dermatology and surgery.

After reading articles in this journal and related others, two things stood out to me:

From what I did read, the benefits of LLLT in people and laboratory models are numerous: cosmetic skin applications, wound healing, edema reduction, return to function from sports injuries, improving vaginal health, dental healing, head trauma recovery and many more. The efficacy of LLLT did seem hard to discount after this reading. Of the studies that reported discouraging results, most generally concluded with confidence that optimization of protocols would improve outcomes.

Because I lacked a clear, evidence-based conclusion from my broad review, I turned specifically to the veterinary literature. Searching for small animal investigations from major journals, I found nine recent publications. All happened to study dogs, and applications of LLLT were identified in dermatology, tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) and intervertebral disk disease (IVDD).

Most of the veterinary research on LLLT relates to applications for the skin. Two recent articles evaluated the use of laser for wound healing in healthy skin. In the first study, the investigators created and then closed 20 incisions in intact male beagles.1 No differences were found between LLLT or sham treatment for epithelization, contraction or histopathology. The same study also looked at the effect of LLLT on 20 incisions that were left open to heal, and again found no effect.

In a second study,2 LLLT was used in 10 female dogs during bilateral flank spay procedures. The investigators found relatively less necrosis and fewer perivascular lymphocytes in the incisions in the LLLT group at day 7, but more perivascular lymphocytes in the LLLT group at day 14. No differences were found between groups visually during healing or with any other histologic variable. Taken together, these two studies of healing of healthy skin with LLLT are discouraging.

Two studies investigated LLLT use in abnormal skin. In a 2014 study published in Veterinary Dermatology, Olivieri et al.3 reported a dramatic improvement in canine noninflammatory alopecia using LLLT, in that much more fur grew with LLLT than in a control group. In the same journal and year, Stich and colleagues4 found no effect of LLLT on pedal pruritis due to atopy.

Three reports on the use of LLLT in promoting healing after TPLO surgery have been published since 2017. The largest study, reported in Veterinary Surgery in 2018,5 examined 95 dogs and found LLLT-associated improvement with regard to owner assessment of gait. No improvement was seen with regard to pain management or radiographic healing. Results of a 2017 study6 showed that LLLT was associated with improved surgical limb function eight weeks postoperatively in 27 dogs undergoing TPLO, as evidenced by more force applied to a plate. The smallest study,7 involving 12 dogs, found more lameness and more pain during the first postoperative month in the LLLT group. The investigators found no differences at 8 weeks, or at any time point, radiographically or cytologically. So, the two larger studies were encouraging, and the smallest one was discouraging.

Two reports on dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy examined postoperative use of LLLT. A 2012 study involving 36 dogs demonstrated dramatic shortening of time to return to ambulation with LLLT (median of 3.5 days vs. 14 days for controls).8 A study from 2017 compared 11 dogs treated with LLLT postoperatively with 10 dogs treated with sham LLLT.9 No differences were found between the LLLT and sham groups at several recovery benchmarks, including initial limb movement, ability to stand with some support, ability to walk at least three steps, and ability to walk at 10 days.

Making a broad conclusion about the effectiveness of LLLT based on the above nine canine studies is fraught on several levels, including that the studies involve different disease states and different protocols. Considering that substantial caveat, however, I can draw one conclusion: Five of these nine studies (55%) revealed at least one metric showing a benefit of LLLT compared with control.

Of note, the above text was reviewed at a well-regarded specialty facility that commonly uses LLLT. Feedback included the facts that several of the referenced discouraging studies were flawed by not reporting all critical parameters, and that such discouraging results could be attributed to underdosing, which is often a problem in the use of LLLT.

While this article was undergoing review, Veterinary Dermatology published an article on the use of LLLT in 36 dogs with interdigital pyoderma.10 The investigators found that LLLT shortened resolution of lesion time from 10.4 to 4.3 weeks.

Now at the end of my initial attempt to form an opinion on LLLT efficacy in small animal patients, I would emphasize my humility in the face of others expertise. That noted, following are my conclusions from exploring the recent articles about LLLT in major small animal publications:

I look forward to further research as it becomes available, of course, but I now feel comfortable referring cases for LLLT as long as the status of current research is made clear to clients.

Dr. Levinson became board certified in veterinary emergency and critical care in 2010. He practices at Brenford Animal Hospitals in Dover, DE, where his interests include echocardiography and fostering a Fear Free environment.

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Faculty for TTUs School of Veterinary Medicine continues to grow – KLBK | KAMC | EverythingLubbock.com

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) The following is a news release from Texas Tech University:

The faculty for the Texas Tech UniversitySchool of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillocontinues to take shape with the addition of Nancy Zimmerman as a professor of small animal surgery.

A native of Pennsylvania, Zimmerman comes to Texas Tech from Arena, Wisconsin. For the last 15 years she has helped teach veterinary students from the University of Wisconsin and other teaching hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, she has provided continuing education to domestic and international veterinarians.

When I learned about the opportunity to build a teaching program at Texas Tech that would focus on training students, that was very interesting to me, Zimmerman said. We have an opportunity to utilize the most current methods and technology to help students learn and grow through the training process of becoming a veterinarian. Im really keen on being a part of that and trying to impart some of the clinical experience Ive gained working in many different capacities as a veterinarian over the past 20 years

Zimmerman earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1998. She completed a Small Animal Surgery residency at Virginia Tech and earned her Master of Science degree in 2003. Zimmerman earned board certification and was named a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) in 2004.

After completing her surgery residency, Zimmerman worked as an associate in a private referral hospital in Dallas. In 2006, she relocated to Wisconsin and established a small animal locum surgery practice, Gentle Hands Veterinary Specialists. Zimmerman worked as a small animal surgeon at private referral practices and university teaching hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, providing care for patients and helping students, residents and interns learn clinical applications of veterinary surgery.

When Zimmerman was not working away from home, she helped manage the lamb and beef farm that she owned in Wisconsin. She hosted workshops and seminars on the farm several times each year to help veterinary students and regional livestock producers learn about small ruminant husbandry.

As a professor of small animal surgery for Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine, Zimmerman will share her rich experience and surgical skills and knowledge with a broader audience.

It is important to focus on the patient and the client, Zimmerman said. My goal is to work with Texas Tech University practice partners, who will serve as clinical training centers for veterinary students, to develop programs that graduate veterinarians who will not only be competent and have the knowledge but also confident to do what they need to do to provide the best, most complete service to their patients and clients, with compassion.

Guy Loneragan, dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, said it is Zimmermans caring nature that makes her a great fit.

She cares about practicing high-quality, compassionate veterinary medicine, Loneragan said. She also has experience mentoring students in real-world settings, and she cares about helping them become the best they can be. Our students are going to benefit so much from her instruction and, in turn, the clients of our future graduates will benefit. We are so fortunate Dr. Zimmerman chose to join the Texas Tech family.

A strength Zimmerman feels she will bring veterinary students is the ability to be versatile, noting there is more than one way to accomplish a goal. The aim in veterinary practice is to determine the end goal of treatment and how best to achieve that goal. An important aspect of being a veterinarian is to be able to adapt, she says. Veterinarians need to be able to see the big picture and think through problems to find solutions based on an understanding and application of concepts and principles rather than memorized protocols.

Dr Zimmerman has a great reputation for providing continuing education and teaching surgical skills, said John Dascanio, senior associate dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. She is passionate about bringing those talents to Texas Tech to raise the bar to help veterinary graduates be practice-ready on day one. Dr. Zimmerman will help our students walk out our doors as confident, competent young surgeons.

Zimmerman joins Loneragan, Dascanio, associate dean for clinical programs Britt Conklin, large animal surgery professor David Dutton, assistant professor Bethany Schilling and large-animal medicine professor Lszl Hunyadi on the faculty for the School of Veterinary Medicine. Additional faculty members will be added over the summer and fall.

Having a broad scope of diverse experiences in veterinary medicine makes you a great practitioner, but more importantly, it makes you a better teacher, Conklin said. Dr. Zimmerman has had an enormous breadth of experiences that will allow her to deliver an unmatched educational experience to our student body and, additionally, will provide our practice partners with a wealthy resource.

About the School of Veterinary Medicine

Thanks to the generosity of Amarillo and communities across Texas, and the commitment of legislators from around the state, the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo, established in 2018, is working to enroll its first class in the fall of 2021, pending approval by the AVMA Council on Education.

The School of Veterinary Medicine will recruit and select students with a passion to practice and succeed in small, agricultural and regional communities and utilize a curriculum focused on the competencies and skills necessary to be successful in practices that support these communities. Texas Techs innovative and cost-efficient model partners with the wider community of veterinary practices across the state to provide clinical, real-world experiential learning.

In June, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law the biennial state budget, which appropriated $17.35 million for the School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo that will go toward operational needs in order to get the school up and running. The appropriation included language directing Texas Tech to move forward in establishing the school.

Donors and civic leaders have pledged more than $90 million toward infrastructure, construction and scholarships for the School of Veterinary Medicine on the site of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo.

(News release from Texas Tech University)

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What is the role of animals in veterinary education? – American Veterinary Medical Association

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Animals in veterinary education were one of the key topics during several sessions at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges 2020 Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, March 8-10 in Washington, D.C. The Use of Animals in Education symposium focused on how animals are used in veterinary colleges curricula.

We had a good open discussion, said Dr. Dean Hendrickson, Colorado State University, in an interview afterward with JAVMA News. The big thing is the excitement. Where do we want to go, and what do we want to do?

The event included several key goals for educators. Among them was starting a conversation on how each veterinary college is currently using animals in its curriculum and what the use of animals may look like in the future.

Read the AAVMC policy on Use of Animals in Education andthe AVMA policy on Use of Animals in Research, Testing, and Education.

Dr. Phillip Nelson, the dean of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, said it is necessary for leadership in veterinary academia to think about how the profession uses animals.

The founding faculty at the Western University veterinary college did just that. The Willed Deceased Animals for Veterinary Education program at the veterinary college encourages pet owners from 90 sites in Southern California to donate their pets remains to the veterinary college for anatomy and clinical skills education. The veterinary college uses models of animals and student-owned animals for routine procedures.

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University also has a willed-body program.

However, despite the success of the programs at these two universities, most veterinary colleges in the U.S. face challenges implementing similar programs because of the location of their campuses.

Unfortunately, there are a number of metro areas that would support a program, but veterinary schools are located in rural areas, and that creates separate challenges, Dr. Nelson said.

Western University is located in Pomona, California, about 30 minutes outside of Los Angeles, and Tufts University in Grafton, Massachusetts, is about 45 minutes west of Boston.

Although many veterinary colleges have had issues implementing willed-body programs, most have found it easy to include models of animals in the curriculum.

Dr. Julie Hunt, director of small animal clinical skills at the Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine, designed and developed the clinical skills curriculum at LMU.

Theres no question in my mind, Dr. Hunt said. You can absolutely teach and improve surgical skills using models. Early on, a huge amount of techniques can be used on models, and models can be used for practicing clinical skills repeatedly.

The models do not replace live surgery. But Dr. Hunt said she believes that animal models can be used instead of nonsurvival surgeries, which can cause stress and well-being issues for students.

The LMU curriculum includes a combination of live animals, cadavers, and models to teach students and for students to practice clinical skills.

Models may be a key tool for students, but cadavers are still important for early anatomy classes.

Dr. Jeremy Delcambre, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said he wanted symposium attendees to question themselves.

Do you know where you cadavers are coming from? Have you done an audit on use and sustainability? Dr. Delcambre said.

There is a shortage of dog and cat cadavers and currently only one commercial supplier. So it may be time to adapt, he added.

Educators and veterinary leadership involved in the symposium plan to hold another event to continue the conversation but have not yet set a date.

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Veterinary medicine at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 – dvm360

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Darryl / stock.adobe.com

Coronaviruses, so named for their knobby surface projections that create a crown-like appearance,1-3 were first identified in the 1930s but are thought to have originated more than 10,000 years ago.4,5 They and their associated illnesses have been observed in cattle, horses, cats, dogs, swine, rabbits, rodents and bats, among others.6,7

In humans, seven coronavirus strains have been identified, as have their bat and rodent reservoirs, and their intermediate hosts, including cattle, camels and civets.8-16 Most of these strains cause nothing more than the common cold in people, but threesevere acute respiratory syndrome (SARS),17 Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)18 and SARS-CoV-2have proven more daunting.

As the professionals with the most thorough understanding of One Health, veterinarians around the world have been working hard on COVID-19 diagnostic, prevention and treatment measures. Heres a look at some of the work being done.

At Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, a group of researchers have shunted their work to focus on SARS-CoV-2. Virology professor and coronavirus expert Gary Whittaker, PhD, who has done extensive research on MERS, is investigating the SARS-CoV- 2 spike protein and its mechanisms for fusing with the host cell.19 He hopes to apply his findings to drug and vaccine development. The team also includes investigators who are working on diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2.

Researchers at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine are working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, slated to begin animal trials soon. The group, which includes investigators who study bovine coronaviruses, is collaborating with researchers at Tulane University, one of the first facilities to obtain samples of SARS-CoV-2 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The coronavirus that afflicts cats and causes deadly feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) has long been a subject of research at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Investigators at the school have used an antiviral drug shown to block virus replication in monkeys and mice as a springboard for developing a protocol to treat FIP in cats experimentally infected with feline enteric coronavirus.20

"Its the virus-infected cells that are producing all of these nasty cytokines that are causing this inflammation, explains Niels Pedersen, DVM, PhD, who has been studying feline coronavirus for the past five decades, so if you can stop the replication cold in its tracks, you're going to immediately stop the cytokines from being produced."

Treatment has been largely successful in feline studies, which gives Pedersen hope for the nearly identical remdesivir, now in clinical trials for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. If it can be done in cats, why can't it be done in humans?" he says.

The concept of drug repurposing might also be applied to the parasiticide ivermectin, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic agent for animals and humans that, in recent years, has been shown to have antiviral activity in vitro by interfering with virus replication.21-25 In vitro studies have demonstrated that ivermectin interferes with replication of many viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus 1,22 West Nile virus,23 dengue virus,22,24 Venezuelan encephalitis virus,25 simian virus,22,26 pseudorabies27 and influenza.21

A recent study,28 published in the journal Antiviral Research, demonstrates that ivermectin impedes SARS-CoV-2 in vitro.* Previous reports on similar coronaviruses describe the role of specific proteins in viral transport into the host nucleus, suggesting that ivermectins nuclear transport inhibitory activity may be effective against SARS-CoV-2.

Cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 were treated two hours post infection with a single dose of ivermectin at serial dilutions. At 24 hours, the addition of 5 M ivermectin produced a 99.8% reduction in cell-associated viral RNA, which increased to 99.98% at 48 hours; this equated to an approximately 5,000-fold reduction of viral RNA compared with control samples. No cell toxicity was observed at this concentration.

The studys Australian investigators, from Monash University and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, hypothesize that ivermectin inhibits the IMP/1-mediated nuclear import of viral proteins, but they hope to confirm this mechanism in the case of SARS-CoV-2. The identification of the specific SARS-CoV-2 and/or host component(s) impacted is an important focus their future work.

This research sets the stage for development of an effective antiviral drug that, if given to patients early in infection, could reduce SARS-CoV-2 viral load, block disease progression and limit person-to-person transmission.

The answers to the COVID-19 pandemic will be shaped like medications and vaccines. And surely, they will be colored by extensive data established by the veterinary community.

*Editors note: The FDA has issued a public warning stating that people should not self-medicate with ivermectin in an effort to treat or prevent COVID-19. The warning reads, in part: FDA is concerned about the health of consumers who may self-medicate by taking ivermectin products intended for animals, thinking they can be a substitute for ivermectin intended for humans. People should never take animal drugs, as the FDA has only evaluated their safety and effectiveness in the particular animal species for which they are labeled. These animal drugs can cause serious harm in people. People should not take any form of ivermectin unless it has been prescribed to them by a licensed health care provider and is obtained through a legitimate source. For the full FDA letter, click here.

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Caring for pets during the COVID-19 pandemic – The Ohio State University News

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

The anxiety of trying to stay safe through the COVID-19 pandemic is not reserved only for the humans enduring stay-at-home orders and social isolation.

Pets might be anxious, too at the same time most are probably glad their owners are home all day, every day. Even good change can be hard for domestic animals to adjust to, says M. Leanne Lilly, assistant professor-clinical of veterinary clinical sciences at The Ohio State University.

Lilly, who specializes in veterinary behavioral medicine, was among a panel of College of Veterinary Medicine experts who addressed questions submitted by pet owners during an April 9 webinar.

Treat your pets like family. Remember this is a hard change for them, too, so make sure their behavioral needs are met, she said. There are more chances for inappropriate interactions from a pet perspective. Dont overdo it.

Be gentle with yourselves as youre being gentle with your pets.

Many questions from viewers revolved around a recent study in China that revealed cats and ferrets appear to be susceptible to getting sick after being inoculated with the novel coronavirus. The findings also suggested that cats could infect each other. The study found that dogs, pigs, chickens and ducks are able to resist the viruss efforts to make copies of itself and cause infection.

Jeanette OQuin, assistant professor-clinical of veterinary preventive medicine, said that the results of that single study need to be considered along with the rarity of natural cases in animals. Pet owners probably neednt worry much about risk of coronavirus infection to cats and dogs in their homes, she said.

Researchers introduced a very high dose of the virus to animals in the study. And the cats that were infected recovered without incident after having mild symptoms: respiratory problems, fever and lethargy, which are symptoms linked to many common pet illnesses.

What that study tells us is whats possible, but it doesnt really tell us whats probable, said OQuin, a specialist in infectious disease control. This is a distinctly human virus that passes readily from person to person.

The risk to animals is very low, and the risk from animals to people is even lower.

Essentially, the experts said that what it takes for humans to stay safe right now is also good for pets: Shelter in place together, avoid pet play dates and when walking dogs, keep them on a leash and maintain a safe distance between yourself and your pet and other owners and their dogs.

Owners who have tested positive for COVID-19 and dont have assistance with pet care should avoid cuddles and kisses and are advised to wear a cloth mask and wash their hands before and after contact with their pets.

Private practices and hospitals are taking special precautions to protect animal and human health if a pet requires veterinary care during the pandemic, said Roger Fingland, executive associate dean and chief medical officer of the college.

The first thing pet owners should do, even in an emergency, is make a phone call to their veterinarian, Fingland said. Some veterinarians with existing relationships with their clients may be able to give advice via telemedicine.

If a pet requires in-person care or hospitalization, pet owners should expect curbside drop-offs and pickups of their animals and frequent phone, email or text contact about a care plan. Visitation generally isnt allowed except in end-of-life cases.

Veterinarians are seeing mostly urgent and emergent cases, Fingland said. Very few elective procedures are being done. Thats to save PPE (personal protective equipment) for human use.

Ideally, pet owners should be able to pull together a quarantine kit of food and medication if two weeks of isolation are required. Recommended supplies, as well as information updates as conditions change during the pandemic, are available on the colleges website.

College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Rustin Moore noted that about three-fourths of American households have pets and that during difficult times, the love and companionship of a pet can make a real difference in human health.

Interacting with a pet has been shown through scientific evidence to have positive benefits on the physical and mental well-being of people, Moore said. Petting, snuggling, cuddling and looking into the eyes of a pet has been shown to lead to physiological changes in the human body.

Ninety percent of us who have pets consider them as part of our family. They should be treated as such during COVID-19.

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LSU Vet School takes extra precautions to protect Mike the Tiger from coronavirus – The Reveille, LSU’s student newspaper

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is making sure Mike the Tiger remains healthy during the global pandemic.

On April 7, a barricade was set up around the cage to create an extra four feet of distance between the beloved Bengal and his visitors, according to Communications Manager of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Ginger Guttner.

Mike is the Universitys seventh tiger mascot. He was donated from a wildlife sanctuary in Florida, and was introduced to the public on Aug. 21, 2017.

We ask that people follow the governors order to stay home and that Mikes fans view him on social media or the Tiger Cam, Guttner said.

The Tiger Cam features live video footage of Mike the Tiger throughout the day. Mike also has active social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

In addition to the barriers, Mikes caretakers discontinued direct contact with the tiger, and employees must wear gloves and a mask while working in the night house.

National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, in one tiger at a zoo in New York. As scientists learn how the virus spreads, how different animals are affected by the virus and if an animal can spread it to a human, the LSU Vet School will continue to take precautions so Mike isnt infected.

Right now, there are four veterinary students taking care of Mike, two primary and two in training, in addition to his veterinarian, Professor David Baker.

As Mikes caretakers, his health and wellbeing are our primary concern, Guttner said.

The LSU Vet School is also creating test kits to speed up coronavirus testing in the Baton Rouge area. The test lab, which can produce up to 200 tests per day, is run by a team of volunteers.

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Texas A&M CVM’s 2+2 Program In Texas Panhandle Receives American Veterinary Medical Association Approval – Texas A&M University Today

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Dean Eleanor M. Green speaks at a press conference at the the construction site of the Veterinary Education, Research & Outreach (VERO)facility on West Texas A&M Universitys (WT) campus.

Texas A&M College of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences

The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) completed a pivotal step in the development of its 2+2 veterinary program on April 13, when the college received official program approval from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE).

With this approval, the CVM has permission to implement the 2+2 program through its Veterinary Education, Research & Outreach (VERO)program on West Texas A&M Universitys (WT) campus. This means that additional veterinary students will be able to complete the first two years of their four-year veterinary curriculum in Canyon, Texas.

The 2+2 program helps fulfill a 10-year goal to increase large animal veterinary medicine in the Texas Panhandle, said Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Chancellor John Sharp. It makes West Texas A&M the gateway to one of the best veterinary schools in the nation.

We are extremely excited that our 2+2 program has been approved by the AVMA COE, said Dr. Eleanor M. Green, the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M. This is a benchmark step that puts Texas A&M and WT one step closer to fulfilling a plan we have been working on for over a decade now.

Through our VERO program, Texas A&M, the CVM and WT are fulfilling a promise we made to the citizens of Texas to further address the need for rural and food animal veterinarians, needs that affect our food supply, the State of Texas economy and citizens of the Texas Panhandle, as well as rural communities across the state, she said.

It also supports our Texas youth who have aspirations for careers in veterinary medicine. While the launch of the VERO program has already tripled the number applicants from WT being admitted to the CVMs veterinary curriculum, this approval brings us one step closer to being able to admit even more students from WT and the Texas Panhandle region who can then, close to home, receive an education from one of the best veterinary schools in the nation, Green said. We anticipate that many of these veterinary graduates will choose to return home to serve their hometown communities.

Through the 2+2 program, the first cohort of up to 18 Texas A&M first-year veterinary students will begin their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) education at the VERO facility in fall 2021.

Those students will spend their first two years in Canyon on WTs campus, where they will receive essentially the same basic DVM education provided in College Station but with convenient exposure to livestock and rural veterinary medicine, according to Green.

Every year after, there will be two cohorts at one time cycling through the Canyon location before their third year at the CVM in College Station, with the option of returning to Canyon for a portion of their fourth-year clinical rotations.

The cohort will increase the total number of students enrolled in the CVMs DVM program to 180, the largest in the nation.

We are pleased that the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education sees the same potentialin our 2+2 program that we do, said Walter Wendler, WT president. Bringing excellent veterinary faculty and resources to theTexasPanhandlearea addresses critical needs andopens new opportunities for students in the Texas Panhandle to become Aggie veterinarians.

The 2+2 program is one of many programs the CVM has implemented in the Texas Panhandle since 2009. Through the CVMs VERO initiative, CVM faculty members live and work in the Texas Panhandle. They are housed at WTAMU, where they are actively recruiting and mentoring pre-veterinary students.

They also offer unique educational opportunities for current CVM veterinary students, including immersive externships, summer internships and food animal production-focused tours that introduce them to the region and the livestock industries. An essential focus is working with veterinarians and livestock industry leaders in the region. The College Station campus and VERO are seamlessly connected, bringing the resources of College Station to the Texas Panhandle and vice versa, CVM officials said.

All of these activities have been supported by more than $95 million in investments by The Texas A&M University System, including, most recently, a $5 million commitment to support additional faculty hires for the 2+2 program.

As part of the approval process, the AVMA COE will monitor the implementation of the 2+2 program through the CVMs subsequent interim reports, which will update the AVMA COE on the implementation of the program, including additional clinical resources identified and additional faculty and staff hires. The next interim report will be due Dec. 15.

The approval will also require a focused site visit that will occur in the second semester of the second year of the initial 2+2 class, during which a site team will visit the VERO facilities at WT and will interview students and VERO faculty.

For more information on the 2+2 program and the CVMs VERO initiative, visit the VERO webpage.

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Global Veterinary Medicine Market Research Report 2020, Segment by Key Companies, Countries, Types, Applications and Forecast to 2026 – Curious Desk

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Global Veterinary Medicine Market: Trends Estimates High Demand by 2026

This report studies the Veterinary Medicine market with many aspects of the industry like the market size, market status, market trends and forecast, the report also provides brief information of the competitors and the specific growth opportunities with key market drivers. Find the complete Veterinary Medicine market analysis segmented by companies, region, type and applications in the report.

The major players covered in Veterinary Medicine Market: Boehringer Ingelheim, Zoetis, Elanco Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health, Merck Animal Health, Virbac, Dechra Veterinary Products, Ceva, Vetoquinol, Meiji, Ouro Fino Saude, Animalcare Group, Parnell

The final report will add the analysis of the Impact of Covid-19 in this report Veterinary Medicine industry.

Get a Free Sample Copy @ https://www.reportsandmarkets.com/sample-request/global-veterinary-medicine-market-research-report-2020-segment-by-key-companies-countries-types-applications-and-forecast-2021-to-2026

Veterinary Medicine Market in its database, which provides an expert and in-depth analysis of key business trends and future market development prospects, key drivers and restraints, profiles of major market players, segmentation and forecasting. A Veterinary Medicine Market provides an extensive view of size; trends and shape have been developed in this report to identify factors that will exhibit a significant impact in boosting the sales of Veterinary Medicine Market in the near future.

This report focuses on the global Veterinary Medicine status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Veterinary Medicine development in United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, and Central & South America.

Market segment by Type, the product can be split into

Market segment by Application, split into

The Veterinary Medicine market is a comprehensive report which offers a meticulous overview of the market share, size, trends, demand, product analysis, application analysis, regional outlook, competitive strategies, forecasts, and strategies impacting the Veterinary Medicine Industry. The report includes a detailed analysis of the market competitive landscape, with the help of detailed business profiles, SWOT analysis, project feasibility analysis, and several other details about the key companies operating in the market.

The study objectives of this report are:

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The Veterinary Medicine market research report completely covers the vital statistics of the capacity, production, value, cost/profit, supply/demand import/export, further divided by company and country, and by application/type for best possible updated data representation in the figures, tables, pie chart, and graphs. These data representations provide predictive data regarding the future estimations for convincing market growth. The detailed and comprehensive knowledge about our publishers makes us out of the box in case of market analysis.

Key questions answered in this report

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Global Veterinary Medicine Market Overview

Chapter 2: Veterinary Medicine Market Data Analysis

Chapter 3: Veterinary Medicine Technical Data Analysis

Chapter 4: Veterinary Medicine Government Policy and News

Chapter 5: Global Veterinary Medicine Market Manufacturing Process and Cost Structure

Chapter 6: Veterinary Medicine Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and Forecast

Chapter 7: Veterinary Medicine Key Manufacturers

Chapter 8: Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis

Chapter 9: Marketing Strategy -Veterinary Medicine Analysis

Chapter 10: Veterinary Medicine Development Trend Analysis

Chapter 11: Global Veterinary Medicine Market New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis

About Us:

Reports and Markets is not just another company in this domain but is a part of a veteran group called Algoro Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. It offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for a wide range of sectors both for the government and private agencies all across the world. The database of the company is updated on a daily basis. Our database contains a variety of industry verticals that include: Food Beverage, Automotive, Chemicals and Energy, IT & Telecom, Consumer, Healthcare, and many more. Each and every report goes through the appropriate research methodology, Checked from the professionals and analysts.

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Army Reserve chief of staff to retire after more than 30 years of military service – The Fayetteville Observer

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

Maj. Gen. Marion Garcia, chief of staff of U.S. Army Reserve Command, will retire from the Army this month after 32 years of service to the nation.

Garcia became Army Reserve chief of staff in 2019, with the responsibility for the Army Reserve Headquarters at Fort Bragg, Army Reserve staff at Fort Belvoir, Virginia; and Army Reserve staff at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

She is a 1987 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Military Police Corps.

Garcia is a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a graduate of St. Pius X High School.

During her career, Garcia has served in every leadership position, from platoon leader to numerous command and key staff assignments.

She is a combat veteran with deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Cuba, Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq, Operation Restore Hope Somalia and Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm Southwest Asia.

Her military education includes the Military Police Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Service Staff School, the Command and General Staff College, the United States Army War College, and the Advanced Joint Professional Military Education School.

She holds a bachelors degree in science from the United States Military Academy, a masters in strategic studies from the United States Army War College, a Master of Science in veterinary epidemiology and public health from the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University.

Her awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster, the Parachutist Badge and the bronze German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge.

Garcia will be succeeded by Brig. Gen. Robert S. Cooley Jr.

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AAHA updates guidelines on anesthesia for dogs and cats – American Veterinary Medical Association

Sunday, April 19th, 2020

New guidelines from the American Animal Hospital Association present a framework for safe anesthesia for dogs and cats from home to hospital and back to home.

The guidelines are laid out to emphasize the importance of anesthesia as a continuum of care, beginning with the pet at home, transitioning through the four phases of anesthesiapre-anesthesia, induction, maintenance, recoveryand ending with the patient back at home, physiologically stable, calm, and pain free, said Dr. Tamara Grubb, co-chair of the task force that prepared the guidelines. We call it doorknob to doorknob.

The 2020 AAHA Anesthesia and Monitoring Guidelines for Dogs and Cats are an update to the 2011 AAHA anesthesia guidelines. Dr. Grubb, an assistant clinical professor at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, said the 2020 guidelines and accompanying website offer the following:

It is very important to realize that anesthesia is not defined solely as the period when the patient is unconscious, Dr. Grubb said. Thinking of all phases of anesthesiastarting at home and ending at homeimproves patient safety and comfort along with pet owner satisfaction and understanding.

Jennifer Sager, a veterinary technician specialist in anesthesia and co-chair of the guidelines task force, wrote the section on staff education and safety training. The section highlights the importance of veterinary technicians in anesthesia.

The guidelines appeared in the March/April issue of the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. The website also has more tables, diagrams, flow charts, dosing charts, photos, checklists, and other resources.

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Below average temperatures, quieter weather ahead – WBRZ

Monday, April 13th, 2020

After an active Sunday, cooler and quieter temperatures are expected for much of the week ahead. In fact, thermometers could dip into the 40s a few mornings!

Sunday Storm Report: An outbreak of severe weather did indeed occur across the Gulf South on Sunday. The local area was largely spared as the outlook and atmosphere changed for the better in the local area. This change was identified and broadcast by the WBRZ Weather Team on Sunday morninga reminder that it is important to stay in touch with the forecast as events near because changes can and do occur; in this case, it was good news. Still there were a few severe weather reports, including damaging wind gusts in Springfield and large hail in Hammond. Several large, violent tornadoes ripped through southeast Mississippi.

THE FORECAST:

Today and Tonight: Drier and cooler air will continue moving into the local area, allowing clouds to rapidly diminish through the morning hours. This will lead to sunny skies into the afternoon with high temperatures peaking near to 76 degrees. Remaining all clear overnight, light northeast winds will guide low temperatures down to 53 degrees.

Up Next: Through much of the week, highs will stay near normal in the mid-to-upper 70s. A rebounding weak warm front will attempt to push onshore Tuesday, which could bring some spotty afternoonshowers into the mix between during the late afternoon and overnight hours. The best chance of finding a shower will be in coastal areas. Once this front kicks to the south, continued cool temperatures could result in a pair of overnight lows in the upper 40s. Showers are set to return closer to the weekend. These will be associated with a frontal systemthat should bring isolated afternoon storms on Saturday that become more scattered in nature by Sunday.

The Mississippi River: At Baton Rouge, major flood stage continues with a level of 42.8 as of Monday morning. The river is expected to fall very slowly through the next two weeks. The high water is primarily an issue for river traffic and river islands, although some inundation will continue for a few spots north and south of Baton Rouge that are not protected by levees. Unprotected low-lying areas will be flooded and agricultural operations will be impacted on the west side of the river. The grounds of the older part of Louisiana State University's campus become soggy. This includes the area around the Veterinary Medicine building, the Veterinary Medicine Annex, the stadium and ball fields. The city of Baton Rouge and the main LSU campus are protected by levees at this level. The level is also high in New Orleans and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the Bonnet Carre Spillway.

THE EXPLANATION:

The front associated with Sundays active weather will stall in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, retreating slightly north on Tuesday. The may serve as a focus for a few showers to develop on Tuesday afternoon through the overnight hoursespecially along the coast. A kicker front will flush this moisture south by Wednesday and the cooler air mass will become entrenched a little farther south. As a result, the coolest period of the week is expected Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon with lows in the upper 40s and highs in the low 70s. The next frontal system will organize across the Lower Midwest and begin ton affect the local area by Friday. A slow moving warm front could provide isolated showers on Friday and Saturday and the trailing cold front will result in a better chance for showers and a few thunderstorms by Sunday.

--Josh

The WBRZ Weather Team is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App. on Apple and Android devices. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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PIJAC Warns About Using Ivermectin to Treat COVID-19 – Pet Age

Monday, April 13th, 2020

Press release: Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council

There have been reports of early stage research on the antiparasitic drug ivermectin as a possible treatment for COVID-19.

In animal health, ivermectin is most commonly used as a heartworm preventive in dogs and cats, and well as for treating internal and external parasites in many species.

On behalf of the entire responsible pet care community, we warn the public that they should never use pet care products, or any products, for any purpose other than what the label directs. Products marketed for veterinary use or otherwise not for human consumption should never be ingested or used for self-treatment of COVID-19 or any human medical condition.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine has issued a letter to stakeholders warning against humans using ivermectin products intended for animals. FDA is concerned about the health of consumers who may self-medicate by taking ivermectin products intended for animals, thinking they can be a substitute for ivermectin intended for humans. People should never take animal drugs, as the FDA has only evaluated their safety and effectiveness in the particular animal species for which they are labeled. These animal drugs can cause serious harm in people. People should not take any form of ivermectin unless it has been prescribed to them by a licensed health care provider and is obtained through a legitimate source.

FDAs recommendations:

The FDA has established a cross-agency task force dedicated to closely monitoring for fraudulent COVID-19 products that reaches out to major retailers to ask for their help in monitoring online marketplaces. Products that claim to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure COVID-19 are subject to FDA investigation and potential enforcement action if they have not demonstrated safety and effectiveness for that intended use. The task force has already worked with retailers to remove dozens of these types of product listings online.

Please help us protect public health by alerting FDA of anyone claiming to have a product to prevent or cure COVID-19 and to help safeguard human and animal health by reporting any of these products toFDA-COVID-19-Fraudulent-Products@fda.hhs.govor 1-888-InfoFDA (1-888-463-6332).

The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to avoid being exposed to the virus and taking steps to protect yourself as recommended by CDC:

For the latest information and resources about how to protect yourself, your customers, your associates and the animals you care for; mandatory closure orders as they pertain to pet care businesses; and other health and business continuity resources please visitpijac.org/covid19.

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PET TALK: Veterinary telemedicine in the age of COVID-19 – New Castle News

Monday, April 13th, 2020

In light of COVID-19 and the associated restrictions on public activity, many people are looking for ways to safely go about their daily lives indoors and online. Luckily, telemedicine supports this goal and allows individuals to ensure their health and the health of their pets, digitally.

Dog laying its head on a keyboardDr. Lori Teller, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, speaks to pet owners about the basics of veterinary telemedicine and how this tool can be especially useful in the midst of a pandemic.

Telemedicine is the exchange of medical information from one location to another using electronic communications to diagnose, treat, or improve a patients health status, Teller said. In most cases, all that an animal owner needs to connect is a smartphone with a working camera, microphone, and chat feature.

A computer or tablet may also be used, provided that it is capable of two-way communication and has internet access. In many cases, a telemedicine appointment will be a real-time, live video and audio exchange.

A veterinarian can evaluate many things via telemedicine, Teller said. The first thing will be to obtain a patients history and determine what the current problem is. If the problem is something that can be visualized, such as a skin lesion or limping, then pictures or videos will be helpful. Behavioral and nutritional problems can often be handled via telemedicine as well.

Telemedicine appointments are most effective when there is an established veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), as the veterinarian may be able to more accurately make a diagnosis and create a treatment plan. If there is no established VCPR, a veterinarian will still be able to provide general advice. Rules on what the outcome of a telemedicine appointment can be, including the prescription of medications, vary by state.

It is important to note that telemedicine does not replace a physical exam, so there will be times when the veterinarian will tell the client that the patient needs to be seen, Teller said.

Story continues below video

Telemedicine can play a huge role, especially in times of disaster, such as a pandemic or hurricane, in helping a client determine if a trip to the veterinarian is needed and, if so, when is it needed.

If a pet has a life-threatening emergency, difficulty breathing, pale or bluish gums, has ingested a toxic substance or something large enough to cause an obstruction, is unable to urinate or to stand, has increased seizures, is non-responsive, is experiencing difficulty during labor, has vomiting and diarrhea and lethargy, or is experiencing other serious veterinary conditions, they should be brought to a veterinary clinic.

Teller recommends calling ahead of time to let the clinic know youre coming and what the problem appears to be.

Telemedicine is an extremely valuable tool to help provide care for a patient, she said. It is not a substitute for in-person veterinary care that requires a physical exam or diagnostic tests, such as blood work or imaging, but is a way to manage patients in-between visits to the hospital.

During times of disruption, such as the current pandemic, telemedicine can be an excellent way to ensure that your furry friend continues to get the care they need while also following social distancing requirements and staying safely indoors.

Telemedicine is especially valuable during a pandemic because it can be used to help the veterinarian and the client determine if and when the patient needs to be seen in the hospital or if the problem can be managed at home, at least for the short term, Teller said. It also helps conserve PPE (personal protective equipment) and other resources for emergencies and for human health care facilities.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Tailoring treatment for triple-negative breast cancer – Penn: Office of University Communications

Monday, April 13th, 2020

Immunotherapies have revolutionized treatment for people with a variety of cancers. But when given to those with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive form of the disease, less than 20% respond.

A big question in the field has been, Why are the rest not responding? says Rumela Chakrabarti, an assistant professor at Penns School of Veterinary Medicine.

In a new paper in Nature Cell Biology, Chakrabarti and colleagues illuminate the molecular details at play. They found a signaling pathway which could be exploited in TNBC patients to better target therapies in the future. Using a mouse model of the disease that mimics key characteristics of human disease, they showed that losing the activity of the protein ELF5 promotes the activity of another protein, interferon-gamma receptor 1. Stabilized Interferon-gamma receptor 1 leads to activated interferon gamma signaling, which in turn leads to increases in tumor aggression and spread, which could be mitigated with therapeutics that block interferon gamma signaling.

This was an eye-opener, says Chakrabarti, because often interferon gamma has a protective effect in cancer and is commonly given as a cancer therapy to some patients. It works well in certain cancer types, but for particular subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer we see that blocking interferon gamma may be the best strategy for patients.

Chakrabarti had a deep familiarity with the biology of the ELF5 protein. She began studying it more than a decade ago as a postdoctoral researcher at the State University of New York at Buffalo, finding that its normal function supported pregnancy and lactation. More recently, in 2012 she and colleagues published a previous report in Nature Cell Biology showing that ELF5 could suppress a key transition that occurs to enable breast cancers to spread.

That earlier work, however, did not focus on TNBC specifically, in part because scientists had lacked an effective mouse model. Over the course of three years, Chakrabartis team developed a preclinical TNBC model that recapitulated two hallmarks of the disease: its propensity to spread and the influx of immune cells that accompanies tumor growth.

In the current study, the researchers found that, when these TNBC mices tumors also lost the function of the ELF5 protein, their disease course resembled that of human patients even more closely. Losing ELF5 made the disease very metastatic and very aggressive, says Chakrabarti.

To elucidate the molecular happenings that resulted in a more dangerous form of TNBC, Chakrabarti and colleagues examined the RNA that was being expressed in tumor cells of the TNBC mice whose tumors lost ELF5 expression. They found increased activity of the interferon-gamma pathway, caused, they believe, by an increase in expression of that proteins receptor. This loss also led to an accumulation of neutrophils, a type of immune cell, which has immune suppressive function. In contrast, normal mammary cells that retained ELF5 had low levels of interferon gamma signaling.

Blocking this signaling using an antibody against the interferon gamma receptor 1, or by genetically manipulating tumor cells to express lower levels of the receptor caused tumors to grow and spread more slowly.

Finally, to determine whether these findings in a mouse model may be relevant to humans, the research team looked at genetic and protein data from patients to determine their level of ELF5 and interferon gamma receptor expression. Patients with lower ELF5 and higher receptor levels, they observed, fared poorer; their cancers tended to spread sooner around their bodies.

The findings, Chakrabarti says, should be considered carefully by clinicians who are using interferon gamma and immunotherapies to treat cancer patients.

This is telling us that we need to target patients more selectively when we treat them, says Chakrabarti. It could be that if someone has low ELF5, they should be given an interferon-gamma signaling blocking therapy in addition to their immunotherapy.

In future work, Chakrabartis group will be diving in deeper into the immunology of TNBC, examining the role that different immune cells are playing in driving cancer metastasis and aggression. They also hope to see whether what they found regarding interferon gamma signaling in TNBC holds true in other tumor types, such as kidney and ovarian cancers.

Rumela Chakrabarti is an assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

Chakrabartis coauthors on the paper were first author Snahlata Singh, Sushil Kumar, Ratnesh Kumar Srivastava, Ajeya Nandi, Gatha Thacker, Hemma Murali, Sabrina Kim, Mary Baldeon, Mario Andres Blanco, and Serge Fuchs of Penn Vet; John Tobias, Rizwan Saffie, and Luca Busino of Penn s Perelman School of Medicine; Temple Universitys M. Raza Zaidi; and Satrajit Sinha of the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The work was supported by the National Cancer Institute (grants CA193661 and CA237243).

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Tailoring treatment for triple-negative breast cancer - Penn: Office of University Communications

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Online Courses And Virtual Consults: CSU Vet Teaching Hospital Adapts To Coronavirus – KUNC

Monday, April 13th, 2020

Kaitlin Sisk grew up in the town of Erie, Colorado on what she calls a four-acre "family hobby farm." Her mom is a fiber artist, so they had lots of pets including angora rabbits and cashmere goats, and Sisk had her own horse.

Growing up with furry friends helped Sisk focus in on a career path.

"I think it just sort of like fell in my lap," she said. "It just seemed easy to me being around animals and working with them."

The 31-year-old is in her final year of pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She's studying small animals. In mid-March the veterinary teaching hospital moved all of its classes online.

"That's easy to do for some of those didactic lectures, you know, maybe not as good," said Felix Duerr, a professor who works at the hospital. "If you have a class of a hundred thirty something in front of you, you know, you can do that online as well."

The veterinary medicine program also put medical cases online and created other tools that will be useful to students even after the pandemic ends. This includes conducting daily rounds, where students meet as a group to discuss cases, virtually.

"We would just sit in front of a computer and be like, 'hey, can you point at where you see the abnormality that we're concerned about,''' said Duerr. "Now we just do that online and everybody can do it at the same time."

But the hands-on part of the program is more difficult to duplicate digitally. Take a dog that has lameness, said Duerr. A student can't feel if the knee is warmer or has instability on a computer.

"So that's probably our biggest challenge I would say," he said.

Not only have classes moved online, but the hospital staff is now using telemedicine to treat animals with non-emergency illnesses.

Theresa Wendland is a third-year sports medicine and rehabilitation resident. She uses video to to examine animals and consult with their owners. One of her patients is Oliver, a six-year-old poodle with a torn Achilles tendon.

"I've never done a distance fitting before so I'm going to apologize a little bit here that it might be a little trial and error," Wendland said during the video chat.

Before the statewide stay-at-home order, Oliver was diagnosed in person and a custom brace was ordered for him. But once the hospital closed to non-emergency patients, the brace was shipped to the dog's owner. On the video, Wendland shows her and a friend how to put it on Oliver.

"Move your hand up and give the pad a little squeeze. So that you're squeezing the pad onto his foot. There you go," she said. "Then you're pulling that strap snugly across his foot."

Wendland was a CSU veterinary medicine student and remembers the importance of hands-on clinical rotations. She worries current students are going to miss out on valuable experiences.

"So, we're trying to find ways to teach while also still providing services and help to owners and their pets," Wendland said.

Fourth-year student Kaitlin Sisk is still learning a lot online. She's on a two-week orthopedic rotation and watched Oliver get his brace then walk to make sure the fit was right.

"We still could do like a lot of what they were going to do. It's just it's harder when you can't put your hands on it," said Sisk. "But I think it's still working."

Sisk agrees that it's hard to get clinical hands-on training online. Students watch consults and surgeries remotely and study interactive videos. But Sisk has found a way to get practical experience.

"I think I'm lucky because I have a cat and a dog so I can kind of like go through the video and pause it and palpate my dog and and then keep going," she said. "I think it is like a little bit more active learning, like you have to be motivated to do it."

Overall, remote learning hasn't been too bad for Sisk. Since she can't spend her days in the hospital, she's going outside and exercising more.

Sisk is an extrovert. She worried about being stuck at home and not interacting with the people in her program. But something unexpected happened she feels a lot closer to them now.

"I know that it's kind of weird because you'd think that you wouldn't feel close to them when you're sitting in opposite houses. But like you see their house, you see their animals come up behind them and come say hi," she said. "So, it feels like you get to see a little piece of them and their family, which I think it's something we don't really get at school. We're all business."

Sisk is graduating in May. Then she's planning to move and start a job at an animal hospital in Boulder. But when it comes to mapping out the next couple months, Sisk said, "we'll see what happens."

Original post:
Online Courses And Virtual Consults: CSU Vet Teaching Hospital Adapts To Coronavirus - KUNC

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Chamberlain University and Ascend Learning launch course to help nurses prepare for COVID-19 care – Yahoo Finance

Monday, April 13th, 2020

Chamberlain University partners with Ascend Learnings ATI Nursing Education business to offer a free course in acute care

As healthcare organizations continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and clinics are calling on nurses from all specialties to fill this critical need. To help those practitioners prepare for direct acute patient care, Chamberlain University, in partnership with Ascend Learning, is offering a free online course for all licensed registered nurses.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200413005115/en/

"As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the country, I am in awe of the nursing community as it steps forward in the face of crisis," said Karen Cox, Ph.D., RN, FACHE, FAAN, president of Chamberlain University. "Nurses who havent practiced in acute care recently want to jump in, and hospital leaders want to equip all of their nurses to work on the front lines. As a nurse and an educator, I am honored to assist these healthcare workers in the face of a crisis."

Acute Care Readiness is a review course that is not for academic credit. It covers the knowledge and skills nurses need to help them return to safe clinical practice in acute care settings. These skills include patient assessments, medication administration and complex acute care procedures. Ascend Learning will partner with Chamberlain University to provide online educational expertise.

"As the need and call for more qualified frontline nurses continues to grow, we want to help. We are thankful we can offer free resources to support these courageous and selfless healthcare workers through our ATI Nursing Education solutions as they sharpen their critical care skills and respond to the call to help save lives," said Ascend Learning CEO, Greg Sebasky.

Licensed RNs who may have been working in ambulatory care, long-term care or in non-acute care roles as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) would benefit from this course. To learn more about the Acute Care Readiness course, contact Chamberlain Universitys director of professional development at CFE@chamberlain.edu.

This partnership responds to the demand for acute care skills in the U.S. at scale in a manner that can be impactful. This is aligned with Chamberlain Universitys parent company, Adtalem Global Education, in its mission to provide workforce solutions and make positive contributions to the global healthcare community. According to the U.S. Department of Educations most recently published data, Adtalem, through its affiliated schools of Chamberlain University, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine and Ross University School of Medicine, educates and graduates more doctors and nursing professionals than any other individual school in the U.S. Ascend Learnings ATI Nursing Education business is a leading provider of online instruction for nursing schools across the United States with 98% of nurse educators naming it a leader in the nursing education industry and 93% claiming ATIs solutions improved their students ability to perform as a new nurse, according to a 2019 research solutions survey.

About Chamberlain University

Chamberlain University is a part of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE). Chamberlain Universitys mission is to educate, empower and embolden diverse healthcare professionals who advance the health of people, families, communities and nations. Chamberlain University is comprised of the College of Nursing, which offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program and flexible post-licensure programs such as the RN to BSN online option, Master of Science in Nursing degree program, Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program and graduate certificates, and the College of Health Professions, which offers a Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work degree programs. Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission http://www.hlcommission.org, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation. To learn more, visit chamberlain.edu.

About Adtalem Global Education

The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE; member S&P MidCap 400 Index) is a leading global education provider and the parent organization of Adtalem Educacional do Brasil (IBMEC, Damsio and Wyden institutions), American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, please visit adtalem.com and follow us on Twitter (@adtalemglobal) and LinkedIn.

Story continues

About Ascend Learning

Ascend Learning is a leading provider of online educational content, software and analytics serving students, educational institutions and employers. With products that span the learning continuum, Ascend Learning focuses on high-growth careers in a range of industries, with a special focus on healthcare and other high-growth, licensure-driven professions. Ascend Learning products, from testing to certification, are used by frontline healthcare workers, physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals and insurance brokers all along the learning continuum from student through the lifetime career professional. ATI Nursing Education, an Ascend Learning business, uses progressive data analytics and compelling content to help nursing students master core curriculum, develop into a practice-ready nurse, and succeed on the NCLEX. Learn more at http://www.ascendlearning.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200413005115/en/

Contacts

Media Contacts: Elizabeth Story815.545.4242Elizabeth.Story@adtalem.com

Rachel Durbin816.529.3134Rachel.Durbin@ascendlearning.com

Originally posted here:
Chamberlain University and Ascend Learning launch course to help nurses prepare for COVID-19 care - Yahoo Finance

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With Bronx Zoo tiger catching coronavirus, should pet owners be concerned about COVID-19? Health experts weigh in – Greater Milwaukee Today

Monday, April 13th, 2020

CHICAGO As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to surge worldwide, scientists and health experts, including University of Illinois researchers who helped diagnose a New York zoo tiger with the disease, are now looking into how animals are affected by the new coronavirus.

Earlier this week, the Bronx Zoo revealed that a 4-year-old Malayan tiger tested positive for the new coronavirus after she and six other tigers and lions developed a dry cough. And despite the tiger and a few other animals abroad testing positive for the virus, health officials are dispelling fears that people can contract COVID-19 from their pets.

Theres no evidence that pets, including cats and dogs, can spread COVID-19 to people, said Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions One Health Office in the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.

Barton Behravesh noted that there was no reason to think that the skin or fur of pets can spread the virus to people.

But while health experts say there is no evidence to suggest pets can transmit coronavirus to humans, they are encouraging people who have the disease or are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 to remain socially distant from their pets.

If somebody has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in a household, or they have been exposed to someone who was and are in quarantine, they should treat their pet just like any other human in their family, said Dr. Rustin Moore, the dean of Ohio State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine.

He added, that means maintaining social distancing, no touching, petting, cuddling, or hugging.

Dr. Karen Terio, the chief of the Zoological Pathology Program at the University of Illinois veterinary college, where tests for the Bronx Tiger were done, said she and other scientists are now looking at what other types of animals are susceptible to the virus.

Were trying to understand how this virus might be spread or transmitted between different animal species. and how it might be spread between humans and animals, she said.

Its possible wild cats might be more susceptible to COVID-19 than domestic cats, as other viruses can hit wild cats hard, but not affect domestic cats as much, according to the University of Illinois. But its not yet known what differences there might be in the effect of COVID-10 on house cats and wild cats.

To date, a large number of humans have been infected by the virus and become sick and many people have pet cats, Terio said. The fact that the first confirmed case in an animal in the United States is from a tiger suggests that even among cat species there may be differences in susceptibility to the virus.

Barton Behravesh said the CDC is not recommending routine pet testing.

We dont want a lot of people rushing out to veterinary clinics right now trying to get their pets tested; that would increase the exposure, she said.

Theres a strict criterion that must be met before an animal can get tested by a veterinary lab, Terio said.

Just because we have a test doesnt mean well accept samples from anybodys cat or dog, she said. There has to be approval at multiple levels between both animal and public health officials to have an animal tested.

The Anti-Cruelty Society started reducing their animal population weeks ago in anticipation of needing more cage space to help people across the Chicagoland area who may be quarantined or hospitalized because of COVID-19.

Weve spent the last several weeks preparing for the upcoming weeks to make sure that we have the capacity to have a safe place for peoples animals to go, said David Dinger, vice president of operations for the Anti-Cruelty Society.

And the Anti-Cruelty Societys efforts have been successful.

The societys animal population has reduced from roughly 600 animals to 135 in the last few weeks, Dinger said, which has freed up hundreds of slots for pets that may need a home while their owner has COVID-19.

See the article here:
With Bronx Zoo tiger catching coronavirus, should pet owners be concerned about COVID-19? Health experts weigh in - Greater Milwaukee Today

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Vets recruited to work in UK hospitals during coronavirus outbreak – The Guardian

Saturday, April 11th, 2020

NHS trusts are recruiting vets to help relieve pressure on health service staff as hospitals struggle to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

About 150 vets are volunteering as respiratory assistants with Torbay and South Devon NHS foundation trust, while Hampshire hospitals NHS foundation trust has invited vets, veterinary nurses and dentists to apply for jobs.

Hospitals are being stretched by the scale of the outbreak, which has yet to reach its peak. Pressures are being exacerbated by staff absences due to healthcare workers having contracted the virus or self-isolating because of a suspicion they may have it.

The respiratory assistants at Torbay and South Devon will be unpaid, according to the Health Service Journal, which first reported their recruitment. The Guardian understands they were undergoing training via Zoom on Thursday. They will not be making decisions about triage, intubation or withdrawal of medical treatment, the trust confirmed.

A spokesperson said: We have received many offers of voluntary help from veterinary staff who have valuable skills that can be used to support frontline staff who are dealing with respiratory problems.

A job advert for bedside support workers at Hampshire trust, whose recruitment drive was first reported by Vet Times, says that successful applicants will be paid between 17,000 and 42,000, with vets, veterinary surgeons and dentists in a higher salary band than veterinary or dental nurses.

A spokesperson for the trust said: Following a number of offers of help from skilled professionals working outside the NHS, such as vets and dentists, we have developed a bespoke role called a bedside support worker.

This is a role we have created in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which will support our brilliant staff in critical care and on medical wards, who are all working tirelessly to respond to this unprecedented challenge.

Patient care remains our top priority, and only those who are assessed to have the appropriate transferable skills, education and training will temporarily join our team.

Vets have been contributing to the crisis effort in other ways. On Thursday, Willow Farm vets, a team that works across northern England, said it had donated 4,000 protective gowns, amid concerns about a shortage of personal protective equipment for hospital staff. It followed VetPartners, based in York, which said on Monday that it was donating masks, aprons, gloves and ventilators to the health service.

Dr Rachel Dean, director of clinical research and excellence in practice at VetPartners, said some ventilators used on animals were the same as those used on humans, particularly on children.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons issued advice to its members on Wednesday about how they could best help during the Covid-19 pandemic, recommending that they consider assisting the livestock production, meat hygiene and food import/export industries before volunteering with the NHS.

The colleges registrar, Eleanor Ferguson, said: If local NHS trusts do choose to employ veterinary professionals to undertake roles that are not reserved by law to licensed doctors, nurses or other regulated professionals, they must be satisfied that the individual has the skills and competencies to do that role.

However, any veterinary professionals employed in these roles should not misrepresent their position to patients and must be careful not to hold themselves out as a licensed medical doctor or nurse.

Read more from the original source:
Vets recruited to work in UK hospitals during coronavirus outbreak - The Guardian

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