Ever wondered how many veterinarians are in Australia? And be part of the 2013 survey

Cute kitten sits in a drawer. Because she can!

According to the latest report from the AVA, its 10,317 (as of June 2012 - so that doesn't count the 2012 graduates nor anyone who retired since then).

You can find out more - like how many are working in which field and average salary - in the AVA's inaugural annual workforce report. 

Interestingly, although women outnumber men in many brackets, men earn higher salaries than their female veterinary counterparts. I am sure this is for complex reasons including the types of vet work performed - but what exactly are these complex reasons? 

If you are a registered Australian veterinarian keen to participate in this year's survey, visit here.

Three things I learned: fluoroquinolones

Microbiologists agree that love IS the best medicine...but the antimicrobial properties of fluoroquinolones are needed in some situations.

I've been sitting a little while on a webinar on the fluoroquinolone (FQ) class of antimicrobials (accessible on Bayer's Accelerate website).

Dr Darren Trott, senior lecturer in veterinary microbiology at the University of Adelaide, is an expert on antimicrobials and has spoken extensively about the issue of antimicrobial resistance. In fact, I've even stuck a swab up my nose in order to contribute to his research on MRSA carriage (my result returned negative, thank goodness).

The webinar was a nice review of FQ pharmacology, so in many ways it was a reminder of some important messages as much as anything else. I am sure others will take away different messages from the talk (so please watch it yourself - its 36 minutes).

So what did I learn?

1) If a pathogen becomes resistant to one FQ, it will typically be resistant to this whole class of drugs.

2) FQs are great because they are broad-spectrum, bactericidal, concentration dependent antimicrobials which allows their once a day dosing. But they do have some post-antibiotic activity which renders pathogens vulnerable to the host immune system even as the course is finished.

3) Prescribing veterinarians should opt for the higher end of the dose-range to minimise the risk of resistant pathogen emergence (in this regard pradofloxacin may be superior in that it has lower MICs (minimum inhibitory concentration) and lower MPCs (mutant prevention concentration) than other FQs.

I am going to cheat and add two more points as I think they are worth making. We all know that FQs at high doses are associated with retinal degeneration in cats. Risk factors include older patients, drug interactions, concurrent renal disease and possibly rapid intravenous injection so watch out for those.

Also, all FQs can inhibit cartilage growth which is why we avoid using them in young animals. 

It was a thought-provoking presentation as antimicrobial resistance is a major problem for the welfare of humans and animals. One barrier to prudent antimicrobial use, in real life, is the sheer cost of culturing every pathogen and determining sensitivity. At present, owners pay for this. But surely as a society we need to think about setting up systems where culture and sensitivity testing can be performed cheaply so that the appropriate antimicrobial could be used in every case. 

Vet in the Jungle: Tracking Orang utans for conservation

Esther T. tracks orang utans in the jungles of Borneo. Photo by Amanda Hoepfner.

Smallanimaltalk is interested in vets getting out and helping the world. We interviewed Dr Esther Tarszisz, who is about to forgo the comforts of civilisation in the name of PhD fieldwork.

1) Who are you and what do you do? 

I'm Esther (AKA Dr Fabulous) and I work at Sydney Animal Hospitals - Inner west, as well as ( infrequently these days) at North Shore Veterinary emergencyhospital.

I'm also doing a PhD through the University of Wollongong on orangutan ecology. The title of my PhD is “Gardeners of the forest: Quantifying the role of forest fauna in seed dispersal using orangutans as a case study”

2) Why does a small animal veterinarian undertake a PhD in conservation?

Well, I guess the question is really why does someone who wants to work in conservation work as a small animal vet? I initially started vet so I could get into wildlife. What with needing experience and various other life experiences, I have gotten into wildlife work in a very circuitous manner. However, I don’t regret this as I have come to realize how much I (generally) enjoy clinical work and physical interactions with animals as well.

I did a Master’s program in 2006, worked on some overseas projects as a volunteer and eventually started this PhD. 

An orang-utan pausing in the jungle. Image by Amanda Hoepfner.

3) Okay, so you are collecting orangutan poo. How will this save the world?

Well, seed dispersal and germination are crucial for maintaining natural forest ecosystems; orangutan populations are decreasing rapidly in many areas, owing to human activities, yet the impacts of these losses on forest processes such as seed dispersal, and thus how these might be mitigated, are very poorly known.

This research also serves as a potential model for understanding the importance of other forest fauna in, and effects of losses of these populations on, seed dispersal and ultimately on forest structure.

4) You have travelled to the jungles of Borneo for fieldwork. Can you enlighten us on the challenges of jungle life? 

Mouse poo!!! I tried waging a war on it in my room for a few weeks when there last time but eventually had to concede to the mice and now just have all my stuff in boxes. Lack of fresh fruit & vegies. There is no constant electricity in camp (5 hrs/night using generator) so we only get fresh stuff on market days. Bugs! I just except that I’ll be itchy for months as there are loads of mosquitos as well as other creepy crawlies. The peat-swamp is really difficult to walk on – you can get sucked in up to your thighs, like quicksand, but I just pretend I’m a big kid and playing in the mud (probably because I am, mostly, a big kid). And it’s a kick-ass lower body work out.

I found Belize much more challenging (spent 3 months volunteering on a program collecting Jaguar poo!) as the bugs there were horrifyingly bad – I had spots all over for about 6 months and I was so itchy I would scratch in my sleep (and got really bad infections!). Borneo seems easy in comparison to that. 

Orangs are very comfortable in their natural habitat...but it keeps shrinking. Image by Esther Tarszisz.

5) Are you packing any treats to help you survive?

My Kindle – the single best thing for field entertainment. The battery lasts ages and I can download >100 books on it.

In terms of food treats - well you can get chocolate (but it’s not Cadbury’s!) in Palankaraya which is the closest town. OuTrop have a house there so when I need to use the internet every few weeks or so I can get some sweet stuff then. Cheese and bread are the 2 main things I’ll miss as the bread is like eating white sugar and the cheese doesn’t deserve the name, I’m glad I can’t read the ingredients. Oh and wine, there’s none of that but it will just make a nice shiraz all the better when I get back.

6) what is it like seeing an orang utan in his or her home environment?

Pretty awesome. They are funny animals. I saw a female orang take sips from a pitcher plant like she was holding a tea cup, and I’ve seen big males crash to the ground and then act like a cat that has just fallen – ie like nothing happened and it was meant to be that way. I had a big male get upset and aggressive when there were too many people around. It’s a little scary – but you just get down low on the ground and don’t make eye contact. Much like with drunken males coming out of the pub looking for a fight – it’s mainly posturing. The babies are also super cute.

7) What can the average person do to ensure the survival and wellbeing of orang utans?

PLENTY!!! The biggest threat to orangutans is habitat destruction to make way for palm oil plantations. Palm oil is in so many packaged products as diverse as bread, biscuits, chocolate, chips, sandwich spreads, instant noodles, shampoo and shower cream. BE AWARE of this and buy products that DON’T have palm oil in them – I buy shampoo that has been sustainably produced or doesn’t use palm oil as well as having a cruelty free label.

Also supporting programs like OuTrop which have a charity wing.

8) A PhD is a long haul. How do you keep the motivation?

Ah, well it comes and goes. Sometimes I need a good talking to either from myself or my supervisor. It’s hard doing mainly self-directed study. With vet there were so many assignments and assessments that you have to constantly keep on top of things, whereas the payoff with this is far down the track.

Setting a 5 year plan and working towards it has giving me a lot more focus than I had a year ago – I am pretty firm in what I want to do next and why I need to keep going to finish the PhD.

A young orang utan makes tree climbing (whilst doing the splits) look easier than we suspect it might be. Image by Esther Tarszisz.

10) Any advice to veterinarians and future vets who want to work with wildlife? Or potential PhD candidates?

Get experience – volunteer as much as possible. I did volunteer zoo keeping while I was studying to be a vet and helped on a koala project. Then I did a Masters in wildlife health and population management and then volunteered for projects in Zambia, Botswana and Belize as well as some in Oz. I also did a course in Wildlife Chemical Immobilization in South Africa – that was AWESOME!!!

If you are already a vet be prepared that vets and biologists don’t always see things the same ways. Vets have such intimate knowledge of animals as individuals, as well as understanding things like herd health whereas biologists tend to understand ecological systems more. Multi-disciplinary teams are great, but one has to learn to be politic.

PhD candidates – love your topic! Research is by its nature repetitive and often can be boring for long stretches. Even watching amazing animals can become boring if you are tired, wet, dirty and are being ravaged by mosquitos. If you can accept that, then research may be for you.  

Remembering someone special

Maliki at home.

I have no intention of turning this blog into a memorial site, as there are some special memorial sites around...but sometimes you meet someone in life who is really wonderful whose big heart demands acknowledgement. Such is Maliki, a beautiful bitser owned by Cecelia at Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation. (The arts centre supports the fantastic Desert Dogs Program, and if you are considering making room for a dog in your life these dogs are just wonderful).

I had the pleasure of sharing many a car ride and a cuddle with this extremely loyal, patient, gentle dog. He was fortunate enough to be able to accompany Cecelia to work. 

He passed away last week, much to the devastation of those who met him. He was a big guy, and he's left a very big hole. 

Maliki puts on his "spoon me" face (a very effective strategy, as evidenced by the sheer number of people who simply obeyed).

You've met the man, now meet the species named after him

Dr Glenn Shea. Anatomist, herpetologist, muse for naming select species.

Well, some of you may not have met the man. But aside from teaching veterinary anatomy at the University of Sydney, Glenn Shea is a prominent herpetologist and all-round nice guy. 

Not many people these days can claim to have an entire species named after them. In fact, Glenn has MORE than one species named after him but I’ve only met a representative of one of these face to face.

Nephrurus sheai, named for both its kidney-like tail and after Glenn Shea.

The Northern prickly knob-tailed gecko (Nephrurus sheai – pronounced neff-roo-russ shay-eye) is so named for its kidney-like tail and in honour of Glenn himself. These adorable critters are found in the North-eastern parts of WA and the North of the NT.

Nephrurus sheai. Try saying that ten times in a row!

Lets call this one Glennda. She is most likely female because on recent inspection she lacked the obvious hemipenes possessed by the boys (although believe you me I have been tricked by the old apparent lacking-of-hemipenes before. Sometimes those things are very well hidden!).

Has anyone else met one of this magnificent creatures?

Interview with Katherine van Ekert from Sentient

Katherine van Ekert and Delilah.

Sentience (aka the ability to feel, perceive, be conscious, experience subjectivity and so on) is a property I assume in all animals - and my guess is that anyone reading this blog would too. But if we assume animals are sentient, doesn't it follow that we have moral obligations towards them? Katherine van Ekert considers this issue daily. We're delighted that she took some time out to say hi at Small Animal Talk.

a) Tell us about yourself - who are you, where are you at and how did you get there?

I graduated from the University of Sydney Veterinary Faculty. Since graduation I have worked in mixed practice in NSW, the RSPCA, and various small animal practices. Most recently, I have been working at the Bureau of Animal Welfare, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, as a Veterinary Officer, Animal Welfare. I am also founding president of Sentient, The Veterinary Institute for Animal Ethics. I live in San Francisco with my husband and dog, Delilah where I do contract work and volunteer at a mobile clinic for the pets of the homeless, VetSOS.

b) How did you become involved in Sentient?

Dr Adele Lloyd, Dr Rosemary Elliott, and I attended vet school together where were were also on the executive of the student-based organisation, Veterinary Science for Animal Welfare (now the Animal Welfare Society). We formed strong bonds during this time over our shared passion for improving the lives of animals and sense that we as veterinarians could be better advocates for improved ethics in situations where humans interact with animals. It wasn't until a few years after graduating, in 2010, that we re-united under this same philosphy, and formed Sentient - The Veterinary Institute for Animal Ethics, along with Matthew Lloyd, our Public Officer. Sentient is an independent, veterinary-based, non-for-profit organisation that acts as a think tank on animal welfare and ethics. We are engaged in many activities including writing submissions to government in order to improve animal welfare Codes of Practice, publicly promoting the need for improved welfare for all animals via the media and rallies, providing mentorship for students concerned about the use of animals in their curriculum, and encouraging vets and non-vets to volunteer at local and overseas animal shelters.

c) How important are pets to you?

I couldn't imagine my world without animals in it. I think animals bring out some of the best traits in humans - empathy, compassion, patience, and a sense of our place on this earth, as one of many species. My dog teaches me lessons everyday in having fun, encouraging a lightness in my outlook on the world, and in forgiveness. I love meeting people who 'get it' - who understand what it means interact with animals. It is a blessing.

d) What is your favourite thing to do with your dog?

Delilah is currently housebound, as she's recently relocated to the US with me and I am trying to not introduce too many changes into her life at once! Her favourite things are going on runs with me (provided it's not too cold outside!) and hooning up and down the beach. I think she also just loves hanging out with my husband and I - she is a good shadow!

e) what's the most helpful thing ordinary people can do to improve the welfare of animals?

I think that the world would be a better place if people took a step back sometimes and thought about each animal as a sentient being; we know animals can feel happiness, sadness, pain and fear so if people thought about this more in their everyday decisions, animals would be treated better and the world would be a much more peaceful place to live. I think that humans do many disappointing things to fellow creatures when they fail to remember empathy. 

Links roundup

Skye and Mr B play-wrestle.

The weekend is over, folks, and it hurts. But there are some interesting things happening this week.

Its National Volunteer Week and if you're keen to help out check out www.dosomethingnearyou.com.au - it is a sponsored site but when I typed in my postcode and hit the "animals and environment" option there were plenty of useful things to do.

For those of you who enjoy taking part in research and working in a veterinary practice, the University of Sydney is involved in a project looking at the viability of clinical audits. You can do the survey here (its short and sweet).

If infectious diseases are your thing, you might wish to participate in the OneHealth discussion on neglected zoonoses here. (A neglected zoonotic disease or NZD is one which is not adequately addressed nationally or potentially internationally, depending on the disease. For example, anthrax, bovine TB and brucellosis are NZDs in some regions leading to infection of those in contact with these animals).

Not all our links are directly about veterinary related things. If you have a spare twenty minutes, check out this documentary about what happens when someone sees the Earth from space. The message is somewhat predictable but the perspective is unique and the footage is spectacular. We're literally living on a space ship! What it doesn't reference is the number of animals sent into space without much if any) regard to their welfare. But its nice to see some reflective astronauts.