Veterinary exam tips

I know which shelf I'd prefer to peruse all day...

Exams are upon us once again. The anticipation of exams can paralyse a rational person with fear. Try a few of these tips to get out of the procrastination funk and  into productive study mode.

1.   Transform the unit of study learning outcomes into exam questions. For example, if the learning outcome for pharmacology is “Discuss the difference between dose related (type A) and idiosyncratic (type B) ADRs and be able to give one example of each”, the corresponding exam question might be “Explain/discuss the differences between type A and type B adverse drug reactions and give an example of each”.  Not much transformation involved at all!!!

2.   Compare your answers with a friend. For some people this is overwhelming, but I just found over and over that someone else would always come up with a) a different piece of information or example that I had not thought of; b) a different angle or analysis c) a different perspective….this added to my learning. Also reading their answers after you have written your own can be reassuring (oh, so we’re on the same track); motivating (wow, I better work on this a bit more) and helpful in terms of revision (you’ve written your answer, now read theirs, then go back and edit your own answer – revising it again).

3. If past papers are available, do these. I used to think this was somehow disingenuous, a cynical way of learning. But it HELPS. Past papers can focus you on what is most important – examiners want to know that you understand the basics, that you can apply what you need to know from their subject. Some questions DO come up again, but even if they don’t exams can help structure your learning.

4. Make it emotional. If you’re not sure where to start or how to organise the information – let’s say about mitral valve regurgitation – ask yourself: if this were my own dog, what would I need to know? How would I explain this disease process to the owner? What would I tell them about prognosis and management? Or…how would you explain it to a fellow vet student who missed the lecture?

5.   Start before you are ready. I used to think “I will start studying once I have done x, y and z” or “once I feel in the right emotional state” etc. Time would tick by. But if I just committed to working on it for ten minutes, I would get started and it would be easier to work for twenty or thirty etc.

6.   Don’t get bogged down on one thing. If you are really stuck, move on. You need to use your time efficiently…okay so you can’t quite understand ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Ask a friend to explain, return to your class notes, ask Dr Google – do whatever you need to do – but then move on. You can waste half a day on one concept. (That’s what semesters are for, not study vacation…)(which by the way is a total oxymoron).

Webinars for veterinarians

Nerd alert - webinars are the new seminar.

The Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association (ASAVA) is running free webinars for members. I've already attended several, including an exceptional webinar on snake bite by Dr Peter Best and a brilliant lecture on dental disasters by Christine Hawke.

The best part is you can participate whilst sitting in your study with a cat on your lap - everyone wins! 

Upcoming topics include:

Management of common heart diseases - Rita Singh, 18/6
Diagnosis and Treatment of Periodontal disease in small animals - Gary Wilson, 16/7
Anaesthesia - Sanaa Zaki, 30/7
Update on testing for FIV and FeLV - new technologies to meet old pathogens - Julia Beatty, 6/8
Dermatology update (atopy) - Linda Vogelnest 3/9
Fleas - Geoff Gibbons & Rob Woodgate 17/9
Vaccination protocols - TBA 1/10
Urinary incontinence - Bruce Mackay 15/10
Seizure investigation - Georgina Child 12/11
Approach to the icteric patient - Graham Swinney 26/11
Disorders of calcium in dogs and cats - approach and management - Karina Graham 3/12

Mission rabies: vets help save lives

Dr Ian Battersby, of Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hertfordshire, is on a mission to
fight rabies.

Ian Battersby is a UK based small animal medicine specialist, father and multi-tasker who will be visiting India in September to vaccinate dogs against rabies as part of the project Mission Rabies. Rabies claims a staggering number of human and animal lives and is an absolutely merciless virus.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you, where are you based, what is your day job?

I am a small animal Internal medicine specialists and I worked at Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hertfordfordshire.

What inspired you to become a vet in the first place?

Seems like such a long time ago but if I am being honest the first time I saw a vet was on TV when I was 11 (Tales of James Herriot on BBC 1) . It is corny but it kind of went from there. [Ed - um, corny it may be, but I can relate...].

How did you become involved in Mission Rabies?

I have been friends with Luke (CEO of WVS) since our undergraduate days and I have always wanted to help him with one of his projects. Over the last few years with doing my residency, exams and starting a family I just didn’t have time. Luke approached me about getting involved last year.  It is such an amazing project, I was delighted to be able to find the time to help.

Can you tell us a bit about the fieldwork you plan to undertake?

The initial part of the mission is to vaccinate 50,000 dogs in targeted hotspots of rabies in the first month. Then over the following 3 years teams will be working at each of the hotspots to complete the neutering and vaccination work they aim is 2 million dogs.

Potential patients (okay, also an excuse to showcase some gorgeous puppies).

Why is it so important to vaccinate un-owned dogs against rabies?

There are studies in Tanzania and Sri Lanka showing the impact vaccination and neutering of feral dogs on rabies deaths in humans. In one study vaccinating 60-70% of dogs in the area reduced the bite incidence by 97% in 3 years. So when one child an hour is dying from rabies I know we can make a difference.

What are you seeking to achieve in your fieldwork?

In addition to the vaccinating and neutering work, there will also be training camps for local vets to improve their surgical skills at each area we are focusing on, local education programs on rabies and also outlining how to avoid getting bitten by dogs. It is also an aim to establish a rabies notification scheme with the help of the local government so we can get a more accurate idea of the scale of the problem in India and also it will allow us to assess the impact of what we are doing.  We will be working aside local Indian vets to achieve this and they will lead the project in each area with our assistance.

How can smallanimaltalk readers help?

Spread the word helps loads. Even just mentioning the project to potentially interested people helps. The more people know about it the more likely we will find  people who may then want to contribute by donation, fund raising  or even by get involved in one of the neutering training sessions at each hotspot over the next couple of years.

If you want to get involved and fund raise, donate or even help out on one of the fields stations go to www.missionrabies.com

Is there anything else you want to share with our readers?

It is great feeling to finally get involved in a project like this rather than talking about it. So give why don’t you give it a go and get involved?

Recipe: guinea pig salad (aka how to make your guinea pig extremely happy) and what to feed a guinea pig

Dr F's guinea pig salad: possibly the easiest recipe in the entire universe (unless you count frozen oranges).

Ingredients

(Really, you needn't stick to this list. The concept is just to combine a few of your guinea pig's favourite vegies, but you could substitute in any Asian greens, celery (esp celery tops), spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, mint etc.)

I used:
- Corn (on the cob, with the husk still on)
- Carrots (I used around 1/3)
- An apple (I only use around 1/4 at a time and only feed them this as an occasional treat, as apples are acidic and eating too many can cause cheilitis)
- Continental parsley (you can use traditional parsley if you like but my boars like the flatter leaves...)
- Coriander
- Boy Choy
- Basil 

NB Guinea pigs have different dietary preferences, usually established in the first few weeks of their lives. Adult guinea pigs are neophobic, ie they tend to avoid trying new  foods. For example, my boars won't touch tomatoes or brussel sprouts (I can't blame them when it comes to the brussel sprouts).

Preparation

There is not much to this: 
1) Rinse vegies to remove any pesticide residue.
2) Just take a little of each and put it in or on a vessel of some kind. 
NEVER cut the stalks off as they love eating these - so its a waste of good food. It just ends up looking like leaves in a bowl.

The finished product. 

Serve.

You can see from the reception that my boars, Randy and Radike Samo, enjoyed the meal. They're a little camera shy so I didn't wait to take too many photos of them eating, but the plate was empty when I returned two hours later.

Randy and Radike Samo enjoy guinea pig salad.

A word on fibre

Guinea pigs are herbivores adapted to survive entirely on plant material, and require a high fibre diet. (They're a bit similar to horses in that they have a huge caecum designed for digesting fibre - this becomes important when anaesthetising guinea pigs, as when you lie them flat on the table the caecum can compress the lungs - so elevate their little thoracic cavities relative to their abdomens).

GP teeth grow continuously but are worn down by hay. Good quality hays include timothy hay, meadow hay, oaten hay, rye grass. Oxbow supply excellent timothy hay as well as a lot of other good quality foods (such as pellets and Critical Care formula for sick cavies).

Is it true they need vitamin C?

Yes. Apparently humans, apes and guinea pigs are all prone to vitamin C deficiency as we can't produce our own. Its why humans deprived of fruit and vegies develop scurvy. If you provide fresh vegies daily to your guinea pig you should more than cover the vitamin C requirement - provided it is in good health.

BUT...pregnant guinea pigs have a higher requirement (20-30mg/kg vitamin C per day compared to the normal 10mg/kg) and sick guinea pigs require even more. (Its one reason why I use Ribena to administer any medications to guinea pigs - they like the taste but its a good source of Vitamin C).

And why does my guinea pig eat poo?

Glad you asked...but this is one dirty habit you don't want your guinea pig to kick. They practice coprophagy, eating around 40 per cent of their faecal pellets - this aids digestion and helps maintain a healthy population of gut flora. Mostly guinea pigs just turn around and grab the next caecotroph from their bottom - which is why we don't use Elizabethan collars in guinea pigs. It stops them eating caeocotrophs (as does obesity - portly guinea pigs can't reach their rear end).

Normally this is not an issue - guinea pigs will go right ahead and do this so you don't need to include any poo in the guinea pig salad. Phew.

If you want to know more about feeding guinea pigs, there is much to learn...I've written on the topic at length in Critters USA Magazine which you can visit here.

The truth is that most health problems in guinea pigs stem from a poor diet - so if you feed them well and keep them in a suitable environment they tend to keep healthy.

Vet continuing education and pet health

Michael the cat finds another use for veterinary textbooks.

The veterinary degree is an information-loaded program, but committing to being a veterinarian entails a commitment to lifelong learning - and in fact continuing education is mandated in our registration. But its not just a hoop we jump through for registration - as veterinarians we should strive to be as current and informed as we possibly can, as the nature of advances in healthcare means that we will never attain a state of complete knowledge.

Hence the Government's announcement that from 1 July 2014, self education expenses will be capped at $2000 is surprising and disappointing. To give some indication, $2000 barely covers course registration, let alone expenses (accommodation etc). And training saves lives!

This cap applies to all - not just veterinarians. However there has been widespread criticism of the new policy, as it increases the financial burden on those who want to do the right thing and stay current (and trust me, this veterinarian - and none I know - is NOT spending big on fancy conferences in Bermuda).

The Treasury has released a discussion paper which you can read here.

The Australian Veterinary Association is one group which is lobbying the Government on behalf of veterinarians, and is seeking information from members about the amount of money spent on continuing veterinary education. If you are an AVA member you should receive an email asking you to complete the survey - it takes less than five minutes.

If you would like to sign a petition, you can do so using this link here. The AVA is encouraging veterinarians (and others affected by the cap) to contact their local member to voice concerns. 

You can also make a submission after reading the discussion paper. Submissions close on Friday, July 12.

Pet portraits: Dogs in Australian Art

David Welch (1950-) The Artist's Dog (printed in Dogs in Australian Art, p45).

We are taking a brief break from our usual veterinary content to bring you something absolutely beautiful...images of artwork featuring dogs. I don't know much about art, but I know that I like art featuring animals. 

So does Steven Miller, art historian and welsh terrier owner, who compiled the beautiful book Dogs in Australian Art. I reviewed this book last year and fell in love with it.

The cover painting, The Artist's Dog, painted by David Welch in 2010, initially looks so serene - a beagle delivering a ball at the artist's feet. But it has a darker side. The painting was inspired by the death of a well-dressed gent in the park that Welch was quietly having lunch in one otherwise ordinary day. Welch had actually assumed that the man (neatly suited up mind you) was sun-baking - until police turned up and zipped him into a body bag.

It prompted Welch to imagine his own death in the park while walking his dog Coco. What if she went off to fetch a ball and returned to find him dead? Would she keep vigil by his side, or be sidetracked by an interesting scent? (Most beagle owners will understand that Welch suspected the latter - no disrespect to beagles intended).

When I interviewed Miller about this painting for The Veterinarian Magazine, he said: "It's a quirky and beautiful paining which raises all kinds of questions about loyalty and connection."

Louise Hearman (1963­) Untitled _ 999 2003. Oil on masonite, 30.0 x 30.0 cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney. Featured in Dogs in Australian Art, p61.

In his book, Miller argues that the positive impact of the dog on the mental and spiritual wellbeing of animals is "real and undeniable." No arguments there. 

"In the world of an artist who is often working long hours in a studio, their dogs become their confidants and companions," Miller says.

Noel McKenna (1956­) Jack Russel 2001. Enamel on board, 96.0 x 65.0 cm. Private collection. Image courtesy of the artist and Niagara Galleries, Melbourne

I am sure there is a more sophisticated art-history way of saying it, but I often feel that looking at a dog - or a compelling image of a dog - is like chocolate for my eyeballs. I get lost in this book every time I look through it.

DIAA p 57 - Joanna Braithwaite (1962­) Diggers 2005. Oil on canvas, 159.5 x 119.0 cm.
Image courtesy of the artist and Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney

Some of the images are profoundly sad, some absurd, but they all made me think about how we perceive dogs - and how we think they perceive us.

Justin Spiers and Yvonne Doherty Andrea, Tristan, Valentino & Tatiana from Pet Photo Booth 2006. Digital type C print, 60.0 x 60.0 cm. Image courtesy of the artists.

I love the concept of the Pet Photo Booth in particular. But this post would not be complete without a snap of the art historian and his loyal companion Finbar. Behind every great artist, or person, seems to be a great dog. Or cat. Or axolotl. 

Steven and Finbar.

Brandon Cowan: entrepreneur, app-inventor and animal lover

Brandon's dog Diesel beside a suspiciously chewed up looking smartphone...

At SAT we like to live in the present, so if you wanted to know what its like to  be a teenage, app-inventing entrepreneur look no further. The best part is that this teenage app-inventing entrepreneur uses his talents to help companion animals. 

Who are you and how did you get here?

I'm Brandon, a 19 year old entrepreneur and developer of 4 top-100 apps. My first big hit was iParkedHere which hit no. 8 on iTunes when I was 17. I got to where I am by knowing and meeting amazing people who have helped me on my journey. Additionally, several key events in my life have turned me into who I am today.

What were those?

My TAFE teacher convincing me to stay in his Software Design and Development class when I only came to it to tell him that I'm quitting; seeing someone inject themself with heroin (I used to hang around the 'wrong crowd' and my life was going downhill from a reasonable person's perspective and this was probably the big turning point in my life. Watching someone destroying their life made me determined to make something great out of mine); My mum suggesting that I speak with a family friend about my app ideas. I ended up co-founding Crazy Dog Apps with him and things went great from there. If the iPhone and App Store was not invented, I wouldn't be where I am today.

You tried to work with five developers before the PetRescue app was born. Why so persistent? 

If you want something bad enough, it will happen. I simply wanted to turn one of my ideas into reality and help re-home Australian pets and there was little that would stop me. I have always been an irrational person and I like to get things done. I would have probably gone through 10 developers if I had to. My thoughts are that I had already put in a lot of time and effort and the next developer could be the right one. Wei Zheng (the developer) was number 5 and he is the amazing guy who did a fantastic job with the PetRescue app.

Brandon's cat and app-making muse Zoe.

Some argue that apps are gimmicks - but PetRescue proves that apps can save lives (by taking pets off death row). How else do you think apps can help the lot of animals?

Many apps are gimmicks and should be removed from the App Store in my 'blunt' opinion... It would be really nice if there was an app like PetRescue but for lost and found dogs. There would need to be a lot of work involved in something like that.

Do you share your life with any animals and do they aid you in your work?

Crazy Dog Apps (my Company) is named after my dog! I share my life (and bed) with Diesel, my dog and Tiger and Zoe, my two cats. Pets are great and I think everyone should have at least one. My PetRescue app is a small step towards encouraging people to own a pet and potentially saving a pet’s life by adopting a perfectly good pet from a shelter.

Tiger, Brandon's other feline companion - proving that even tech-savvy teens are prevented
from typing at least some of the time.

And finally...what is it with cats and keyboards???

I have no idea what compels all cats to walk on, and sit on, keyboards but it is very annoying, haha!

[I wanted to ask Brandon a million other questions, like when does he sleep, what's his idea of work-life balance and can I pitch my awesome app-idea, but   the responsible adult in me felt that he needed to get some sleep.]