BACKGROUND: The use of medicinal plants to treat various veterinary illnesses has been practiced for millennia in many civilizations. Punjab is home to a diverse ethnic community, the majority of whom work in dairy farming, agriculture, and allied professions and have indigenous practices of treating animal illnesses using native flora. This study was designed to (1) document and preserve information about the applications of medicinal plant species in ethnoveterinary remedies among inhabitants of Punjab, Pakistan, and (2) identify popular plants for disease treatment by quantitative analysis of the obtained data and to assess the pharmacological relevance of these species.
METHODS: To collect data from informants (N = 279), questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used. The ethnoveterinary data were analyzed using principal component analysis, relative frequency citation, fidelity level, relative popularity level, and rank order priority.
RESULTS: A total of 114 plant species utilized in the ethnoveterinary medicinal system were found, which were divided into 56 families and used to treat 16 different illnesses. The Poaceae family, with 16 species, was the most common in the region. The most commonly employed growth form in herbal preparation was herb (49%). The most used part in ethnoveterinary remedies was leaves (35%), while powder was the most commonly used way for preparing ethnoveterinary remedies (51 applications). According to principal component analysis, the most typically used species in the research region were grasses. Five grasses (Arundo donax, Desmostachya bipinnata, Eleusine indica, Hordeum vulgare, and Pennisetum glaucum) showed a 100% FL value when used to treat diuretics, helminthiasis, digestive problems, fever, cough, worm infestation, indigestion, galactagogue, oral infections, and genital prolapse. The maximum value of disease cured level (DCL%) was recorded at 87.6% for endo- and ecto-parasitic ailments in the study area.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that medicinal plants play an important part in satisfying farmers\' animal healthcare demands, making it a feasible practice. The study also provides a wealth of knowledge regarding ethnoveterinary methods for further planning and application, providing an option for farmers who cannot afford allopathic therapy.

The objective of this clinical retrospective study was to analyze the prevalence and distribution of different avian and exotic animals presented to 2 exotics-only veterinary hospital in Hong Kong and Taiwan over a 1 year period. Exotic companion mammals, predominated by rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that were often diagnosed with fractures, were the most commonly presented group of patients in the hospital in Hong Kong while second most of that in Taiwan, with dental disease being commonly presented in the species. This study provided a general overview of avian and exotic patients presented to exotics-only practices in the East Asia region.

Ozone-therapy is used in humans as a coadjutant treatment in intervertebral disc diseases due to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. References in dogs are scarce and limited to clinical cases (intradiscal/paravertebral infiltrations). The aim of this study was to assess the use of medical ozone (MO) as an adjunctive treatment in dogs with intervertebral disc protrusions (Hansen Type II/Chronic). A retrospective study was conducted in dogs diagnosed with intervertebral disc protrusions by MRI/CT in which MO was used as an adjuvant therapy to conventional medical treatment. Neurological examination and quality of life (QL) at the beginning and end of study were recorded, as well as posology and possible side effects. A total of 21 patients of different breeds and sex with a mean age of 12 years were included in this study. Results showed pain relief (7 ± 3 days) and improvement of neurologic signs (11 ± 9 days) with a consequent increasement in QL (13 ± 9 days). Thirteen out of the twenty-one patients (62%) showed a complete remission of the clinical signs. No serious adverse effects were observed. Medical ozone could be a potential complementary therapy to medical treatment in dogs with intervertebral disc protrusions. Prospective studies are necessary.

Honey bees, like other livestock, may be affected by infectious, parasitic, and abiotic diseases that need proper sanitary monitoring and control. Currently, there are limited opportunities for undergraduate students to receive education in Honey Bee Veterinary Medicine (HBVM) as part of their regular degree program, despite the professional requirements for veterinarians to carry out the increasing tasks related to honey bee health and production. Additionally, postgraduate training and specialization in HBVM is also underdeveloped. This study was an observational survey that evaluated the educational opportunities available in HBVM for current and future veterinarians in Italy. The survey analyzed both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, including Undergraduate Degree Programs in Veterinary Medicine (UDPVM), \"Scuole di Specializzazione\", Masters, and other postgraduate courses. The results indicate that the current training available for veterinarians in the field of apiculture, both before and after graduation, is also insufficient in Italy, as already reported in other EU- and extra-EU countries. Finally, a roadmap for veterinary training in HBVM is developed here describing objectives and teachings aimed at fulfilling the needs of the profession in the field of beekeeping, considering the existing rules and regulations governing public health and possible evolution of this legal framework in the future.

In a flipped classroom, learners study at home and do the \'homework\' in class. This approach respects the limitations of memory and allows more interaction between learners. The overall vision is self-paced activities for learners with decreased boredom and greater task value, which should facilitate deeper learning. To implement a flipped classroom, a bumpy incremental change process characterized by periods of relative stillness punctuated by the acceleration of pace was planned. All veterinary undergraduate students used an existing eLearning platform to access relevant text and selected image examples before class. Only for the randomly selected students in the flipped classroom (FC) was this content amended with purposeful audio content and concrete tasks. Further, FC learners discussed their opinions in an online class forum. To measure the educational change, a pre- and post-class formative test and a standardized questionnaire for students in the FC versus in the traditional classroom (TC) were performed. To assess engagement, students were invited to measure all learning activities, categorized into attendance, or self-study. The educational change project resulted in more commitment and less resistance from teachers. The FC consisted of 20 students, while the TC had 40. The mean pre-class scores difference between FC students and TC students was +1.7/20 points, and the mean post-class scores difference was +3/20 points. The chance of answering item 10 of the formative test (describe site of the fracture) correctly was about seven times higher for FC compared to TC learners (OR = 6.96; p = 0.002). The questionnaire revealed more satisfaction and greater task value in the FC compared to TC (p = 0.048). FC students invested 21 h into the course on average, while TC students invested 16 h. The results of this pilot agree with previous reports: A transparent process was helpful to initiate mainly positive interactions between teachers and students. Higher scores, higher chance to give the correct answer, greater task value, and more positive emotions are observed in the FC compared to the TC. Higher measures of learning time are not expected to affect exam results but indicate more engagement.

To investigate the feasibility and tolerability of ultrasound and microbubbles (USMB)-enhanced chemotherapy delivery for head and neck cancer, we performed a veterinary trial in feline companion animals with oral squamous cell carcinomas. Six cats were treated with a combination of bleomycin and USMB therapy three times, using the Pulse Wave Doppler mode on a clinical ultrasound system and EMA/FDA approved microbubbles. They were evaluated for adverse events, quality of life, tumour response and survival. Furthermore, tumour perfusion was monitored before and after USMB therapy using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). USMB treatments were feasible and well tolerated. Among 5 cats treated with optimized US settings, 3 had stable disease at first, but showed disease progression 5 or 11 weeks after first treatment. One cat had progressive disease one week after the first treatment session, maintaining a stable disease thereafter. Eventually, all cats except one showed progressive disease, but each survived longer than the median overall survival time of 44 days reported in literature. CEUS performed immediately before and after USMB therapy suggested an increase in tumour perfusion based on an increase in median area under the curve (AUC) in 6 out of 12 evaluated treatment sessions. In this small hypothesis-generating study, USMB plus chemotherapy was feasible and well-tolerated in a feline companion animal model and showed potential for enhancing tumour perfusion in order to increase drug delivery. This could be a forward step toward clinical translation of USMB therapy to human patients with a clinical need for locally enhanced treatment.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method could be applied in the domestic cat. Six adult male cats were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. Three semi-synthetic diets were developed: a methionine (Met) and total sulfur AA (TSAA) deficient diet (T-BASAL; 0.24% Met+Cys - DM basis) and two Met and TSAA-sufficient diets in which either dl-Met (T-DLM) or 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (T-MHA) were supplemented, respectively, on an equimolar basis to meet the TSAA requirement (0.34%). After a 2-d diet adaptation, IAAO studies were performed. Cats were offered 13 small meals. The sixth meal contained a priming dose (4.8 mg/kg-BW) of l-[1-13C]-Phe and the remaining meals a constant dose (1.04 mg/kg-BW). Breath samples were collected every 25 min to measure 13CO2 enrichment. The following morning, fasted blood samples were collected. Cats returned to the T-BASAL top dressed with a dl-Met solution for 4 d prior to being fed a new dietary treatment. Isotopic steady state was evaluated through visual inspection. Data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX procedure in SAS 9.4. While 13CO2 enrichment was successfully captured in breath samples, cats failed to reach 13CO2 steady state. Thus, a non-steady state isotope model was developed and coded in ACSLX (V3.1.4.2) individually for each cat on each study day to predict 13CO2 enrichment, and then, calculate oxidation of l-[1-13C]-Phe (F13CO2). A higher predicted F13CO2 was observed for cats fed T-BASAL compared to the others (P < 0.05), while no differences were observed between T-DLM and T-MHA (P > 0.05). Cats fed T-DLM tended to have higher plasma Met concentrations compared to those fed T-BASAL with cats fed T-MHA intermediate (P = 0.0867). Plasma homocysteine concentrations were higher in cats fed T-BASAL compared to the others (P < 0.05), while threonine concentrations tended to be higher in cats fed T-BASAL compared to those fed T-MHA (P = 0.0750). In conclusion, short-term provision of a semi-synthetic diet deficient in Met may elicit a metabolic response aiming to conserve Met. The successful quantification of 13CO2 enrichment in breath and the higher predicted F13CO2 in cats fed a Met deficient diet suggest that the IAAO technique may be used in cats. Adaptations in the isotope protocol should be made to achieve 13CO2 steady state in breath and avoid mathematical modeling to predict F13CO2.
It is necessary to apply more sensitive techniques to improve our limited understanding of amino acid (AA) requirements of adult cats. The non-invasive indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) technique is highly sensitive in mature animals. However, while it has been widely applied in different species, this technique has yet to be used in cats. We used six healthy adult cats to evaluate whether the IAAO method could be successfully applied in this species. A similar continuous small meals regimen as reported in IAAO studies in dogs was used. An oral primed-constant isotope infusion protocol was applied where l-13C-Phenylalanine (l-[1-13C]-Phe) was used as the tracer and the oxidation of l-[1-13C]-Phe as the response of interest. Breath samples were collected to determine enrichment of 13CO2 in breath and calculate oxidation of l-[1-13C]-Phe. While we were able to collect breath samples using calorimetry chambers and capture enrichment of 13CO2 in breath, cats did not achieve steady state, which is necessary to calculate oxidation of l-[1-13C]-Phe. Modifications in the isotope protocol should be made to achieve steady state of 13CO2 in breath, and thus, to successfully apply the IAAO technique to determine requirement of AA in adult cats.

Estimates of intestinal parasite prevalence in canine populations have largely been based on use of fecal flotation methods only. Dogs in animal shelters are likely at higher risk of intestinal parasite infection because of their previous exposure history. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among Texas shelter dogs using centrifugal fecal flotation and saline sedimentation techniques, to identify risk factors for infection, and to compare proportions of positive samples detected via fecal flotation vs. saline sedimentation for the most common parasites. Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, we collected fecal samples from dogs on three visits to each of seven Texas animal shelters between May 2013 and December 2014. Fecal flotation and/or saline sedimentation were used to identify parasites in samples. Fecal samples were collected from 529 dogs. The most frequently detected parasites were Ancylostoma caninum (26.4% via fecal flotation, 20.7% via saline sedimentation) and Trichuris vulpis (12.0% via fecal flotation, 14.1% via saline sedimentation). Risk factors for certain parasites were identified; for example, dogs with abnormal fecal consistency were more likely to be shedding T. vulpis eggs than dogs with normal fecal consistency (OR = 1.8, p = 0.005). The addition of fecal sedimentation not only added to the number of parasite species detected in this study, but it also increased the number of dogs diagnosed with the common intestinal parasites that are primarily detected using fecal flotation methods. Texas shelter dogs carry a high burden of intestinal parasites, including those of zoonotic importance.

Recruitment and retention of farm veterinarians have been the focus of recent research. Previous work suggests that a feeling of \'fit\' is important for students to consider a farm career. The aim of this study was to identify whether students feel that they \'fit\' in farm practice and reasons for their answer.
An online survey was distributed to students at all British and Irish veterinary schools. A mixed methods approach was considered, with thematic analysis on free text answers and regression analysis on demographic variables.
Thematic analysis identified six themes: career opportunities, nature of farm veterinary work, relationships and interactions, individual experiences, expectations and perceptions, and no perceived barriers. Females, marginalised ethnic groups and those from an urban/suburban background were all identified as having significantly (p < 0.05) less agreement with the statement \'I feel able to pursue a career in farm practice\'.
Survey limitations include those with a clear bias being likely to respond. However, alignment of the qualitative and quantitative results increased confidence in the findings of this mixed methods approach.
This study confirms that biases that exist within wider society do have an influence on veterinary undergraduates\' intentions to pursue a farm animal career. This is vital to consider both at a university level and when considering students\' experiences on placements. Urgent action is required to improve inclusivity in the farm animal veterinary sector.

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