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The sun is (almost) out in Lecale, and lots of you will be blowing the cobwebs off your barbecue in the hope of lighting it for one or two evenings this summer. Barbecues are very popular in this part of the world, in spite of the climate. It’s as if just lighting one will raise the ambient temperature on your patio by a few degrees. However, barbecues are very tempting not only to ourselves, but also our four legged friends. They are not without their dangers.

First off, the obvious one – burns. Barbecues are hot, and meat is often cooked on them. This could prove irresistible to a hungry Labrador. They are not used to this meat emporium in the back garden, and could get curious. So be aware and keep your dog away while the barbie is hot.

Bones and skewers. At the end of the meal, there are often discarded bones and skewers. Contrary to popular culture, bones can be difficult for dogs to eat. They can splinter and damage the oesophagus and stomach, particularly if your dog isn’t used to them. The same goes for skewers – the dog can be attracted to them by their contents and not realise that they are sharp.

Corn-on-the-cob may seem benign to us, but believe it or not can be lethal to dogs if it gets stuck in their stomach or gut. We have had to surgically remove many corn-on-the-cob leftovers from dogs. The same goes for tinfoil that has been used to wrap meat up. In addition, many of the ingredients used in barbecue entertaining can be toxic to dogs; e.g. garlic, onions, alcohol and chocolate.

Barbecue food is not noted for being low-calorie. The high fat content of the food can also have unpleasant side effects in dogs. A high fat diet can stimulate inflammation of the pancreas – pancreatitis in some breeds. This is a painful abdominal condition that can cause your dog to lose appetite and become depressed. It can be serious and is best diagnosed by a blood test at your vet. Hospitalisation may be necessary.

So, to sum up – have fun at your barbecue, but be aware of the risks to your pets. Dispose of all waste sensibly and remove temptation. Prevention is better than cure!

This week we will continue to look at imaging in veterinary medicine. We have covered ultrasound, CT scanning and MRI scans. Most readers are familiar with the older imaging technology – x-ray imaging, which has been around for about a century and is available in most veterinary practices. But now we will turn to the interpretation of the images generated by these various modalities. There are some really exciting changes afoot in this specialism. Traditionally, the images of your pet were taken via x-ray, ultrasound, CT or MRI and then reviewed by a qualified person – the vet. The veterinary surgeon spent years training at university, then years in practice to acquire the experience to interpret these images. Then they would combine that interpretation with other information about your pet – history, clinical signs etc, to arrive at a diagnosis. In the past few years though computers have started to be used in the interpretation of these images, in the form of artificial intelligence (AI).

Artificial intelligence means using computers to perform tasks which mimic human intelligence. In the case of interpreting images, we are referring to “computer vision”. The use of a computer to process images in a manner similar to the way people view objects and apply reasoning to them to interpret what they see. The computer will perform a sort of “pattern recognition” to the images. It will assess data points on an image, and compare them with a large reference library of “normal” and “abnormal” images. In the case of veterinary images, the computer will assess whether an image is normal or showing signs of a disease process. This is similar to the way in which vets already assess images – we have an idea of what a healthy animal looks like on an x-ray, and we compare our idea of the healthy animal with what the x-ray is showing us. If there is a difference to our own “reference library”, then we flag it up as perhaps showing signs of disease.

I’m sure the reader can appreciate the advantages of using computers in pattern recognition. Modern computer power, combined with the internet, means that a simple PC or phone can access millions of anonymised medical images to use as a reference library when investigating a disease process. That will be infinitely more x-ray images than even the most experienced medical practitioner could hope to assess in their entire working lifetime. Furthermore, the more images reviewed by the AI, the “smarter” it gets. The system will learn, through human instruction, what data points are correlated with a “correct” diagnosis. Another advantage is speed – the computer can read many more images than a human can in the same time period. So the aim of AI in veterinary imaging is to provide quick, accurate, and potentially cheaper diagnoses.

So, will AI replace human intelligence in veterinary medicine? No, not yet, and not for a long time. At the moment, AI is a useful additional tool in aiding diagnosis. AI can be an aid in decision making, providing probabilities of results, rather than exact findings. It is like having an additional clinician offering their opinion on the interpretation of images. At the end of the day, there is a clinician combining case history, test results and examination findings to form a diagnosis and treatment plan. We, at Downe Vets, have been using AI as an aid to our diagnosis of conditions for the past year. We have found it to be a useful tool in getting the right diagnosis for your pet, and thus improving patient care. It will certainly have a place at the cutting edge of clinical practice.

Arthritis is inflammation of any joint. We are familiar with this disease in people, and dogs, but did you know it is common in cats too? In fact, by the age of 6 years, around 60% of cats have arthritis. And by the age of years, over 90% of cats suffer from arthritis. Arthritis causes pain, reduced activity and results in a poor quality of life for cats that suffer with it. Cats are also stoic animals (named after the stoic school of philosophy which famously encourages putting up with hardship without complaint – a famous practitioner was the ancient Roman politician “Cato” (pun intended)). This means it can be hard to tell from observing your cat if they suffer from arthritis.

There are some clues that cats develop arthritis as they get older. They may move less, preferring to sit in one place. They can be reluctant to jump to places they used to like to get a good view. They may stop grooming, particularly their back. All of these symptoms are sometimes put down to “old age”, but are in fact signs of disease. To confirm a diagnosis your vet can perform a clinical examination which frequently includes an x-ray.

So what can you do for your cat to improve their quality of life? You can make modifications around your home to make moving around easier. E.g. some cat stairs to help them climb up to their favourite chair. Perhaps a cat hammock hanging from the radiator. There are also veterinary options. There are good daily painkillers for your cat that your vet can prescribe. Following on from our last article, there is also a monoclonal antibody therapy on the market which can help mitigate the symptoms of arthritis. This is an injection which can be given by your vet.

So, if your cat has slowed down, it may not be old age, it may be arthritis. Book an appointment with your vet to get a checkup. It might be the purrfect present for your feline friend.

Pets are great. They are good fun, and they often complete a family. But could they have a hidden benefit – do they in fact hold the elixir of life, the holy grail – do they help you to live a longer, happier life? For years anecdotal stories and common sense seem to suggest that pet owners are happier, more satisfied and healthier individuals. Now science seems to be catching up to what many pet owners have known all along.

First of all – does living with pets confer a benefit to the human immune system. Dogs have been domesticated for around 30,000 years.
That’s a long time for them to have cohabited with humans. So it is likely they have had some effect on the human immune system
Cat’s have been domesticated for about 10,000 years, or, more accurately, cats domesticated us 10,000 years ago! So both species may be
affecting us in ways that we are only beginning to learn about. There is a theory that modern western houses are “too clean”. This leaves our immune system with less to do, and so, without germs to fight, it instead malfunctions and gives us allergies like hay fever.
While science is looking into this, some folk think that if you live with a pet, it stimulates your immune system and makes it strong. This means there is less chance of developing allergies or disease. It is a complex area, but there is a part of the immune system
involving IgE antibodies which interacts with parasites and animals, and this is a promising area of research. It can be summed up in the old adage “a bit of dirt is good for you!”.

Mental Health is of course a massive issue in our society, and societies around the world. Pet ownership has benefits in this area too.
The simple companionship of a cat or dog can assuage loneliness, a scourge of modern living. This by itself can reduce depression and
help improve quality of life. Owning a dog in particular can help folks to meet people and feel a part of society again. Dogs are
often profoundly optimistic and can lift you out of a bad mood in a jiffy. Cat’s often seem to possess a sixth sense and will comfort you when you are feeling down. A relatively new use for dogs is as “therapy dogs” – where they brighten up the days of folks in care homes and hospices. I personally have the privilege to know some fantastic dogs performing this role in Lecale today.

Dogs, (admittedly less so, cats) can encourage you to exercise. We all know that exercise is good for the most important muscle in your body: the heart. Dogs generally need walked twice a day. Having a dog will tempt you out on the wettest of days, when you would otherwise crash on the couch. Even 10mins of exercise twice daily can reduce the risk of heart disease. How can you resist with a pair of canine eyes staring at you, lead in mouth? You don’t need a personal trainer to get out there, you don’t need a new pair of sports shoes: you need a dog.

So in summary, pets may be good for the immune system, good for mental health and good for exercise. They really are “man’s best friend.”

One definition of a hybrid animal is the offspring of two related species. These animals have been common throughout history, initially found in the wild, but also bred by humans for specific purposes. Hybrids can be stronger and bigger than both their parents. They can also, sometimes display a phenomenon called “hybrid vigour”. The mixing of genetics creates a more robust individual. However, there are also barriers to hybridisation. Some species are not closely related enough, sometimes the offspring are infertile, and sometimes they don’t survive at all.

The best known local animal hybrid is probably the mule. This is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Mules are usually infertile, but stronger than donkeys or horses. They were bred as pack animals – for transport before the days of rail and lorry transportation. Large numbers were used by the armies of various nations from antiquities until the mid 20th Century. When you cross a female donkey with a male horse, the offspring is called a Jinny. The Jinny is usually smaller than a mule, and they are rarer.

Another example of hybrids from North America is the beefalo. The beefalo is a cross between a bison and the domestic cow. This cross has occurred with wild bison – indeed many bison herds are not genetically “pure”, but incorporate some domestic cow DNA. However, a concerted effort was made to breed this animal as more resistant to the cold winters experienced in northern states of the USA. Prior to housing in the 20th century, domestic cattle herds were prone to succumb to the extreme continental temperatures. Buffalo had adapted with shaggy coats and were seen as one solution.

The wolf-dog is a hybrid with a chequered history. Domestic dogs and wolves are obviously very similar, and there is a debate as to whether they are the same species. Crosses between the two are likely as old as when the first dog became domesticated. Crosses between wolves and huskies or malamutes have occurred, and their offspring vary in appearance. Wolf-dogs have been controversial in some countries, as questions have been asked as to their level of domestication and suitability for living in human communities. They are banned in some countries.

These are just some of the many hybrids that exist both naturally and in captivity. Others include:

Tigron = Lion X Tiger
Hybrid Camel = Dromedary (1 hump) Camel X Bactrian Camel
Narluga = Beluga Whale X Narwhal
Killer Bees = European Bee X African Bee
Jaglion = Jaguar X Lion
Zonkey = you can probably work this one out yourself!

We are living in the first global pandemic that the vast majority of us have ever seen – in the human sphere. The last disease that earned that title was the Spanish Flu of 1919. However, we have seen and seen off serious epidemics in the veterinary world before. Most of us remember the Foot and Mouth outbreak of 2001. But perhaps less well known are the control measures for diseases such as Rinderpest and rabies. I feel that this is a cause for hope in these dark times. We have faced serious challenges to public and animal health in the past; and with the application of science and determination we have prevailed.

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious virus that affects cloven-hoofed animals. Sheep, cows and goats are the common animals in the British Isles that can be affected. The British Isles are FMD free due to a rigorous control plan. The disease can be vaccinated against, but it has many variants so it can be hard to immunise the national herd. Instead the control strategy relies on isolation in the face of an outbreak. Movement of animals is very restricted so that the virus cannot spread and dies out. This strategy was employed very successfully during the 2001 outbreak. The UK is again FMD free.

Rinderpest was a horrible disease of cattle with a high mortality rate. It affected cattle worldwide. Again it was caused by a virus This caused widespread suffering and hardship for the animals and affected communities. However, note my use of the past tense. Rinderpest eradication is a major success story of veterinary medicine. The United Nations declared that the world was “Rinderpest Free” in 2011. The disease is now consigned to history due to a global effort of vaccination and isolation policies.

Rabies is a terrible and fatal disease of both animals and people (a zoonosis). It is endemic in many countries, but the UK successfully eliminated the disease in 1902. It has never made a successful comeback. This was achieved by the control and isolation of infected dogs. Today rabies is on the run as many countries are successfully vaccinating both domestic dogs and wildlife.

These three diseases – Foot and Mouth Disease, Rinderpest and Rabies are all serious. Yet science and veterinary medicine rose to the challenge and successfully reduced the incidence of all three, eliminating them from the British Isles. We have the knowledge, the fortitude and the determination to prevail against our current epidemic. Keep well everyone.

Keyhole surgery, also known as laparoscopic surgery, is a minimally invasive technique used to explore the abdomen in both humans and animals. It is a technique which is becoming more and more widely available in people, and is now making inroads into veterinary medicine. Keyhole surgery is different from “traditional” surgery in that instead of making a large incision (cut) in the abdomen, very small incisions are made and advanced instruments are used via these incisions to perform the surgery. It has many benefits for the patients, and, in our case, the owners.

Laparoscopy involves making two to three small “keyhole” incisions in the abdomen. A camera and fine instruments are introduced through these incisions, allowing various procedures to be performed. In human medicine, laparoscopy has been widely used due to reduced surgical trauma and quicker recovery times compared to traditional open surgery. Similarly, in veterinary medicine, laparoscopy offers the same advantages. This is particularly important for our patients, as they often don’t do what they are told! It can be very challenging for our clients to rest a boisterous dog to prevent them bursting their stitches. After undergoing a laparoscopic surgery, there are far smaller incisions and often two or even just one stitch!

One of the most common procedures that laparoscopic surgery is used for in dogs is spaying bitches. The advantages over older methods of surgery include:

• Less postoperative pain: Laparoscopic spays result in less discomfort for your pet.
• Fewer stitches: Both internally and externally, leading to a faster return to normal exercise levels.
• Smaller incisions: Reduced risk of complications and less trauma to tissues.
• Quicker recovery: often bitches that have undergone laparoscopic spays return to almost normal function after a few days, as opposed to the traditional two weeks for open surgery.

Other Laparoscopic Procedures in Veterinary Medicine include removing retained testicles, minimally invasive biopsying of organs and bladder surgery. It has now become possible even to remove a spleen from a dog laparoscopically.

Laparoscopic surgery was once considered too specialised for general practice. However, Downe Vets are pleased to offer this refined technique to our clients in the Lecale area and beyond.. We have invested in the necessary equipment and training in order to offer a better, less painful procedure to the pets under our care. Please contact us if you have any questions about keyhole surgery, or would like to book your pet in for a procedure.

Are Birds Living Dinosaurs?

I was asked to examine an emu the other day. Now, if you’re wondering what an Emu is – it looks like a small ostrich, native to Australia. Why I was asked to examine this large, flightless bird is another story. But what I want to talk about this week is why it looks like a dinosaur. I was struck by how the bird moved – carefully picking its way around the field with large goose steps. Moving it’s small head back and forward with a hesitant, darting motion. It reminded me of the movie Jurassic Park (and it’s many sequels). This bird moved like a velociraptor. Which is appropriate, because scientists think that they are cousins. The emu is in fact one of our only living fossils – a living dinosaur.

Now, of course, no-one has ever seen how a dinosaur would walk. The movie makers extrapolated how they thought the dinosaurs would move by studying their fossils and consulting experts in anatomy. So that’s where we will start – the fossil record. Fossils are the petrified remains of dinosaurs preserved in stone forever. They are found everywhere, from Donegal, to Dorset to China. The fossils are like a shadow of what the dinosaurs looked like. And the skeleton of some dinosaurs bears a striking resemblance to the skeleton of our modern birds.

The limbs of mammals – hands and feet, are based on five digits – in our case four fingers and a thumb, or five toes. This is known in anatomy as the pentadactyl limb (penta = 5). However, this structure is not unique to mammals, it is found in birds, and dinosaurs. In birds, the five digits have become very thin and support feathers to allow for flight. If we x-ray a bird’s wing, it looks just like a splayed human hand, only longer and thinner. Now, the exciting thing is, if we look at some dinosaur fossils e.g. Archaeopteryx, we can see the same structure – 5 digits forming wings. In fact some scientists think that these dino-bird hybrids had feathers on their legs as well as “arms”. So they perhaps flew through the air with four wings rather than the more usual two. Which must have looked a bit, well, prehistoric.

So now to the final piece of the puzzle. We have fossils that look like bird skeletons. The limb structure is strikingly similar to the modern bird wing. So what about feathers? In the early part of the twenty-first century, fossils were uncovered in China that had what appeared to be the outline of feathers attached to the limbs. So it would appear that some dinosaurs had feathers. Some scientists have even been able to speculate on their colour – ginger! These fossils are almost identical to the modern bird in every respect. Some have even been found nesting over eggs in the manner of a modern bird. So our emu friend is a living, breathing dinosaur whose ancestors have walked the earth for millions of years more than ours have, and perhaps he will be here long after we have gone.