ABSTRACT
Addressing behavior problems in clinical practice requires diagnostic expertise as well as excellent client skills in communication, gained by experience. This issue was addressed by introducing clinical behavior to first-year veterinary students. The program was implemented over four successive terms (2017-2019) at St. George's University School of Veterinary Medicine. The clinical practice hour was introduced after a brief first-year clinical behavior course (7 lectures). Students were divided into 6-8 person teams. In a class demonstration with a student and his/her dog having behavior problems, two students served as clinicians; a third student, as a scribe, recorded case details. They discussed signalment, history, presenting problems, and possible treatment approaches for 25 minutes; then, the class divided into the assigned teams to develop their specific treatment plans and write up and submit team case reports. During each term, the student Animal Welfare and Behavior Committee organized an optional behavior workshop (enrollment was 24 veterinary students from years 1 through 3). Participation in the workshop included an introductory session and two clinical sessions. Four dog and/or cat cases were scheduled for each of the two sessions. Six students addressed each case: three students were lead clinicians. Workshop evenings concluded with a discussion of all cases. Students were presented a certificate of completion. Students gained early experience in clinical communication, behavior problems, and case write-ups. The abundance of students' pets with behavior problems made this a context that simplified recruiting real cases, but variations could be adapted as appropriate in other communities.
Subject(s)
Behavioral Medicine , Education, Veterinary , Animals , Cats , Communication , Curriculum , Dogs , Female , Humans , Male , StudentsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Arthropod ectoparasites (mites, lice, ticks, and fleas) on common house rats or brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are known to transmit zoonotic pathogens and diminish rat health. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published information regarding the prevalence of ectoparasites on R. norvegicus in Grenada. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and types of ectoparasites present on brown rats from Grenada. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred sixty-eight rats were collected live from the parishes of St. George and St. David, Grenada, from May to July 2017. Following euthanasia, external parasites were collected using fine combs, thumb forceps, and paper tape. Tape samples and free specimens were placed in containers with 70% ethanol. External parasites were evaluated using dissection microscopy. RESULTS: Over 2000 ectoparasites were collected from 149 of the 168 trapped rats (88.7%). Ectoparasites identified included mesostigmatid mites (found on 84.6% of infested rats), fur mites in the families Atopomelidae and Listrophoridae (67.1%), Polyplax spp. lice (6.7%), fleas (3.4%), an unidentified larval tick (0.7%), and a mite in the family Myobiidae (0.7%). Infestation rates were higher in St. David Parish (86/89; 96.6%) than in St. George Parish (63/79; 79.7%) (p=0.001). When comparing sex and age, males had a marginal increase in infestation rate (83/89; 93.3%) compared to females (66/79; 83.5%) (p=0.054), and adults had an infestation rate of 90.7% (97/107) compared to juvenile rats who had a 66.7% (14/21) infestation rate. CONCLUSION: Brown rats in Grenada are heavily infested with ectoparasites, including known vectors of pathogens. Future studies will examine the prevalence of zoonotic pathogens in these arthropods.
ABSTRACT
AIM: Giardia is a serious zoonotic parasite, which causes diarrheal disease in humans and animals including rodents. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Giardia spp. in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Grenada. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intestinal contents from 99 and serum samples from 169 brown rats (R. norvegicus) from Grenada were collected. These samples were examined for the Giardia coproantigens using Cryptosporidium/Giardia Quik Chek assay (Tech lab® Inc., USA), and the serum was screened through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kit for Giardia antibody (anti-GD) ELISA kit (MyBioSource, San Diego, CA, USA). RESULT: Giardia coproantigens were positive in 17.17% (95% confidence interval [CI]; 10.33-26.06%) rats, whereas 55% (95% CI: 47.20-62.68) were positive with serum antibodies (anti-GD) to Giardia. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Giardia spp. in brown rats in Grenada was moderate based on the presence of coproantigens in the intestinal contents and antibody in serum. The findings of Giardia infections and prevalence in brown rats will help veterinarians and physicians to better plan diagnostic and preventative strategies. This is the first report of prevalence of Giardia in brown rats in Grenada.
