Outcome of tenoscopically guided palmar/plantar annular ligament desmotomy for the treatment of palmar/plantar annular ligament constriction without concurrent intrathecal soft-tissue injury in a UK horse population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of tenoscopically guided palmar/plantar annular ligament (PAL) desmotomy to treat PAL constriction without concurrent intrathecal soft-tissue injury, notably of the digital flexor tendons and manica flexoria. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter cohort study. ANIMALS: Sixty-five horses. METHODS: Horses from four UK equine hospitals, with digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS) tenosynovitis, which underwent tenoscopically guided PAL desmotomy for treatment of PAL constriction between 2017 and 2022 were included. All horses had lameness isolated to the DFTS/PAL, and PAL constriction was diagnosed tenoscopically when there was difficulty maneuvering the endoscope into or through the fetlock canal. Horses with tearing of the digital flexor tendons and/or manica flexoria, or any other intrathecal pathology, were excluded. Follow up was via structured telephone questionnaire. RESULTS: Follow up (median 25 months) was available for 61 horses with cobs and ponies predominating. Forty-two returned to their previous level of work, or a higher level, postoperatively and 50 owners were satisfied with the outcome of surgery. Eleven horses returned to lower level exercise, and six were retired/euthanized as they did not regain soundness. Fifty-two horses achieved soundness (median 3 months postoperatively). CONCLUSION: Tenoscopically guided PAL desmotomy for the treatment of PAL constriction in the absence of intrathecal soft tissue injury had a good prognosis for return to previous levels of exercise in a UK horse population. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The prognosis for horses undergoing tenoscopically guided PAL desmotomy to treat PAL constriction in the absence of intrathecal injury is better than previously described. Cobs and ponies seem to be predisposed to PAL constriction in agreement with the previous literature.

Horse owner perceptions of equine veterinary nursing roles in the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Registered (equine) veterinary nurses (R(E)VNs) typically provide few client-facing services. Better utilising R(E)VN skills could help address workforce shortages, improve morale and benefit patient health. The aim of this study was to explore horse owner perceptions of R(E)VN roles. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey of horse owners gathered data on their understanding of R(E)VN roles, their experiences of R(E)VNs their openness to further R(E)VN services and perceived facilitators of and barriers to such services. Participants were recruited via practices, social media and snowball sampling. Descriptive analysis of the quantitative data and manifest content analysis of the qualitative data were conducted. RESULTS: Three hundred and forty-seven useable responses were received. Eighty-one percent (282/347) had heard the term R(E)VN. Most talked positively about their experiences with R(E)VNs. Eighty-seven percent (285/326) were open to an R(E)VN visiting their horse under the direction of a veterinary surgeon, with more than 90% being extremely or somewhat comfortable with R(E)VN visits for bandaging and suture removal. LIMITATIONS: It is unclear how closely respondents' perceptions reflect those of the wider UK horse owner population. CONCLUSIONS: Horse owners appear to be open to further nursing services, with key procedures such as bandaging being a potential starting point. Understanding the career goals of the individual nurses and the needs of the practice will be key to the successful implementation of these services.

How do different members of the on-farm mobility team perceive lameness, and what factors influence their NSAID use?

BACKGROUND: Lameness affects approximately one-third of the national dairy herd, impacting welfare and production. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the main analgesic available, but use is variable. The aims of this study were to describe how members of the mobility team perceive pain and use NSAIDs for conditions causing lameness in dairy cows. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed online to UK farmers, veterinarians, veterinary technicians (VTs) and foot trimmers (FTs). Respondents were asked to describe factors affecting their NSAID use and to score pain associated with 16 scenarios, including diagnoses, conditions and procedures associated with lameness in cows. RESULTS: Of 210 respondents, 81 (38.6%) were farmers, 80 (38.1%) were veterinarians, 34 (16.2%) were FTs and 15 (7.1%) were VTs. For most conditions, farmers scored pain lower than veterinarians and VTs and were less likely to use or recommend NSAIDs than veterinarians, VTs and FTs. Farmers rated cow comfort as more important (p < 0.001) and the cost of drugs as less important (p < 0.001) in using NSAIDs than veterinarians predicted. LIMITATIONS: There were fewer VTs and FTs than farmers and veterinarians, limiting generalisation. Response and social acceptability biases may have affected the findings. CONCLUSION: All members of the mobility team have different perceptions and areas of expertise around lameness. Increasing collaboration and harnessing of skills and knowledge within the team could improve detection and treatment of lameness, with consequent benefits to cow welfare and production.

Outcome and racing performance following standing fracture repair in 245 horses.

BACKGROUND: Repair of sagittal proximal phalanx (P1) and parasagittal metacarpal/metatarsal III (MC/MTIII) fractures has evolved over recent decades from a procedure carried out solely under general anaesthesia, to one commonly performed under standing sedation. To date, standing fracture repair has not been evaluated for large cohorts. OBJECTIVES: To determine short-term (survival to discharge) and long-term (return to racing) outcomes of horses undergoing standing repair of MC/MTIII and P1 fractures, and to compare pre-surgical and post-surgical racing performance. STUDY DESIGN: Single-centre retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Retrospective clinical record review of 245 cases undergoing standing repair of MC/MTIII or P1 fractures, 1 January 2007-30 June 2021. Data on signalment, fracture configuration and complications were collected and full race records were retrieved from the Racing Post Database (wwww.racingpost.com). Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to determine any difference in variables between horses that raced after surgery compared to those that did not. McNemar change and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare pre- and post-surgical racing performance, p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Ninety-eight percent [95% confidence interval (CI): 96.2%-99.7%] of horses survived hospital discharge, and 75.1% (95% CI: 68.9%-81.4%) raced after surgery, a median of 241 days later. Horses that raced post-surgery were significantly less likely to have suffered from complications during hospitalisation than those that did not race again [17.3% (95% CI: 11%-24%) vs. 36.5% (95% CI: 23%-50%), p = 0.005]. Comparing pre- and post-operative racing performance, there was no significant difference in earnings per start [median £628.00, interquartile range (IQR) 115.90-1934.80 vs. £653.20, 51.00-1886.40, p = 0.7] or proportion of horses winning [51% (95% CI: 41%-61%) vs. 54% (95% CI: 44%-64%), p = 0.8] or being placed first-third [77% (95% CI: 68%-85%) vs. 71% (95% CI: 62%-80%, p = 0.5] in at least one race. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Retrospective nature of study with reliance on clinical records and public databases, limiting data available for analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Standing fracture repair is a viable treatment option for MC/MTIII or P1 fractures that returns horses to the racetrack within an acceptable time frame and is capable of restoring pre-surgical athletic ability.

Direct observations of melting, freezing, and ocean circulation in an ice shelf basal crevasse.

Ocean conditions near the grounding zones of Antarctica's ice shelves play a key role in controlling the outflow and mass balance of the ice sheet. However, ocean observations in these regions are largely absent. Here, we present a detailed spatial survey collected with an underwater vehicle in a basal crevasse located in the ocean cavity at the Ross Ice Shelf grounding zone. The observations depict fine-scale variability in ocean forcing that drives asymmetric melting along the lower crevasse sidewalls and freezing in the upper reaches of the crevasse. Freshwater release from melting at depth and salt rejection from freezing above drives an overturning circulation. This vertical circulation pattern overlays a dominant throughflow jet, which funnels water parallel to the coastline, orthogonal to the direction of tidal currents. Importantly, these data reveal that basal crevasses influence ocean circulation and mixing at ice shelf grounding zones to an extent previously unknown.

Effects of captions on viewers' perceptions of images depicting human-primate interaction.

Promoting human contact with wildlife can be harmful to animal conservation and welfare by exposing animals to unsafe situations and driving demand for wildlife tourism and exotic pets. Conservationists and researchers justifiably use social media to raise awareness, but professionals posting pictures of themselves with animals can have unintended negative consequences for conservation. Though the International Union for Conservation of Nature Best Practice Guidelines for Responsible Images of Non-Human Primates suggests researchers and animal professionals provide context in captions of images of humans interacting with primates, there is little research investigating whether this approach is effective. We investigated whether informative captions affect viewers' desires to have primates as pets and attitudes toward wildlife conservation. Using 4 mock Instagram posts depicting human-gorilla and human-slender loris interactions, we surveyed 2977 respondents to assess the effect of captions on viewers' perceptions of the images and primate conservation. Likert scale response data were analyzed with ordered probit regression models. Captions clearly contextualizing an image as research resulted in a significantly higher agreement that posts depicted wildlife research (gorilla ß = 0.28 [SE 0.06], p < 0.001; loris ß = 0.18 [0.06], p = 0.002), but such captions resulted in no significant difference in responses regarding viewers' desires to own primates as pets or questions regarding the primates' conservation statuses. Although most participants agreed the primates were endangered, more than 56% and 59%, respectively, stated they would have a gorilla or loris as a pet, that they would make good pets, or both, further supporting the conclusion that captions do not minimize harmful impacts of images of human-primate interactions.

Efectos de los pies de foto sobre la percepción del público de imágenes de la interacción humano-primate Resumen La promoción del contacto humano con la fauna puede ser dañina para la conservación y el bienestar animal al exponer a la fauna a situaciones poco seguras e incrementar la demanda por el turismo de fauna y las mascotas exóticas. Los conservacionistas y los investigadores usan con justificación las redes sociales para generar conciencia, pero los profesionales que publican imágenes de sí mismos con los animales pueden generar sin intención consecuencias negativas para la conservación. Aunque la Guía de Buenas Prácticas de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza para la Obtención Responsable de Imágenes de Primates No Humanos sugiere que los investigadores y profesionales de fauna proporcionen contexto en los pies de foto de las imágenes de humanos interactuando con primates, hay muy poca investigación sobre si esta estrategia es efectiva. Investigamos si los pies de foto informativos afectan el deseo del público de tener primates como mascotas y la actitud hacia la conservación de la fauna. Usamos cuatro publicaciones simuladas de Instagram representando interacciones humano-gorila y humano-loris para encuestar a 2,977 respondientes y estudiar el efecto de los pies de foto sobre la percepción del público de las imágenes y la conservación de primates. Analizamos los datos de respuesta de escala Likert con modelos de regresión probit ordenada. Los pies de foto que contextualizaban con claridad una imagen como trabajo de investigación resultaron en mayor aceptación de que las publicaciones representaban investigación sobre la fauna (gorila ß = 0.28 [SE 0.06], p < 0.001; loris ß = 0.18 [0.06], p = 0.002), pero dichos textos resultaron en una diferencia no significativa en las respuestas con respecto al deseo del público de tener primates como mascota o preguntas sobre el estado de conservación de los primates. Mientras que la mayoría de los participantes estuvo de acuerdo en que los primates están en peligro de extinción, más del 56% y 59%, respectivamente, afirmaron que tendrían un gorila o un loris como mascota, que serían buenas mascotas, o ambas. Esto suma a la conclusión de que los pies de foto no minimizan el impacto dañino de las imágenes de interacciones humano-primate.

Rib fractures in adult horses as a cause of poor performance; diagnosis, treatment and outcome in 73 horses.

BACKGROUND: Rib fractures in adult horses are poorly documented. OBJECTIVES: To describe the presenting signs, diagnosis, treatment and outcome of horses diagnosed with rib fracture. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHOD: The clinical records and diagnostic images of all adult horses diagnosed with a rib fracture at three referral centres over a 15-year period were reviewed. RESULTS: Seventy-three horses met the inclusion criteria. Horses presented due to either resistance to ridden work and poor performance (n = 41), lameness (n = 21) or trauma (n = 7). In four horses, the presenting complaint was not recorded. Clinical assessment and palpation localised the site of injury in 18/47 cases where recorded. Nuclear scintigraphic examination identified all fracture sites in which it was performed (59/59). In 10/24 horses, radiographic examination confirmed rib fracture. Ultrasonographic examination confirmed rib fracture in 58/59 horses (98%; 95% CI 92-100). Six horses underwent surgery due to ongoing clinical signs and non-healing fracture; all other horses were managed conservatively. Fifty-five horses were available for long-term follow up (>1 year), of which 28 (51%; 95% CI 38-64) returned to their previous level of exercise. Twelve horses did not return to their previous level of exercise due to lameness unrelated to the rib fracture and seven horses were subjected to euthanasia, of which three were as a result of the rib fracture. Eight horses did not return to their previous level of exercise for other reasons. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Incomplete data set due to retrospective case series. CONCLUSIONS: Although uncommon, rib fractures should be considered in cases of reduced performance or resistance during ridden exercise. Palpation may be unrewarding. Scintigraphy and ultrasonography are useful in identifying the fracture site. Rib fractures in horses carry a fair prognosis and can be managed conservatively in most cases.

Happy cats: stress in cats and their carers associated with outpatient visits to the clinic.

OBJECTIVES: The importance of the effects of stress on cats is well recognised, with visits to the veterinary clinic a common cause of stress. The aim of this study was to explore owners' experiences of stress, both for themselves and their cat, during veterinary visits, and to gather data on owners' perception of resources within the clinic to reduce stress in their cats. METHODS: A questionnaire aimed at cat owners with recent experience of an outpatient visit to the veterinary clinic was developed and distributed. Questions covered demographics; their most recent veterinary visit; their general experience of visits over the past 3 years; measures taken by the clinic to reduce stress; and awareness of the Cat Friendly Clinic programme. There were various question types, with owners often asked to rate stress from 1 (least stressful) to 10 (most stressful). RESULTS: A total of 277 respondents gave details about their experience of consultations over the past 3 years. Owners rated the stress of travelling to the clinic, other animals in the waiting room and the consultation itself (all median 6, interquartile range 4-8) as the most stressful elements. Most owners reported gentle methods of removing the cat from their carrier; however, almost a third (n = 81/263; 30.8%) had seen their cat scruffed during a consultation. Cat-only waiting rooms were viewed as the most effective measure to reduce stress in the clinic. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Veterinary clinics are already taking steps to address stress in cats, and owners have a good awareness of stress in their cats. Future work should focus on trialling specific interventions to determine their effectiveness in reducing stress in feline patients, and measures currently perceived by owners to be highly effective, such as cat-only waiting rooms, should be used where feasible.

Veterinary services during the COVID-19 pandemic: less stressful for cats and their carers?

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic saw major changes to small animal veterinary practice, many of which may have had an impact on stress in cats presented to the clinic. The aim of this study was to examine the nature of feline outpatient visits before and during the pandemic, and examine signs of stress noted in cats before, during and after these visits. METHODS: A questionnaire was used to gather data on cat owner experiences of visits to the veterinary clinic. Data were gathered on the owner's most recent experience of a consultation, with consultations occurring in February 2020 or earlier coded as a standard consultation, and consultations occurring in March 2020 or later coded as COVID-19 consultations. RESULTS: A total of 371 responses were received, with 210 coded as standard consultations and 161 coded as COVID-19 consultations. Consultation type varied significantly between standard and COVID-19 consultations (P <0.001), with emergency consultations more frequent and preventive healthcare consultations less frequent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The area in which the owner and their cat waited also varied significantly between standard and COVID-19 consultations (P <0.001), with standard consultations more likely to involve time in a waiting room while COVID-19 consultations were often called straight in or waited outside the practice. Most owners notedbehaviours associated with stress in their cats, regardless of consultation type, although trying to hide or escape were noted more frequently for cats seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings suggest that outpatient visits to the veterinary clinic were stressful for cats both prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some measures taken during the pandemic, for example less use of waiting rooms, could be used alongside existing cat friendly measures to help to reduce stress in feline patients.

Veterinary surgeons', veterinary nurses' and owners' experiences of feline telemedicine consultations during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: There has been increasing provision of veterinary telemedicine consultations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, little evidence currently exists examining these remote consultations. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore veterinary and cat owner experiences of telemedicine consultations during the pandemic. METHODS: Two questionnaires, one aimed at veterinary professionals and one at cat owners, were launched in September 2020. Questions explored the type of consultation conducted remotely, the perceived advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine, and the role of telemedicine in the future of veterinary practice. RESULTS: Responses were received from 242 veterinary professionals and 98 owners with experience of telemedicine. Monitoring and advice consultations were felt to be most suited to telemedicine. Reduced stress for owners/cats was seen as an advantage of telemedicine, while lack of clinical examination and risk of misdiagnosis were viewed as disadvantages. Most respondents (85.7% [n = 84/98] of owners; 67.4% [n = 163/242] of veterinary professionals) felt practices should continue to offer telemedicine consultations. CONCLUSION: With increasing pet ownership and practice workload, telemedicine may play a crucial role in the future of veterinary practice. Future work should focus on a strategic approach to feline telemedicine, integrating it alongside face-to-face visits and developing technologies to maximise its advantages.

Ocean mixing and heat transport processes observed under the Ross Ice Shelf control its basal melting.

The stability of large Antarctic ice shelves has important implications for global sea level, sea ice area, and ocean circulation. A significant proportion of ice mass loss from these ice shelves is through ocean-driven melting which is controlled by largely unobserved oceanic thermodynamic and circulatory processes in the cavity beneath the ice shelf. Here we use direct measurements to provide evidence of the changing water column structure in the cavity beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, the planet's largest ice shelf by area. The cavity water column data exhibit both basal and benthic boundary layers, along with evidence of tidally modulated and diffusively convecting internal mixing processes. A region of thermohaline interleaving in the upper-middle water column indicates elevated diffusion and the potential to modify the cavity circulation. The measurements were recorded using the Aotearoa New Zealand Ross Ice Shelf Program hot water drill borehole melted in the central region of the shelf in December 2017 (HWD2), only the second borehole through the central region of the ice shelf, following J9 in 1977. These data, and comparison with the 1977 data, provide valuable insight into ice shelf cavity circulation and aid understanding of the evolution of the presently stable Ross Ice Shelf.

Developing practical recommendations for preventative healthcare consultations involving dogs and cats using a Delphi technique.

Preventive healthcare is the focus of a large proportion of UK small animal veterinary consultations. The evidence base for how to optimise these consultations is limited. Therefore, evidence-based practical recommendations are needed for veterinary surgeons conducting these consultations. The aim of this study was to use an evidence-based methodology to develop the first consensus recommendations to improve dog and cat preventative healthcare consultations (PHCs).Evidence from multiple sources was systematically examined to generate a list of 18 recommendations. Veterinary surgeons and pet owners with extensive experience of PHCs were recruited to an anonymous panel to obtain consensus on whether these recommendations would improve PHCs. A Delphi technique was followed during three rounds of online questionnaire, with consensus set at 80 per cent agreement or disagreement with each recommendation. Thirteen of the original 18 recommendations reached consensus (>80per cent agreement), while the five remaining recommendations did not reach consensus.Globally, these are the first evidence-based recommendations developed specifically in relation to small animal general practice PHCs, generated via a Delphi panel including both veterinary surgeons and pet owners. Future work is needed to understand how these recommendations can be implemented in a range of veterinary practice settings.

Topics discussed, examinations performed and strategies implemented during canine and feline booster vaccination consultations.

Vaccination consultations account for a large proportion of the small animal veterinary caseload. The aim of this study was to determine the content of canine and feline booster vaccination consultations and gather opinions on strategies used to optimise these consultations. An online survey of UK veterinarians was conducted. Respondents were asked about the clinical examination performed and the topics discussed during vaccination consultations, as well as any strategies used to optimise these consultations. Finally, respondents were asked about the practicality and effectiveness of various potential strategies. A total of 662 responses were received. Most respondents always auscultated the chest during vaccination consultations (n=603/621, 97.1% canine consultations; n=587/610, 96.2% feline consultations). Microchipping was discussed more frequently during canine versus feline consultations (P<0.001). Over half of respondents (n=323/597; 54.1%) had tried strategies to optimise consultations, with supplementary reading material tried most frequently (n=203/597; 34.0%). There were a range of opinions around practicality and effectiveness of these strategies. The results from this novel study suggest that vaccination consultations vary in terms of the clinical examination performed, topics discussed and strategies used to optimise the consultation. This study has implications for practice by identifying potential ways to maximise the benefits of vaccination consultations.

Sun protection and young female beachgoers: A formative theory-based approach to identifying key sun safe beliefs.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: The prevalence of skin cancer remains at a high level in Australia. Young female Australian beachgoers are an at-risk population of skin cancer. Research on sun-protective beliefs held by this at-risk group is limited. METHODS: Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), we conducted a formative study to understand key sun safe messages among young female beachgoers in Queensland, including an elicitation study (Phase 1; N = 21, Mage  = 24.30 years) and a two-wave questionnaire survey (Phase 2; N = 140, Mage  = 23.96 years). RESULTS: Following content analysis and regression analyses, three key beliefs were identified: "be uncomfortable and/or unstylish" (behavioural belief), "friends and peers" (normative belief) and "lack of motivation to reapply sunscreen" (control belief). CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the influences of friends and peers on beachgoers' sun-protective behaviour for this young female adult cohort. Compared to previous findings among the general population, discrepancies in beliefs suggest interventions targeting this cohort should specifically focus on fashionable sun safe images and motivation to reapply sunscreen. SO WHAT?: Future health promotion and public education should utilise various strategies according to specific groups given the discrepancies identified in beliefs. For female beachgoers, sun safe images and motivations should be the primary foci.

Owner and veterinary surgeon perspectives on the roles of veterinary nurses and receptionists in relation to small animal preventive healthcare consultations in the United Kingdom.

Veterinary receptionists and veterinary nurses rarely feature in published practice-based research, yet are integral to small animal veterinary practice in the UK. The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of UK-based owners and veterinary surgeons about veterinary nurses and receptionists in relation to their role in preventive healthcare. Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with 15 dog and cat owners and 14 veterinary surgeons. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed. Reception staff were identified as having a range of important roles, from rapport building to providing healthcare information and advice. The perceived importance of those roles appeared to differ between owners and veterinary surgeons. Veterinary nurses were described as performing a diversity of roles in relation to preventive healthcare, both in the reception area and in the consulting room. Many owners, and some veterinary surgeons, expressed uncertainty about the remit and status of veterinary nurses in relation to providing veterinary advice. This study identifies for the first time the degree of responsibility for preventive healthcare given to veterinary receptionists and veterinary nurses in UK small animal practices. Further work is needed involving reception and nursing staff to fully appreciate and define their roles in small animal practice.

Motivators and barriers for dog and cat owners and veterinary surgeons in the United Kingdom to using preventative medicines.

Routine use of preventative medicines is advocated as part of responsible dog and cat ownership. However, it has been suggested that the number of owners in the United Kingdom (UK) using preventative medicines to protect their pets is in decline. The aim of this novel study was to use a qualitative methodology to explore the attitudes of pet owners and veterinary surgeons in the UK to using preventative medicine products in dogs and cats. Preventative medicine was defined as "a drug or any other preparation used to prevent disease, illness or injury." Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone with owners and veterinary surgeons who had recently participated in a preventative healthcare consultation. Thematic analysis of transcribed recordings of these interviews identified four themes. This paper reports the theme related to motivators and barriers to using preventative medicines. Owners' understanding varied widely about the importance of preventative medicines for pets, as did their confidence in the safety of prescription products. A good relationship with their veterinary surgeon or practice, seeing adverts on the television about specific diseases, advice from a breeder and having personally seen infected animals appeared to be motivators for owners to use preventative medicines. Concern about adverse events and uncertainty about the necessity of using preventative medicines were barriers. Owners who trusted their veterinary surgeons to advise them on preventative medicine products described little use of alternative information sources when making preventative medicine choices. However, owners who preferred to do their own research described reading online opinions, particular in relation to the safety of preventative medicines, which they found confusing. In contrast, veterinary surgeons described broad confidence in the safety and efficacy of prescription preventative medicines and described protection of pet health as a strong motivator for their use. Several expressed some concern about being seen to "sell" products, which may present a barrier to their advocacy. Veterinary surgeons were unsure about owners' level of understanding of the necessity of preventative medicines, particularly in relation to vaccinations, and few recalled instigating conversations with owners about product safety. Owner uncertainties about preventative medicine products may not be adequately addressed in the consulting room. This first qualitative study to investigate dog and cat preventative medicines suggests strategies are needed to increase discussion between pet owners and veterinary surgeons in the UK about the necessity, safety, efficacy and cost of preventative medicines.

"I Always Feel Like I Have to Rush " Pet Owner and Small Animal Veterinary Surgeons' Reflections on Time during Preventative Healthcare Consultations in the United Kingdom.

Canine and feline preventative healthcare consultations can be more complex than other consultation types, but they are typically not allocated additional time in the United Kingdom (UK). Impacts of the perceived length of UK preventative healthcare consultations have not previously been described. The aim of this novel study was to provide the first qualitative description of owner and veterinary surgeon reflections on time during preventative healthcare consultations. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 14 veterinary surgeons and 15 owners about all aspects of canine and feline preventative healthcare consultations. These qualitative data were thematically analysed, and four key themes identified. This paper describes the theme relating to time and consultation length. Patient, owner, veterinary surgeon and practice variables were recalled to impact the actual, versus allocated, length of a preventative healthcare consultation. Preventative healthcare consultations involving young, old and multi-morbid animals and new veterinary surgeon-owner partnerships appear particularly susceptible to time pressures. Owners and veterinary surgeons recalled rushing and minimizing discussions to keep consultations within their allocated time. The impact of the pace, content and duration of a preventative healthcare consultation may be influential factors in consultation satisfaction. These interviews provide an important insight into the complex nature of preventative healthcare consultations and the behaviour of participants under different perceived time pressures. These data may be of interest and relevance to all stakeholders in dog and cat preventative healthcare.

Owners and Veterinary Surgeons in the United Kingdom Disagree about What Should Happen during a Small Animal Vaccination Consultation.

Dog and cat vaccination consultations are a common part of small animal practice in the United Kingdom. Few data are available describing what happens during those consultations or what participants think about their content. The aim of this novel study was to investigate the attitudes of dog and cat owners and veterinary surgeons towards the content of small animal vaccination consultations. Telephone interviews with veterinary surgeons and pet owners captured rich qualitative data. Thematic analysis was performed to identify key themes. This study reports the theme describing attitudes towards the content of the consultation. Diverse preferences exist for what should be prioritised during vaccination consultations, and mismatched expectations may lead to negative experiences. Vaccination consultations for puppies and kittens were described to have a relatively standardised structure with an educational and preventative healthcare focus. In contrast, adult pet vaccination consultations were described to focus on current physical health problems with only limited discussion of preventative healthcare topics. This first qualitative exploration of UK vaccination consultation expectations suggests that the content and consistency of adult pet vaccination consultations may not meet the needs or expectations of all participants. Redefining preventative healthcare to include all preventable conditions may benefit owners, pets and veterinary surgeons, and may help to provide a clearer structure for adult pet vaccination consultations. This study represents a significant advance our understanding of this consultation type.

Veterinarian Nominated Common Conditions of Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Compared with Published Literature.

Rabbits and guinea pigs are increasingly popular pets in the UK, yet little is known about their common ailments, or how these relate to what appears in the published literature. The aim of this study was to characterise the common conditions of rabbits and guinea pigs, and to compare these with the topics found in the published literature. Information about the common conditions seen in rabbits and guinea pigs in clinical practice was obtained from a survey of UK veterinarians. The common conditions seen were compared with results from a structured literature search. Conditions relating to the dental (29.9%), and skin (37.6%) body systems were commonly nominated by veterinarians for rabbits and guinea pigs, respectively. A total of 655 rabbit and 1086 guinea pig citations were examined and there appeared to be a mismatch between the conditions nominated in the veterinary questionnaire, and those found in the literature. This is the first time that the published literature has been compared to the nominated caseload of veterinarians in practice, and there is concern that the literature about rabbits and guinea pigs may not be representative of, or relevant to the caseload seen in clinical practice. This is of importance for clinicians being able to apply an objective, evidence-based approach. The publishing of clinically-relevant, research-based evidence should be prioritised.