Puppy has broken neck mended at AHT
Transcription
Puppy has broken neck mended at AHT
Issue 51 Winter 2003 In this issue: • Puppy screening Puppy has broken neck mended at AHT Hava, a 6 month-old Borzoi puppy belonging to Mrs Foster, fell into a five foot deep ditch while out on a walk. Her owner rushed to the ditch and scrambled down the steep bank to see what had happened to her puppy. Luckily, Mrs Foster used to be an ambulance driver and knew how to assess injuries. She was horrified to find that Hava’s neck was the cause of her pain. She very carefully got Hava out of the ditch and waited, hoping that someone would walk past and be able to help. However, after 45 minutes she knew that somehow she had to get Hava to a vet. She managed to support Hava’s neck while they slowly walked home, and then took her to the vet using her bed as a stretcher. The vet confirmed her worst fears - that Hava’s neck was fractured - and said that there was only one place that could help - the Animal Health Trust. Hava was sent immediately to the Trust where neurologist, Jacques Penderis, examined her neck. X-rays and an MRI scan confirmed the fracture. Her only chance was surgery to repair the fracture and the operation went on until midnight to fix Hava’s neck with metal screws and bone cement. There was then an agonising wait for all concerned to see if she would walk again. The operation proved to be a complete success, and Hava is now fully mobile and running around again as can be seen from the photo! Cases such as this are very difficult to treat and we are delighted that Hava has made a full recovery. We are also very grateful to Mrs Foster for her kind donation in recognition of the expertise which saved her puppy. • New canine service • Itchy feet! • UK Equestrian Awards • Christmas cards for sale • Our latest appeal Fantastic Response to Legacy Appeal Many thanks to all those who responded to the Legacy feature in our Summer 2003 Newsletter. The level of interest in supporting our work in this way has far exceeded our expectations. This help is vital - over one third of our fundraising income comes from legacies. If any readers would like to receive a free copy of the AHT Guide to Making or Changing a Will, please call Andrew Simmonds on 08700 502380 Animal Health Trust Lanwades Park Kentford Newmarket Suffolk CB8 7UU Tel: 08700 502424 Fax: 08700 502425 E-mail: info@aht.org.uk www.aht.org.uk Registered Charity No: 209642 2 Eyes (and ears) right?? Many of you that have visited our Small Animal Clinic may have been seen litters of very lively puppies, and wondered why an entire, obviously healthy, litter should have to visit the Trust. The answer is - they will almost certainly be benefiting from our puppy screening service. Certain breeds of dog are particularly susceptible to specific hereditary disorders. For example, deafness in Dalmatians and eye problems in Border Collies. W ith our specialist equipment and expertise, we are able to screen puppies for the presence of these conditions before they go to their new homes, enabling breeders to be aware of any problems and prospective owners to know the status of their new puppy . The hearing test is called the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) test. A recording device is placed on the puppy’s head and a series of clicks are delivered to each ear . The recording shows on a computer screen and a certificate confirming the hearing status of each puppy is given to the owner. Throughout this process, which is completely without pain or discomfort, the puppies usually sit on their owner ’s knee and most appear barely to notice what is happening. The deafness may occur in both (bilateral) or just one ear (unilateral). Puppies which are deaf in one ear only are hard to detect without BAER testing, as they usually appear normal. However, they can pass the condition to their offspring and Dear Supporter I hope you will enjoy this Winter 2003 edition of the AHT News. It contains some wonderful stories about how the AHT is working to improve the welfare of companion animals through applied research and techniques. The stories are just a few examples of the work that we do here. They reflect the ongoing efforts of our vets and scientists to find new and improved ways of treating and preventing disease and injury. Thank you for your continued support of the Animal Health Trust’s work. Wishing you a merry Christmas, E A Chandler BVetMed FRCVS Executive Chairman P.S. If you haven’t yet bought your Christmas cards, turn to page 4 to choose from our selection. therefore it is not advisable to breed from unilaterally deaf dogs. In 2003, we have tested 465 Dalmatian puppies; 382 had normal hearing, but 69 were deaf in one ear and 14 were deaf in both ears, ie 17.8% of Dalmatian puppies tested were affected by this condition. Border collies puppies come to the clinic to be tested for Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA). This condition can range from very mild, with little disturbance to vision, to severe cases with retinal detachment and total blindness. When the puppies are tested, eyedrops are applied to each eye to cause the pupil to dilate. This enables our specialist ophthalmologist to examine the back of the eye and identify any abnormalities. Again, the owners are given a certificate stating the results of the test. Both types of screening take place at about 6 weeks of age. The aim of this screening service is to ensure that breeders know the sight and hearing status of the puppies they are selling and to reduce the incidence of inherited deafness or blindness by selective breeding. We are delighted that so many responsible breeders routinely bring their puppies for testing and we hope that, as more breeders start to use the service, we will be able to eliminate these breed-related problems. 3 Sam survives another illness! Sam is a 14 year-old domestic short hair cat, who was referred to the Feline Unit when he became ill in May 2003. He was off his food, very lethargic and crying out to his owners. He was taken to his local vet and his temperature was found to be high and he was jaundiced. A liver problem was suspected, and being an older cat, Sam’s owners feared the worst - a possible liver tumour. However, Sam over the years had managed to survive a serious car accident (leaving him with only one eye), chronic kidney disease and a heart condition. Having used up three of his nine lives, Sam’s owners and his local vet wanted thorough investigations carried out to see if he could escape the jaws of death once again. A liver biopsy and sample of bile was advised as the next step. Fortunately, the experts at the AHT can perform such procedures without the need for open surgery. The sample of bile was taken straight from the gall bladder under ultrasound guidance, using a long fine needle. This is not commonly performed in cats, but is a rewarding non-invasive procedure. The results indicated he had bacterial cholangitis. Sam’s liver biopsy was normal. This condition is not particularly common in cats, but it is a curable disease, even in older cats. Sam was treated with antibiotics and fluid therapy. Within a few days he was brighter and eating well, and able to go home. He required antibiotics for 8 weeks which he was not altogether fond of but his owners were very dedicated and ensured that he never missed a dose. International ophthalmologists visit AHT On 27th June, a group of 100 veterinary ophthalmologists from around the world came to visit the Trust and enjoy an English Summer tradition – Pimms and cucumber sandwiches in the garden! The visitors had been to a 4-day meeting in Cambridge which discussed topics such as cataracts, glaucoma and surgical procedures in both small animals and horses. The invited speakers were from all over the world from as far afield as Israel, Australia and Japan. All our visitors were very interested to see the work that we do here at the Trust, and had an enjoyable afternoon in the English sunshine. Sam came back to the Trust regularly to monitor his progress. He continued to do well at home, and results of repeat blood tests and ultrasound examinations were encouraging. To everyone’s delight, Sam has gone from strength to strength, and there has been no sign of relapse. Happily, Sam has beaten yet another disease although he is now down to five lives! Itchy Scratchy Feet! Snowy Tarrant Chronic allergies form one of the most common problems presented to the Dermatology Unit at the Animal Health Trust and this year a small Jack Russell called Snowy was presented with a seven year history of itchy skin disease particularly involving the feet. Initially disease was mild, but slowly over the years the toes became bald and swollen and sore and Snowy would not leave herself alone. Snowy’s owner worked hard with her local vet and no cause for the allergy could be found so Snowy was referred to the Trust. Both making a diagnosis and treating allergy can be quite a lengthy process. Tests to check for mite infestations were followed by a long course of antibiotics to treat the infections that had become established. This had to be done before further treatment for her allergic skin disease could be brought in as the two types of therapy can counteract each other. Over a period of two months the infections were controlled, after which a combination of antihistamines, essential fatty acids and cyclosporine was used to treat her condition. For the first time for many months Snowy is now without her buster collar! Hair is slowly returning, but even if her feet remain a little bald, Snowy is now comfortable. Dog treadmill Many of our supporters will already know that the Trust has a treadmill for horses to assess their heart and lungs. We now have one for dogs! Breeds such as the bulldog often suffer from snorting, snoring, exercise intolerance and respiratory distress. The cause of this is brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. This syndrome can be treated surgically and improvement is nearly always seen. However, there are no objective data to show which procedures are better than others. Here at the Trust, we will be using a dog treadmill to analyse the results after different operations, and therefore we will be able to decide which procedure is most appropriate for each individual case. 4 Discover Dogs The Trust was recently at Discover Dogs with our special guests Lenny and Ollie (photo), who have both had life-saving treatment at the Trust and who had great fun meeting our friends and supporters. Thanks to all who entered the Draw for a year’s supply of pet food, kindly sponsored by Pedigree. Congratulations to the lucky winner, Beryl Amos of Colchester. We’ll be at Crufts in Mar ch so do come and see us there. Ollie with two young admirers Special thanks to… AHT Christ Mowlem We are very grateful to local construction company Mowlem, for organising a sponsored walk to raise funds for our Centre for Small Animal Studies. They raised a fantastic £350. Lorna Bonnier Lorna Bonnier had her dog Reuben successfully treated at the AHT this year. To show her appreciation she organised a disco in her village hall in aid of the AHT. The disco was extremely popular and raised a staggering £1,200!! A big thank Helen & Ray Vaitkevicus and Rob Gill you to Lorna for all her hard work in presenting their cheque to Andrew Simmonds, organising this event and, of course, Head of Fundraising the generosity of all those who attended. Moreton-in-Marsh Show Society Thanks once again to Moreton-in-Marsh Show Society. Every year they hold a Show and a levy of 5p is char ged for each entry. With over 1,000 entries, this adds up to approximately £50 each year. If you would like to find out more about how you can help in this way , or would like suggestions of other ways to help, please contact Christine Gird on 08700 502424. If you need some last minute Christmas our selection • Christmas Cat Tales, pack • Christmas Eve, pack of 10 • Heading Home, pack of 1 • Snow Fun, pack of 5 £1.5 Please add 50p P&P per packet, up to a your order immediately. Contact Christine Gird on 08700 502424 email christine.gird@aht.org.uk You can also write to Christmas Cards Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 place your order online at www.aht.org.uk 5 Generous donations buy essential new equipment In our last Newsletter, we appealed for funds for a new Cryosur gical Unit and had a fantastic response. Mrs Susan Rowe from The Scottish Bulldog Society called to say that they would give us £1,000 and The Bulldog Club agreed to match their donation. The James and Frieda Lund Charitable Trust and Mr & Mrs Tooley also gave £1,000 each and we are now able to buy this much needed piece of equipment. The Unit will be used to permanently remove eyelashes that are causing discomfort and irritation to the eye (a common problem in bulldogs). Cat’s Tales Benefit AHT Cameron Brown and Ditz have kindly agreed to sell copies of the book, Cat’ s Tales, with £5 from each sale being donated to the AHT. tmas Cards s Cards, it’s not too late to choose from The book is an ideal gift for all cat lovers. It is a collection of short stories, extracts, poems and quotations, with authors as varied as W illiam Blake, Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, George Orwell and Wordsworth. All tales are beautifully illustrated with 100 paintings by Ditz. If you would like to order this book, please either fill in the coupon below or call 08700 713 317 quoting "Cats AHT Offer" to order over the phone. If your order is received by 18th December, your book should be with you by Christmas. The cost is £16.95 per book plus contribution for p&p of £2.50 for 1 copy , or maximum of £4 for 2 or more copies. k of 10 £3.95 0 £3.50 Send completed form to AAPPL, 10 Hillside, London SW19 4NH 10 £3.50 50 maximum of £3.00, and we’ll post s, k, 7UU or A 4, or IO LECT N OF OL C CATS TALES Please send me –––– copy/copies of A Collection of Cat’s Tales Name _______________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ I enclose a cheque for £__.__ made payable to AAPPL. Or Credit Card details Please debit my credit/debit card: Expiry Date: OGY THOL R ’S A N Z L OV E B Y D IT A C ATIN G S T IN PA | Issue no: Signed _________________________________________________________ Cats AHT Offer 6 It is with great sadn ess that I write with the news that Brin Wednesday. For som y was put down last e months we have str ug gle d to maintain his cond evening he suffered ition but on Monda an attack of colic . y Al th ou Not all of the horses and ponies seen in paddocks gh th e attack was mild , he well or regain his ap did not recover petite. Af ter much discussion and soul around the Trust are patients. We have our own the fairest thing, for searching it was de him , was to put hi cided that m down . He was 20 herd involved in various projects and when these ye ars old . Soon af ter retiring from the AHT, Brin are completed, they either retire, and see out y showed considerab competitions, rarely le talent in riding being out of the plac club their days at the Trust (some are over 30 years es in sh ow jumping and one da club career reached y ev en a pe ts. His riding old!!) or, are found new homes. ak in 1995 when fin ishing 11th at the Ri di ng Club One Day Ev National Champion ent ships. The course eq This was the case for Briny, uivalent to Novice BHS Eventing. The year before this a Thoroughbred who was he completed the Ne wmarket Town Plat 3 home, finishing fas used in a study conducted e, we beat t (his jockey having ser iou sly un der-used him in the early stages of th by our exercise physiology e race !). team. Briny was exercised All through trainin g for the race we we on a treadmill while his re practising and co in riding club and mpeting affiliated eventing heart rate and breathing co m pe tit ion s. A tes his fantastic tempe tament to rament. He continue were monitored to provide d to progress in even being placed pre-no ting, vice and completin information about the effect g several novice even usually with double ts, clear rounds. At th of exercise on the e age of 13 he cracke pastern , this combin da ed with creeping ar respiratory and cardiology th rit is, en de d hi career. He recovered s eventing well and I continue systems. When he retired, d to ride him . He la became a true schoo ter l mas ter and safe co several years ago, he was nveyance for my no Catherine. She succ w wife, ess fully competed hi re-homed with Bill competitions for sev m in unaffiliated eral years. Shingleton. Sadly he died recently but this In amongs t all this he also followed ho unds, of one type or letter from Bill illustrates what a fulfilling Northumberland an another, on Dartm d Durham , Cambr oor, in idgeshire and Leice retirement he had: ste rsh ire . Briny was a true al l-rounder with an amazing temperam We decided to publish Bill’s letter because met him . His fan clu ent that rubbed off b really does extend on all who Briny was such a marvellous example of th e len gt h an sorely missed . d breadth of Engla nd . He will be the pleasure these horses can give when I hope this message finds you well, and they leave the Trust. Our best wishes go to that all is going we pass this message on ll at the AHT. Plea Bill who made the right decision in the to all those who kn se feel free to ew Briny. interests of Briny. Yours, Bill New internal medicine service for dogs We are pleased to announce that we will be offering a new service in canine internal medicine in 2004. This is a very important initiative and complements our existing disciplines. A long search for the right person was finally completed in October, and we are delighted to announce that Jonathan Wray will be joining us in the middle of January. Jonathan graduated from Bristol Veterinary School in 1996, and after 2 years in general practice, went on to complete a 3 year residency programme in small animal internal medicine at Bristol. For the last 2 years, he has been responsible for establishing and running the internal medicine referral service at Willows Referral Services in the West Midlands. He has broad interests in small animal internal medicine and is particularly interested in cardiorespiratory disease. Jonathan will be working closely with Andy Sparkes to provide a comprehensive small animal internal medicine service. 7 United Kingdom Equestrian Awards 2003 This year’s United Kingdom Equestrian Awards was a tremendous success raising nearly £25,000 for the AHT! The winners of the individual awards were: • Arena Leisure Showing Award – Louise Bell • Winergy Eventing Award – Pippa Funnell • Great Leighs Racing Award – Persian Punch • Berkeley Group Dressage Award – Nicola Tustain • Golden Bear Showjumping Award – Di Lampard • Lexington Insurance Voluntary Service Award – Carrie Humble MBE • Shadwell Estates Veterinary Achievement Award – Geoff Lane DESTS FRCVS • Martin Collins Enterprises Special Award – British Dressage Team A special ‘thank you’ goes to all our sponsors for their invaluable support of the evening. The winner of the MINI Cooper was Lorna Edmonds from Devon Keyhole surgery for pets Veterinary Physiotherapy Katherine Hulse MSc MCSP, has been training our veterinary nurses in the safe application of simple physiotherapy techniques to improve inpatient care and advising on rehabilitation programmes for animals following neurological insult or surgery. By working closely with veterinary surgeons, nurses and owners, physiotherapy provides an holistic approach to patient care and helps to optimise recovery from injury. Top Award for PhD Student – Again! Chris Deaton has, for the second year running, been awarded the Joan O'Brien Research Award. He was presented with his award at the Veterinary and Comparative Respiratory Society Meeting in San Antonio, Texas which took place 2nd–5th October 2003. The award is presented to the ‘outstanding graduate student research presentation’. Chris’ presentation was entitled "Pulmonary Antioxidants and Oxidative Stress in Healthy and RAO-affected Horses Following Acute Antigen Exposure". This may sound rather technical but, in layman’s terms, it is the study of horses’ lungs and potential new ways of treating recurrent airway obstruction which is sometimes referred to as ‘broken wind’. The Trust has a team of respiratory physiologists, headed by Dr David Marlin, which studies horses with such problems and the best way to treat them. The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, part of the Mars Group and based in Melton Mowbray, generously funds Chris’ PhD. The Trust is very grateful for their continued support of its work. Our current Appeal is for equipment that will allow us to increase the use of minimally invasive surgery (more commonly known as keyhole surgery). The first step is to buy a new imaging system which will enable us to see into the chest and abdominal cavities of cats and dogs, and specialist instruments that will allow us to operate using a relatively small incision. The cost is an estimated £12,900 for the imaging system and £9,500 for the specialist surgical equipment – a total of £22,400. So far , we have raised £14,241.32. This leaves us with £8,158.68 to go. If you would like to make a donation towards the cost of this equipment, please complete the form at the back of this Newsletter, or call 08700 502380. Spreading the word It has always been a strong aim of the Trust not only to gain new information through our research programmes but to pass this on as quickly and widely as possible. It was pleasing, therefore, to note how well we were represented at the recent Cheltenham Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Seminar . Throughout a full day’ s meeting, 9 speakers addressed an audience of nearly 400 trainers, breeders, owners and vets. Four of these were from the Trust: Richard Newton spoke about the perennial problem of ‘nosebleeds’ in athletic horses. He described work being undertaken at the Trust to understand the cause of this and to develop means of prevention. He put forward a new theory, based on his most recent work, which suggests that firm ground, resulting from hot, dry weather such as we experienced during last summer, may be an important factor. Lesley Young described her study of 2003 Cheltenham equine heart size and its importance to athletic performance. She found that racehorses with lar ger than average hearts are more likely to be successful, particularly in long races. Elizabeth Ely had been investigating the frequency of tendon injury and fractures in National Hunt horses and found that the risk factors related to individual trainer and age of horse. Kristien Verheyen reported on risk factors associated specifically with sore shins in racehorses. She found that the condition is more common in young Thoroughbreds, and is also related to training regimes. This type of research, reported directly to those responsible for the management of horses, can result in an immediate effect on equine welfare and this is our ultimate aim. Throughout each year , our staff deliver lectures to a wide range of audiences, both in the UK and overseas, and this ensures that our work benefits as much of the companion animal One of our clients, Henry, relaxed about his visit to the AHT with owner Helen Macaulay! Supporting the Animal Health Trust Our research programme has resulted in numerous successes ranging from the development of vaccines for distemper in dogs and influenza in horses to the discovery of the causes of many hereditary diseases. These achievements would not have been possible were it not for the incredible generosity of our members and supporters. The Animal Health Trust needs your help for this to continue. Registered Charity No. 209642 Donation Form Mr, Mrs etc. ________________ Initials ______________ Surname ______________________________________________ Address________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Postcode ________________________________ Amount of donation £ _______________ (please make cheques payable to ‘Animal Health Trust’) Credit/Debit card: Card No: Mastercard Visa Switch Delta CAF Card Issue No. (Switch only) Expiry: Signature ______________________________________________________________________________________________ If you wish to make a regular annual donation of the above amount, please complete the direct debit instruction below. Which month would you like this to start? Month_________________________________ (please allow 2 weeks from sending us this form) By signing the Gift Aid Declaration below, you can increase the value of your donation to the Trust by 28% AT NO COST TO YOU. Gift Aid Declaration I wish the Animal Health Trust to treat all donations I have made since 6th April 2000, until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations. Signature: _________________________________________ Date: __________________________________ (see notes overleaf ) (Do not detach) Instruction to your Bank or Building Society to pay Direct Debits Please complete this form using a ballpoint pen and send to: Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU Originator’s Identification No. 9 5 4 3 4 5 1. Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society branch 4. Bank or Building Society account number To: The Manager ______________________________________________ ________________________________________Bank or Building Society 5. AHT reference number (if applicable) Address ______________________________________________________ ________________________________Postcode ____________________ 6. Instruction to your Bank or Building Society Please pay Animal Health Trust Direct Debits from the account detailed on this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by The Direct Debit Guarantee. Signature(s) __________________________________________________ 3. Branch code (from the top right hand corner of your cheque) _________________________________Date_______________________ Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account. AHT News 51 2. Name(s) of account holder(s) Gift Aid Notes 1. If your declaration covers donations you may make in the future: • please notify the Animal Health Trust if you change your name or address while the declaration is still in force. • you can cancel the declaration at any time by notifying the Animal Health Trust - it will then not apply to donations you make on or after the date of cancellation or such later date as you specify. 2. You must pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax that the Animal Health Trust reclaims on your donations in the tax year (currently 28p for each £1 you give). 3. If, in the future, your circumstances change and you no longer pay income tax and/or capital gains tax equal to the tax that the Animal Health Trust reclaims, you should cancel your declaration (see Note 1). 4. If you pay tax at the higher rate, you can claim further tax relief in your Self Assessment Tax Return. 5. If you are unsure whether your donations qualify for Gift Aid tax relief, please telephone the Animal Health Trust Fundraising Department on 08700 502380; or you can ask your local tax office for leaflet IR113 Gift Aid. The Direct Debit Guarantee • This Guarantee is offered by all Banks and Building Societies that take part in the Direct Debit Scheme. The efficiency and security of the Scheme is monitored and protected by your own Bank or Building Society. • If the amount to be paid or the payment dates change, you will be told of this at least fourteen days in advance. • If an error is made by the Animal Health Trust or your Bank or Building Society, you are guaranteed a full and immediate refund from your branch of the amount paid. • You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by writing to your Bank or Building Society. Please also send a copy of your letter to us. Please send the completed form to: Animal Health Trust Lanwades Park Kentford Newmarket Suffolk CB8 7UU For further information, please call 08700 502380 or email trust3@aht.org.uk