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Despite intensive research efforts into understanding the pathophysiology of both chronic wounds and scar formation, and the development of wound care strategies to target both healing extremes, problematic wounds in human health care remain a formidable challenge. Although valuable fundamental information regarding the pathophysiology of problematic wounds can be gained from in vitro investigations and in vivo studies performed in laboratory animal models, the lack of concordance with human pathophysiology has been cited as a major impediment to translational research in human wound care. Therefore, the identification of superior clinical models for both chronic wounds and scarring disorders should be a high priority for scientists who work in the field of human wound healing research. To be successful, translational wound healing research should function as an intellectual ecosystem in which information flows from basic science researchers using in vitro and in vivo models to clinicians and back again from the clinical investigators to the basic scientists. Integral to the efficiency of this process is the incorporation of models which can accurately predict clinical success. The aim of this review is to describe the potential advantages and limitations of using clinical companion animals (primarily dogs and cats) as translational models for cutaneous wound healing research by describing comparative aspects of wound healing in these species, common acute and chronic cutaneous wounds in clinical canine and feline patients, and the infrastructure that currently exists in veterinary medicine which may facilitate translational studies and simultaneously benefit both veterinary and human wound care patients., (© 2013 by the Wound Healing Society.)

This study determined skills required of entry-level veterinarians for dairy practice in western Canada and compared mixed and dairy practitioners in the skills that they perform. We surveyed western Canadian veterinarians involved in dairy practice, focusing primarily on clinical activity of respondents. Response rate was 39.4% (281/714). Respondents were classified as either mixed practitioners (< 10% time in dairy practice) or dairy practitioners (> 75% time in dairy practice). For both groups, individual animal medicine and surgery skills were performed more commonly than herd health skills. The most important skills identified were those required for basic theriogenology, physical examination, treatment of common disorders, and general surgery. These results underscore the continued importance of individual animal skills in food animal practice in western Canada.

The Ontario Farm call Surveillance Project (OFSP) was a practitioner-based, syndromic surveillance system for livestock disease. Three data-recording methods (paper, web-based, and handheld electronic) used by participating veterinarians were compared for timeliness (when the report arrived at the OFSP office), completeness of the report, and the usage and costs of incentives offered to veterinarians as compensation for their time to record data. There were no statistically significant differences in these parameters among the 3 data-recording methods. This indicates that different data-recording methods can be used within a single veterinary surveillance program while maintaining data integrity and timely reporting. Factors such as ease of data collection and providing incentives valued by veterinarians ensured high compliance and long-term participation in the project. It also increased the diversity of the participant group, reducing the likelihood of biased data submissions.

Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, concern for the future direction of biological research has expanded to include not only issues involving the welfare of mankind, but also the more immediate and personal concern of individual scientists in the life sciences community. For many investigators in the life sciences, the remainder of their careers will be impacted by concerns about bioterrorism and issues associated with dual-use research. Awareness of these issues will be critical for all professional groups and affiliated organizations as they navigate the growing call for more federal rules and regulations. Veterinarians are not immune to the coming changes in science; all researchers risk criminal sanctions if they violate the USA Patriot Act or the Bioterrorism Act of 2002. Compliance with these regulations will be necessary, not just because of the potential legal ramifications, but because establishing and maintaining public trust is a never-ending requirement for the future of scientific research.

Even though privately-owned pet care is a lower priority mission than military working dog care, food inspection,and the public health mission, it is still very important,and the one that many Veterinary Corps officers, civil-ian veterinarians, and technicians enjoy the most. The vast majority of veterinarians and technicians went into veterinary medicine because of a love for animals. It is fulfilling to offer guidance to a client with a new puppy or kitten, see a sick pet improve after treatment, and interact with dozens of animals and clients in a day. The services provided by the Army Veterinary Corps in car-ing for pets has expanded over the years and the standard of care has improved as well. It is truly a privilege to serve those who dedicate themselves to the protection of our Nation. The Army Veterinary Corps is indeed proud to provide care to the pets of Warfighters of the Army,Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; their family members; and our military retirees.

Objectives: To quantitatively assess the learning curve for the tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) procedure performed by a single surgeon using the cumulative summation (CUSUM) technique and to determine if surgeon performance remained under control (i.e. within specified quality boundaries) after the learning curve had been climbed., Study Design: Retrospective study., Animals: Dogs (n = 122) with cranial cruciate ligament deficient stifles (n = 167)., Methods: Records of all dogs that had a TTA procedure performed by the same surgeon were reviewed. Cases were included if the following information was available: weight, breed, date of surgery, presence of partial or full cruciate rupture, meniscal pathology, occurrence and description of postoperative complications and treatment with a minimum of 12 months follow-up. Patients were excluded if they had a concurrent illness. Major complications were defined as those requiring revision surgery. The CUSUM technique was used to determine the time taken for the surgeon to reach a pre-defined level of competency and to monitor ongoing performance., Results: Major complications occurred in 15 out of 167 procedures (9%) within 12 months of TTA surgery. The complication rate decreased as surgical experience was gained with the technique, however the learning curve continued until the 22nd procedure. Thereafter, despite the target complication rate being re-set at a lower level, the surgeon's performance remained acceptable, i.e. within the revised quality boundary., Clinical Significance: The CUSUM technique was used for clinical audit, to determine the learning curve for the TTA procedure for a single surgeon, and to monitor ongoing performance. An experienced general practitioner had a learning curve of 22 procedures and complication rates were within the published ranges.

Inter-country travel of companion animals provides an opportunity for introduction of zoonotic pathogens, such as rabies virus and Echinococcus spp. Regulations are in place to control this threat, but Schengen Agreements mean that border controls between some European countries are minimal, and animals may enter countries without any checks that they have been appropriately treated. Veterinarians provide an important source of information for people intending to travel with their pets. We conducted a telephone survey to investigate provision of correct advice to someone intending to travel with their dog to Norway. Mainland Norway is considered free of both rabies and E. multilocularis and is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement. Ten randomly selected veterinary clinics were surveyed in Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom. The information provided was scored as correct, incorrect or incomplete. The information provided by secondary information sources (website or government agency), which the clinic had referred the caller to, was also assessed (correct, incorrect, incomplete). Whilst the majority of clinics provided appropriate information regarding rabies, many clinics did not provide correct information regarding treatment for E. multilocularis. Less than one in 10 clinics provided the correct information regarding both pathogens directly at the time of calling. The correct information was obtained, once taking into account secondary sources, just 62% of the time. Countrywise, most clinics in Finland provided correct advice, either directly or indirectly via referring the caller to another source, whilst the majority in Belgium, Germany and France did not. The apparent paucity of readily accessible, correct advice for owners intending to travel with their dogs is concerning. The compulsory treatment regulations are only as good as the checks that ensure compliance, and this is also lacking in some countries., (2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH)

Objective: To quantify owner concerns regarding clinical signs in canine patients receiving chemotherapy and to assess degree of concordance between client and veterinarian concerns regarding patient quality of life., Methods: Retrospective analysis of owner-reported concerns during chemotherapy treatment. Owner-reported adverse events were recorded sequentially for each patient through a partially open design questionnaire and correlated with veterinary patient summaries for each visit. Canine patients treated for transitional cell carcinoma, haemangiosarcoma, malignant melanoma or osteosarcoma were eligible for inclusion. Minimum treatment eligibility was two chemotherapy treatments given in 21-day protocol cycles, with a maximum of six treatment cycles recorded., Results: A total of 553 evaluable visits, seen by 18 oncology clinicians, were assessed. Owners expressed concern before chemotherapy in 48% of visits. Owner concerns at the first visit did not differ significantly from those expressed at the sixth visit. Remission status was a significant factor in owners' rate of reporting concerns. Diarrhoea grade was associated with owners' concerns. Clinician gender was not associated with responsiveness to owners' concerns., Clinical Significance: Questionnaire-based surveys appear to be an effective tool for communicating dog owners' concerns regarding chemotherapy and potentially for monitoring a clinician's attentiveness. Owners expressed concerns at approximately half of chemotherapy appointments., (© 2012 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.)

Objectives: ACVS Diplomates were surveyed to identify a complete list of core surgical skills, determine the expected frequency of use of these skills, and ascertain the level of skills proficiency expected of entry-level practicing veterinarians., Study Design: Internet-based survey., Sample Population: Randomly chosen ACVS Diplomates (n = 750)., Methods: Rating scale items were used to construct the main portion of the survey with 26 skills that were scored by participants based on rankings of proficiency expected of entry-level veterinarians, as well as expected frequency of use of these skills. Additional demographic questions were included to gather information regarding gender, practice type, year of veterinary school, year of ACVS membership, job description, primary surgical discipline, practice location, average number of procedures performed on a weekly basis, and number of new graduates mentored in the last 5 years., Results: Of 337 Diplomates (44.9%) who responded to the survey, >60% expected entry-level graduates to have good skills with minimal supervision or complete skills for 21 of the 26 skills categories listed. More than 60% of respondents ranked 7 skills with a lower frequency score (seldom or occasionally use). Orthopedic instrument handling and fixation skills as well as electrosurgical and laser skills received some of the lowest expected proficiency and frequency rankings. No additional skills categories were identified in the open-ended survey questions., Conclusions: A complete list of core surgical skills was identified. There was broad consensus between boarded surgeons irrespective of their practice type, experience, or discipline for ranked proficiency and frequency scores among the core surgical skills expected of entry-level veterinarians., (© Copyright 2012 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) carries out Gap Analysis missions (if a country so wishes) as part of its programme to assess and improve the Performance of Veterinary Services (the 'PVS Pathway') in Member Countries. These Gap Analysis missions have found that many national Veterinary Services comply to only a limited extent with the international standards established by the OIE and that their competence is compromised by poor governance. This failure threatens animal and public health not only nationally but also internationally. The OIE PVS Gap Analysis reports reviewed found that all the Veterinary Services have a strong vision and commitmentto improvement but are held back by a weak chain of command, inadequate and outdated legislation, insufficient funding, weak technical competencies, compromised technical independence, poor communications and limited joint programmes. There are weaknesses across all the core technical areas of trade, animal health, veterinary public health and veterinary laboratories and also in the overall management of the Veterinary Services. The OIE PVS Gap Analysis missions recommend significant increases in budget in all countries.

Veterinary education serves as the foundation on which a country can build effective Veterinary Services (VS). In addition, an appropriately well-educated animal health workforce will be better poised to actively participate in and advance good governance practices. Good governance, in turn, will lead to improved animal and veterinary public heath infrastructures and help advance economic development across the globe. A crucial first step in establishing a strong educational foundation is to define minimum competencies for both public- and private-practice veterinarians to perform veterinary service tasks. Defining minimum competencies will also assist veterinary education establishments (VEEs) in developing and implementing curricula to allow graduates to achieve those competencies. Incorporating veterinary educational prerequisites and requirements into governance documents that regulate VS will help to ensure that those who deliver VS have an adequate knowledge and skills base to do so. Public-private partnerships may be particularly effective in designing and implementing curricula that address defined minimum competencies and assure the quality of VEEs. Through these partnerships, a system of continuous quality improvement is established that embodies the qualities essential to good governance practices. Such practices will ultimately strengthen national VS, better protect animal and public health, and ensure food security.

Objective: To identify a list of core surgical skills and determine the frequency of use and proficiency in performance of these skills expected of entry-level veterinarians by general practitioners., Design: Mail-based survey., Sample: 750 general practitioners randomly chosen from the AVMA membership database., Procedures: Survey respondents rated the proficiency and frequency of use expected of entry-level veterinarians in regard to 26 surgical skills. Demographic information (gender; graduation year; practice type, geographic location, and setting; number of veterinarians in practice; number of surgical procedures performed per week; and number of new graduates mentored in the past 5 years) of respondents was obtained., Results: 387 (52%) general practitioners responded to the survey. Greater than 60% of respondents expected new graduates to have high proficiency and require minimal supervision for 21 of 26 skills. Greater than 60% of respondents assigned 6 of the skills a low expected frequency of use rating. Orthopedic skills, creation of square knots by use of a 1-handed tie technique, and use of electrosurgical and laser instruments received some of the lowest ratings., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Core surgical skills were identified. Results indicated a broad consensus among general practitioners independent of demographic characteristics. Results may aid veterinary colleges in identification of the surgical skills that are most important to include in surgical curricula and for which new graduates should attain proficiency according to general practitioners.

NURSING CARE: The term nursing care means different things to different people. The authors of these AAFP and ISFM Feline-Friendly Nursing Care Guidelines define nursing care as any interaction between the cat and the veterinary team (veterinarian, technician or nurse, receptionist or other support staff) in the clinic, or between the cat and its owner at home, that promotes wellness or recovery from illness or injury and addresses the patient's physical and emotional wellbeing. Nursing care also helps the sick or convalescing cat engage in activities that it would be unable to perform without help. GUIDELINES RATIONALE: The purpose of the Guidelines is to help all members of the veterinary team understand the basic concepts of nursing care, both in the clinic and at home. This includes methods for keeping the patient warm, comfortable, well nourished, clean and groomed. The Guidelines provide numerous practical tips gleaned from the authors' many years of clinical experience and encourage veterinary team members to look at feline nursing care in ways they previously may not have considered. OVERARCHING GOAL: The primary goal of feline-friendly nursing care is to make the cat feel safe and secure throughout its medical experience.

The importance of veterinary herd health management (VHHM) is increasing in both dairy farming and veterinary practice. Little is known, however, about how VHHM is perceived by farmers in terms of structure, content and satisfaction. In 2007 a questionnaire, containing questions about these three items was therefore sent to 800 Dutch dairy farmers. Farmers received two questionnaires, one for participants in VHHM and one for non-participants, allowing them to choose the appropriate one. Results were summarized and statistically analyzed. Farmers who were participating in VHHM had better farm performance. They were satisfied with the way VHHM was executed on their farm. However, there were some pressure points. Goal setting and evaluation was still not a regular part of VHHM, even though it is said to be effective in literature. Time spent on VHHM not visible to the farmer was often not charged or not clearly specified on the bill. The differences in opinions between participants and non-participants of VHHM indicated a lack of communication and/or product differentiation. Satisfaction with the way VHHM was executed on the farm had no significant influence on 305-day production. There was, however, some influence on calving interval and bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC)., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) can distinguish congestive heart failure (CHF) from primary respiratory disease in cats with respiratory signs with approximately 90% diagnostic accuracy, but the additive benefit of NT-proBNP to improve the diagnosis obtained from conventional testing in individual cases remains unknown., Hypothesis: NT-proBNP will improve the diagnostic accuracy and confidence of general practice veterinarians in assessing cats with respiratory signs., Animals: Ten cats with respiratory signs., Methods: History, physical examination, thoracic radiographs, electrocardiogram (ECG), and biochemical analysis of 10 cats presented to the University of Pennsylvania or Tufts University with a history of respiratory signs were evaluated by 50 general practice veterinarians using an online survey tool. Participants were asked to provide (1) diagnosis of CHF or primary respiratory disease, and (2) level of confidence in their diagnosis (1, lowest to 10, highest) before and after disclosure of NT-proBNP results. Diagnoses (CHF, n = 5; primary respiratory, n = 5) were compared to the gold standard defined as consensus opinion of 3 board-certified cardiologists blinded to the NT-proBNP results., Results: Overall correctness of the practitioners was 69.2%, and significantly increased after practitioners were provided NT-proBNP results (87.0%, P = .0039). Median practitioner confidence before NT-proBNP disclosure was 6 (IQR, 5-8) and significantly increased after disclosure (8; IQR, 6-10; P = .0039)., Conclusions: These data indicate a relatively low accuracy and level of confidence in the diagnosis of feline respiratory signs. Use of NT-proBNP assay in conjunction with conventional evaluation by general practitioners significantly improved their diagnostic accuracy and confidence., (Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Point 1: the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education's (AVMA COE's) accreditation pro-cess is aimed at minimum training for entry-level veterinarians. This has a two-fold consequence: 1. The opportunity to discover the absolute minimum number of necessary resources is opened. While this is a threat to the standard model of veterinary education, it might have value if it is cost-efficient and students graduate with minimal or no debt. 2. There is no mechanism to measure training,research, or service programs above the minimum or beyond the entry level. Point 2: the implication of the minimum entry-level general standard is also two-fold: 1. We must measure performance above the mini-mum. A separate process is necessary (a) to develop and implement objective metrics and (b) to publicize superior achievement as opposed to minimal performance. 2. We must measure and publicize institutions or programs that advance the field beyond training entry-level veterinarians. Service, research, and training aimed at advancing the field, providing leadership, and improving public health and safety(One Health) require separate measurement and advocacy in order to obtain and justify the necessary resources. I conclude that in the absence of a new process by which to measure excellence, market forces will push the entire profession toward the most cost-effective method of providing minimal training for entry-level veterinarians. But what about the far more expensive goal of providing a global public good of which our profession is so proud?The public health and safety mission of veterinary medi-cine, including the entire One Health initiative, requires separate measurement in order to give objective metrics to the institutions and components of the profession committed to those goals to pursue vigorous advocacy and obtain or retain the necessary resources.

Employers of 2007-2009 graduates from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine were asked to respond to a survey regarding their overall satisfaction with their new employees as well as their new employees' preparation in several technical and non-technical skill areas. Seventy-five responses contained complete data and were used in the analysis. Four technical skill areas (data collection, data interpretation, planning, and taking action) and five non-technical skill areas (interpersonal skills, ability to deal with legal issues, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving) were identified. All of the skill area subscales listed above had appropriate reliability (Cronbach's alpha>0.70) and were positively and significantly correlated with overall employer satisfaction. Results of two simultaneous regression analyses indicated that of the four technical skill areas, taking action is the most salient predictor of employer satisfaction. Of the five non-technical skill areas, interpersonal skills, business skills, making referrals, and problem solving were the most important skills in predicting employer satisfaction. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that all technical skills explained 25% of the variation in employer satisfaction; non-technical skills explained an additional 42% of the variation in employer satisfaction.

The veterinary practitioner should base decisions concerning diagnostic procedures and treatments in practice on recent, valid and clinically relevant information. He may rely on journal papers, colleagues, the internet or other sources. It is a great challenge to find appropriate information in a reasonable time. Furthermore, the practitioner has to judge the information regarding its actuality and validity. Ideally, such information should provide a high level of evidence. This means that this information is more likely to be "correct". Good information can be obtained through high quality trials, such as randomized and blinded controlled clinical trials. Universities, publishers and professional organizations should promote editing of scientific information to support practitioners in decision making.