Introduction

Brachycephalic welfare has become an increasing concern over the past decade due to rise in ownership. In 2018, French Bulldogs became the UK’s most popular dog, overtaking the Labrador Retriever with an increase of 3000% in ownership in the past decade (BVA, 2023). The breeding practices and standards of brachycephalic dogs have been scrutinised in relation to animal welfare due to the concoction of pre-dispositions and disorders that are consequential to brachycephalic breeding and anatomy. This study aimed to establish Registered Veterinary Nurse’s opinions on the welfare and breeding practices of Brachycephalic dogs in the UK. The objectives of this study were to investigate RVN’s perceptions and beliefs on brachycephalic patients, interview RVN’s and explore the impact of nursing brachycephalic dogs, explore and identify how we can mitigate and improve the welfare and breeding practices of these breeds.

Materials and Methods

Data were collected through in-person interviews following a case study approach, using six RVNs in one veterinary hospital. The veterinary hospital and some participants were known to the researcher, therefore, to mitigate bias during the recruitment process, the researcher only had direct contact with the head veterinary nurse of the practice. Participants who met the study’s criteria voluntarily self-nominated for participation. Inclusion criteria were that participants had to have been registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for a minimum of three years and had experience working with brachycephalic dogs. To mitigate bias during interviews, the researcher had prepared interview questions, pre-approved by the Hartpury University Ethics Board. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, anonymised, then analysed following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) approach.

Results

The overarching theme for this study was RVN’s opinions on breeding and welfare practices, with seven themes identified: respiratory issues, other prevalent issues, emergencies, obstruction, regulations, education and RVN’s perceptions and opinions. Through analysis of the transcriptions, participants all identified concerns within these areas related to brachycephalic welfare. Participants expressed similar views on how to improve brachycephalic welfare and breeding practices, noting that the adverse impact of breeding on brachycephalic welfare has become normalised.

Conclusion

The data produced from this research portrayed the demand for further awareness and transparency within the veterinary community, breeders, and future owners to improve canine brachycephalic welfare in concurrence with breeding standards. Participants recommended that enhancing the education of both owners and breeders is essential for improving breeding practices and welfare standards. This improvement could be facilitated through pre-purchase consultations. Participants proposed implementing new or modifying existing breeding legislation and regulations. Limitations of this study included being conducted in one practice, meaning future research can apply this methodology and compare across a plethora of practice types such as general practice and referral. Further research could assess how breeding practices can be more regulated in the UK, and the implementation and benefits of pre-purchase consultations in veterinary practices.

Introduction

Veterinary environments can be stressful for dogs. Finding strategies to reduce this stress is a great concern, as it can be expressed through disruptive behavioural changes, such as aggression, that can impact a dog’s quality of care. Furthermore, stress can delay the healing process, which may prolong pain, subsequently impacting physiotherapy outcomes. Massage may be an effective way to reduce canine stress, as it increases serotonin and endorphin release, whilst decreasing cortisol levels. Previous research investigating this in dogs is lacking. However, studies have reported that stroking, a form of touch similar to effleurage massage, has this effect on dogs. Additionally, equine studies have found that massage reduces heart rate. There are conflicting findings within the research around the influence of owner presence on canine stress indicators, including heart rate and behaviour. Furthermore, there is a lack of research around the effect of both owner presence and effleurage massage on dogs in the veterinary environment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of owner presence or absence on heart rate and behaviour in canines undergoing effleurage massage.

Method

A total of 11 dogs and their owners participated in the study; participants volunteered to take part following the distribution of a recruitment email to all staff at Harper Adams University. All dogs were older than 1 year (mean age = 4.5 years old; SD = 2.69 years) and weighed between 10.6kg and 40.9kg (mean weight = 21.5kg; SD = 11.03kg). Each dog underwent four randomly allocated treatments: effleurage massage with their owner present (A), effleurage massage without their owner present (B), interacting normally with the researcher with their owner present (C), and interacting normally with the researcher without their owner present (D). Each treatment was performed at least 5 days apart. The study took place in a consulting room in the Veterinary Services Centre at Harper Adams University. Throughout each treatment, the dog’s heart rate was measured on entry of the treatment room; after a 5-minute exploration phase; and after 5-minutes and 10-minutes of treatment A, B, C, or D. All sessions were videotaped and then analysed using a behavioural ethogram; the total amount of stress behaviours shown in each treatment was documented. Data was then analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Ethical approval for the study was granted by Harper Adams University ethics committee.

Results

The sessions that involved owner presence and/or effleurage massage (treatments A, B, and C) caused a significant decrease in heart rate (p=0.037) compared to the treatment with no effleurage massage or owner present (Treatment D). Furthermore, owner presence significantly reduced the occurrence of canine stress behaviours (p=0.003) compared to owner absence. Effleurage massage did not significantly affect canine stress behaviours (p=0.959).

Conclusion

Owners should be encouraged to stay with their dog during veterinary consultations to decrease stress. Effleurage massage alone does not reduce canine stress levels. Further research is required on the effect of effleurage massage and owner presence on other biomarkers of stress such as cortisol.

Introduction

Orthopaedic patients require a carefully managed rehabilitation program with an emphasis on weight management, physical rest, use of complementary therapies and pain management. With most of the recovery period spent at home, client compliance is paramount in ensuring a smooth recovery period. Given that owner compliance is heavily linked to the quality of discharge procedures there was a need to conduct this study. Currently, there is no research assessing the effectiveness of orthopaedic discharge procedures prompting this study. This study aimed to analyse the effectiveness of current orthopaedic discharge procedures and identify areas that may need improvement. Recommendations to improve orthopaedic discharge procedures were made using literature from human medicine. With no other study investigating the effectiveness of orthopaedic discharge procedures this study serves as an important platform for other studies to help improve orthopaedic discharge procedures.

Method

With a mixed methodology approach, this study identified how the current orthopaedic procedures were conducted using an online survey and it understood owners’ perceptions of them via interviews. A sample size of 83 veterinary professionals was surveyed and 9 owners whose dogs had undergone orthopaedic surgery within the last 12 months were interviewed. Results of the interviews were thematically analysed to understand owners’ perceptions of orthopaedic discharge procedures. Data collected from surveys were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square as an inferential statistical test.

Results

This study found that most veterinary professionals lacked confidence in performing orthopaedic discharges, with only 12.5% (n=10) feeling completely confident. The study also revealed a need for better teaching on the topics of weight management and the effects of complementary therapies. It was found that owners felt overwhelmed by the recovery process and felt the need for greater communication and support. 87.95% (n=73) of veterinary professionals agreed and felt more could be done to improve discharge procedures. Data from both veterinary professionals and dog owners found that not enough emphasis was placed on weight management post-operatively which could hinder recovery. Owners that took part identified that while the information regarding medication was sufficient, most of the owners struggled to keep track of when medication was to be administered.

Conclusion

The study found that there was a need for greater emphasis on communication and interpersonal skill teachings for student veterinary professionals and found various other areas that lacked efficacy opening the doors to a range of further studies to improve discharge procedures. The use of a medication diary was recommended to help owners administer medication at appropriate times preventing double dosing. While this study found that both veterinary professionals and owners felt there was a need to improve orthopaedic discharge procedures, there is a need for further studies to implement suggested changes to improve them. This in turn could help improve the methods of carrying out veterinary discharges which could reduce client compliance-related complications helping improve animal welfare.

Introduction

Dog agility is a timed obstacle course for a dog to run while being guided by their handler. Courses include jumps, tunnels, and ramps which test a dog’s fitness and training and the owner’s ability to direct their dog. This requires advanced mental and physical capabilities from the dog including bursts of energy and quick direction changes. Jumping is a large part of agility competitions and the force on a dog’s limbs during landing is one of the main causes of injury to agility dogs. Pogue, Zink, and Kieves (2022), Birch and Lesniak (2013), and Pfau et al. (2011) evaluated how the height of a jump can affect the landing force on a dog’s limbs and the angle of the joints as they land, but there is minimal research on the effect of the width of the jump. The aim of this study was to investigate how altering the jump width can affect the peak ground reaction forces agility dogs experience on their forelimbs when landing.

Material and Methods

A sample of seven large agility dogs completed three different jump widths, 0cm, 25cm, and 50cm, three times each, landing on a pressure plate to measure the force on landing. Only large agility dogs that regularly took part in agility, were fit, healthy and between the ages of two and eight were included within the study. Any dogs with musculoskeletal pathologies and brachycephalic breeds were excluded from the study. The peak forces were divided by the dog’s weight before using SPSS to analyse the data. The Spearman’s Rho test was used to determine any correlation within the data.

Results

This study indicated there was no strong correlation between the force per kilogram on the landing forelimbs between any of the groups (r<0.5) except between the groups of ‘25cm Jump Landing Forelimb’ and ‘50cm Jump Landing Forelimb’ (rs(21) = .604, p = .004).

Discussion and Conclusion

Results from this study indicate that there is no correlation between width of the jump and the force per kilogram on the forelimb on landing of large agility dogs. These results could be applied to the agility industry by justifying the Kennel Club guidelines as appropriate for course and obstacle design. Results show that a large agility dog can jump a 50cm width without increasing the force on their limbs any more than a normal single hurdle, suggesting that these dogs can jump up to these widths without serious damage. For this research to be applied fully to help improve course design there needs to be further research to consider the impact angle, height of the jump, speed of agility dogs over different obstacles, on different surfaces and how each of these factors can affect the forces on dogs’ limbs.

Introduction

There is currently no veterinary research to support an optimal storage duration and method of sterile surgical instrumentation (SI) when using self-seal autoclave bags (SSABs). Multiple pieces of research in human healthcare have demonstrated the ability of sterilisation packaging materials in maintaining integrity and sterility for several months to years post sterilisation. Existing research could be used as a guide, but due to multiple limitations and the differing scientific field and medical environment, many findings cannot be extrapolated to clinical practice until further veterinary research is conducted. Research on storage duration and method of the most frequently used sterilisation packaging material in veterinary practice (SSABs) is lacking. Furthermore, optimal storage method in human medicine is inconclusive. The aims of this master’s degree research were to determine an ideal storage duration and method of single SI, packaged in SSABs and sterilised via autoclave, and to determine the current practice of sterilisation, storage methods and durations when using SSABs in practice. Furthermore, research on this topic was required as the use of SSABs should be considered in line with the Vet Sustain Greener Veterinary Practice Checklist to ensure practices are adhering to sustainability guidance.

Method

This mixed methods study consisted of a questionnaire to investigate the current procedures of autoclave sterilisation in practice. A non-randomised control study was conducted to assess sterility of 60 single instruments, packaged in SSABs and sterilised via autoclave to determine an ideal storage duration and method. SI was sterilised and stored for one, three and six months, in open (on open shelving) and closed (in a closed box) environments prior to transfer into individual jars containing sterile nutrient broth (NB) and subsequent incubation. Following a 48-hour incubation, samples of NB were analysed in a laboratory using a spectrophotometer (OD600) to assess for microbial contamination. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted on both data sets. It was predicted that results would be similar to those in existing human literature which demonstrated the ability of packaging materials in maintaining sterility for long durations.

Results

The questionnaire revealed the most common storage duration was between one and three months (n=40, 75.5%) prior to reprocessing. A statistically significant difference was not identified between the spectrophotometer values of the open and closed groups for all durations (one P=0.617, three P=0.918, six P=0.987). An overall 8.5% contamination rate was observed (n=5/59) with 5% (n=1) in group one, 10.5% (n=2) in group three and 10% (n=2) in group six. A statistically significant difference was identified between the spectrophotometer values of all storage duration groups (open and closed combined) (P=<0.001) but due to the small sample size and the distribution of the contaminated samples across the groups, the clinical significance of this result is questionable.

Conclusion

Research shows consistent findings with those in existing human literature suggesting longer storage durations do not impact the sterility of SI as 54 samples were sterile at the end of storage. Durations examined in the literature are significantly longer than those used in current practice which implies veterinary professionals are adopting a cautious approach to infection control procedures. If practices adhere to current evidence, savings could possibly be achieved in supply and labour costs without impacting patient care, in addition to improving sustainability performance. A prevention is better than cure approach is often adopted and as sterilisation is a major factor in the prevention of disease transmission, further research would be beneficial.

Introduction

A quality improvement audit was designed to help assess surgery length in the referral department to streamline the running and scheduling of procedures. It had been found that the surgeon was overbooked or running late for evening consultations and the practice needed to assess why this was. The impact of incorrectly estimating surgical time is reported in human medical literature with a negative impact on the hospital, staff and patients. Overbooking can add pressure and stress to the surgeon and their team, as well as impact patient safety.

Method

Ryan et al, 2022 found that 25% of human surgical cases were correctly estimated (1). Based on this study it was hypothesised that the veterinary surgeon would correctly estimate 30% of cases. Using 50 randomly selected referral surgery cases, the predicted and actual surgical time was audited. Data was collected from the anaesthetic sheet on the Smartflow (Idexx UK) system, and actual surgical time had been recorded by the nurse. The predicted time given by the surgeon was taken from the pre-operative checklist found on Smartflow. The results from the first audit were made available to the surgeon. A second audit of a further 50 cases was performed seven months later using the same method. The patients were a range of ages, species and procedure types. All cases audited had the same surgeon but had a different combination of nurses. A case was classed as being correctly estimated if it was on or below the time estimated.

Results

The audit results from 2023 found that the average predicted time was underestimated by 29 minutes, the surgeon correctly estimated 52% of cases. The second audit found that the average predicted time was underestimated by 19 minutes, the surgeon correctly estimated 70% of cases.

Conclusion

The ability to estimate time is not consistent with the findings in the human medical literature in which 25% of cases were correctly estimated, on average this surgeon was correct in 61% of cases therefore disproving the hypothesis. There is limited literature on this topic and further investigation into this would be beneficial. Frapwell et al (2022) audited a surgeon’s ability to estimate length and found a mean error of 33.3% which is marginally in line with the results of this study (2). When predicting time, they are only estimating surgical time. A series of inefficiencies may increase overall anaesthetic time possibility affecting the daily scheduling of procedures and an increased risk for the patient. Further research and discussion with the team on whether forms should be edited to help plan for longer anaesthetic times and not just the actual surgical time. This study has highlighted the need to increase the data numbers and to consider the categories of cases to prevent bias. This data can be carried forward within the veterinary industry to help better understand the need for correct planning and communication, create a better understanding of the effects of delayed starts or inefficiencies, and how these can affect the team and the patients.

Introduction

The occurrence of canine obesity is a significant problem in veterinary medicine, with an estimated prevalence of 40% in the United Kingdom (Wainwright et al., 2022). In 2016, upon recognition of the health implications, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association called for clearer definitions of canine obesity to be established, aiming for recognition as a disease and welfare concern. Literature reflects a lack of research into owner and veterinary professionals’ (VPs) perceptions towards canine obesity (White et al., 2011), despite human behaviours being a leading cause of canine weight gain (Orsolya et al., 2018). This investigation aimed to compare and contrast the perceptions of these two groups and identify the level of awareness towards this endemic.

Methodology

Using social media-based convenience sampling, two online questionnaires acquired data from 210 dog owners and 111 VPs, which were analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-squared and the corresponding permutation test were used to determine if significant associations exist between the perceptions of VPs and owners towards canine obesity. Additionally, thematic analysis was used to produce word clouds, displaying themes identified amongst the open question responses.

Results

Overall, respondents recognised canine obesity as a problem in the UK, however a statistically significant difference was found between the perceived severity of the endemic (P<0.001). VPs were consistently more confident in defining obesity, whilst significantly more owners were unsure. Owner-related factors were identified by both VPs and owners as the most significant contributors to canine obesity, yet discrepancies existed between how the two groups ranked the influence of the human-dog bond and education. In terms of practical experiences, notable differences emerged between VPs and owners. Whilst 95% (n=106) of VPs expressed confidence in discussing weight-related issues with clients, 36% (n=75) of owners reported that such discussions had never occurred. Both groups suggested that canine obesity is becoming “commonplace” and “normalised” within the UK, with a skewed societal perception of what qualifies as a normal canine weight and body condition.

Conclusion

The study revealed significant differences in the perceptions of VPs and owners towards canine obesity. These findings confirm previous research, highlighting a lack of understanding and omissions in the roles of both groups in managing and preventing the disease. Whilst respondents recognised obesity as a welfare concern, the estimated prevalence of canine obesity demonstrates potential misperceptions on the significance of animal welfare, highlighting the need for future studies into owner and VP understanding of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. If owners and VPs had a greater understanding of their roles in accordance with this act, as well as a shared perception towards the severity of this endemic, it is reasonable to suggest that they may be more proactive in the management of canine obesity. Further research is warranted to explore factors influencing these perceptions, to allow for targeted interventions to correct misconceptions and minimise the prevalence of canine obesity.

Introduction

The advancement of surgical techniques, as well as the everchanging relationship between humans and animals, necessitates the continuous re-evaluation of ethical decision making in modern veterinary practice. Every day in veterinary medicine decisions are made regarding ethical treatment, where reason and emotion are often at battle (Herzog, 2011). Canine major maxillofacial surgery (MMS) provides the opportunity for prolonged tumour-free remission for neoplasms of the oral cavity or maxillofacial composition (Lascelles et al., 2004). Though this opportunity is a privilege, it does not come without ethical implications, considering the view just because we can, does it mean we should? Understanding the ethical viewpoints employed by veterinary professionals is fundamental to the maintenance of animal welfare. Therefore, this study examines the veterinary nurse’s perception of the ethics of major maxillofacial surgery in dogs.

Materials and Methods

A total of seven semi-structured interviews were conducted over Microsoft Teams with four Registered Veterinary Nurses and three student veterinary nurses (SVNs). A pilot study was conducted with two SVNs to ascertain question relevance and order, amendments were made prior to the conduction of further interviews. Participants were obtained via self-selection and purposive sampling via participation advertisement on social media platforms. Those known to meet the inclusion criteria were approached to be recruited. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed with the Microsoft Teams transcription feature. Data was anonymised and transcripts were analysed in NVIVO for thematic analysis.

Results

Findings demonstrated that multiple factors influenced whether VNs deemed major maxillofacial surgery in dogs as ethical. The most significant finding was that all participants stated that MMS was unethical when performed on geriatric animals. Two participants deemed MMS as an unethical treatment choice irrespective of the patient’s age. All participants stated that owner compliance would influence whether MMS was deemed as ethical. The study found a correlation between years of experience and how life-altering MMS was perceived to be. Participants who had seen more cases had a more negative view of the surgery, with the two most experienced participants perceiving MMS to be entirely unethical. Four participants who had seen healed MMS patients expressed neutral or positive statements regarding the long-term outcome. Five out of seven participants subconsciously adopted deontological principles for their reasoning behind whether they deemed MMS as ethical.

Conclusion

Factors such as patient age and participant experience, as well as owner compliance, influenced how ethical the VN perceived MMS to be. MMS was deemed unethical when performed on geriatric animals, who unfortunately account for the majority of those with oral neoplasms requiring curative intent surgery. VNs with more years’ experience viewed MMS as more unethical and negative than those with fewer years’ experience, could this negative perception be due to more exposure to post-operative outcomes, patient quality of life and owner compliance? The results indicate a need for further ethical understanding and perhaps a standardised protocol that considers all patient factors to increase animal welfare by optimising ethical decision making. Ultimately, these ethical decisions lie in the hands of animal owners, responsibility lies with veterinary professionals to advise and inform clients to encourage the formation of an ethical decision. Perhaps a deeper understanding of ethical principles used for decision making will enable the VN to adopt a more comprehensive approach regarding the appropriateness of MMS.

Introduction

Obesity is a serious and prevalent problem in dogs. The causes are multifactorial, but owners play a key role and often struggle to feed and exercise in a way that supports appropriate weight management. Therefore, the present research developed and evaluated the acceptability of a health pack designed to help owners to manage the weight of their dogs.

Method

The pack was informed by previous research, behaviour change theory (i.e., the COM-B model, Michie, 2011), and focus groups with veterinary professionals to identify challenges and potential solutions. A series of workshops with dog owners provided feedback on the initial ideas. The acceptability of the materials and potential outcomes was evaluated in a pre-registered pilot trial (https://osf.io/e65wj) with a sample of 49 dog owners who were posted the pack and followed up an average of 56 days later. Ethical approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee at the University of Sheffield and the internal ethics committee at Purina.

Results

The pack included information on the importance of weight management, how to weigh and assess body condition score (BCS), a journal to track progress, an infographic illustrating the calorific value of treats, cards to help owners to manage difficult situations, and a collar tag for the dog. The evaluation suggested that most owners were willing to weigh their dog (88% of the sample) and assess BCS (98%). Most owners also reported using the pack (94%), and found it acceptable, as evidenced by agreement with items reflecting (i) affective attitudes (M = 3.89 on a 5-point scale, SD = 0.74), (ii) perceived effectiveness (M = 3.99, SD = 0.68), (iii) intervention coherence (M = 4.44, SD = 0.80), (iv) ethicality (M = 4.66, SD = 0.57), and (v) self-efficacy (M = 4.09, SD = 0.64), and disagreement with items reflecting (i) burden (M = 2.41, SD = 0.79) and (ii) opportunity costs (M = 2.23, SD = 0.99). The majority of owners also reported changing their behaviour as a result of using the pack (80%) and there was preliminary evidence that the weight and BCS of dogs was lower at follow-up (Ms = 17.06kg and 5.20, SDs = 9.44kg and 0.91. for weight and BCS respectively) than at baseline (Ms = 17.44kg and 5.70, SDs = 10.24kg and 1.14, respectively).

Conclusion

The findings illustrate the potential of a health pack for supporting dog owners and provide the basis for a larger RCT to formally evaluate effectiveness and identify which aspects of the pack were effective. Our suggestion would be that this RCT measure continued as well as initial use of the pack and independently assess weight and BCS (e.g., via vet nurses) at a series of appropriate follow-up points (e.g., 3 and 6 months). In addition to more formal evaluation of the effect of the pack on outcomes, future research might also think about how the pack might be used. The tools were designed to be used by owners independently of veterinary professionals. However, the pack might be used to support professionals to work with owners. For example, the pack could provide resources for owners to take home after a consultation. In this sense, the tools might facilitate conversations around weight that many veterinary professionals find difficult.