The keeping of exotic animals as pets should be restricted say vets

November 2013: The keeping of exotic animals as pets needs to be restricted says the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE), which represents veterinary surgeons from 38 countries, and have called upon the governments of to take action.

Whilst dogs and domestic cats may be the most conventional and numerous companion animals, or ‘pets’, wild animals, such as snakes and lizards, parrots and even meerkats and monkeys, are increasingly in demand across homes in Europe. Wild in nature and often unpredictable, these animals not only require specialised care, but they are potentially dangerous to people, can inflict severe physical injury and transmit harmful diseases. 

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Veterinarians seek dogs for snakebite anti-venom study - via Herp Digest

Press Release - University of Florida at Gainesville, 6/27/13 — Just in time for snakebite season, veterinarians at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine are recruiting dogs that were recently bitten by pit viper snakes for a study of an investigational anti-venom previously unavailable in the Southeast.

 “The investigational anti-venom has successfully been used in other parts of the country, as well as in Mexico and parts of Central America, but never previously in this area,” said Carsten Bandt, an assistant professor of emergency medicine and the service chief of emergency and critical care at UF’s Small Animal Hospital.

The purpose of this study is to test the potential benefits, safety, side effects and efficacy of the anti-venom known by the trade name of VenomVet. Dog owners have the option of receiving the standard anti-venom if they choose not to be involved with the study.

Dogs with moderate to severe signs of a pit viper snakebite, that have previously not been treated with steroids or other anti-venom and that are brought to the UF Small Animal Hospital emergency service within six hours of the bite, are eligible for inclusion in the study.

Participation includes treatment with the investigational anti-venom and a follow-up evaluation after the dog has been discharged from the hospital.

The investigational anti-venom is provided at no charge for participants, although the pet owners are responsible for other diagnostic and medical expenses as needed. A cost estimate is provided to the dog owner at the time of admission.

Pit vipers include venomous snakes of the Crotalinae family. Five species of pit vipers are found in the Southeast: copperhead, cottonmouth (also known as water moccasins), and three types of rattlesnakes — Eastern diamondback, pygmy and timber. All pit vipers have a small sensory pit, used to detect infrared radiation and locate prey, below each eye.

For more information about the study, contact Bandt or Luiz Bolfer at 352-392-2235 or visit http://research.vetmed.ufl.edu/clinical-trials/small-animal/research-study-on-the-clinical-use-of-an-investigational-anti-venom-for-dogs-with-a-snake-bite/

Vet Says Pot Use on Pets Could Put Off Putting Them Down

With several states deregulating marijuana in the past year, a California veterinarian is sparking debate over whether America's sick pets could benefit from some bud. 

Doug Kramer, the pet doctor behind the Vet Guru animal veterinary center, tells a compelling story of how his dog, Nikita, used a THC treatment to "increase her quality of life" while she suffered from untreatable cancer. 

"She had gone through all of the traditional pain medications, even steroids. When it became clear that she was nearing the end, that's when she had nothing to lose, as long as it didn't hurt her," the vet told Vice Magazine. "At the first dosage, she was up and around." 

Kramer sells a guide on his website that instructs readers how to create an herbal extract in their own home, though for legal reasons he has removed all references to medicinal marijuana in his book. He thinks treating pets with medicinal marijuana could help owners to put off putting their ill pets down without the guilt of knowing they are in pain. 

Continued: http://news.yahoo.com/vet-says-pot-pets-could-put-off-putting-102556019--abc-news-politics.html;_ylt=Ag9ESQEcs8bADzqQIYhiPlJ4hMgF;_ylu=X3oDMTRhOW8zYXF1BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBTY2llbmNlU0YgQW5pbWFsUGV0c1NTRgRwa2cDNDJjNTViZTctNzJjMy0zNzhlLTg2NWItZmFjZjQxNmUyZmY1BHBvcwMzBHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyAzUzMzQzMGIxLWI0ZDEtMTFlMi1hM2JkLTQyMWNkMzc3ZjQ5Yg--;_ylg=X3oDMTJoMWVkZG5kBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlfGFuaW1hbHNhbmRwZXRzBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QDUUVfVGVzdA--;_ylv=3

Vets and Medical Doctors Should Team Up to Tackle Diseases Transmitted from Animals to Humans

Apr. 23, 2013 — A new study at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp analyses the impact of animal brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis (BTB) on animals and people in urban, peri-urban and rural Niger. The World Health Organization (WHO) ranks them as major zoonoses, infectious diseases transmitted between species. The research maps risk factors for transmission of these diseases from animals to humans, indicating that closer collaboration between medical doctors and veterinarians is required. 

Interviews with the local population identified the main risk factors for transmission; consumption of unpasteurised milk, lack of hygiene in households, presence of coughing animals in the herd, and absence of quarantine. 

"Milk is an important source of protein in Niger. Animals graze in rural areas, but are brought to the city when lactating in order to be as close as possible to the consumer. Mapping these kind of dynamics provides vital information about the diseases and how they are transmitted," said Abdou Razac Boukary about his doctoral research at ITM and the University of Liège (Ulg). 

The study concludes that it is crucial to address the interlinks between humans, animals and the environment to control animal brucellosis and BTB. They are both an economic and a public health threat. While contagion is extremely unlikely in industrialised countries, the largest part of the world's population lives in areas where animal brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis are not under control. Hence, ITM calls for increased collaboration between animal and human health specialists in a so called "One Health" approach. 

"We should not forget that more than 60% of human pathogens originate from animals. But raising awareness about these relatively unknown diseases is also crucial from an economic perspective. According to an African saying, if livestock die so does the village," said ITM scientist Eric Thys, co-promoter of the thesis. 

Continued: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130423091039.htm

South Africa vets & hunters involved in rhino poaching

Vets supplying rhino poachers with knock out drug
July 2012. There is increasing evidence of the involvement of a series of vets in the poaching of rhinos in South Africa. Several vets have recently been found to be supplying M99, a drug 1000 times more powerful than morphine, and used to drug very large mammals. The use and supply of M99 are very restricted, yet it appears that it has been relatively easy to acquire in parts of South Africa.

The well documented case of rhino poaching kingpin Dawie Groenewald, his wife and their alleged co-conspirators, is the best known case. The carcasses of 20 rhinos were found buried on Groenewald's property in late 2010. The rhinos were missing their horns, which are of high value on black markets in Asia, particularly Vietnam.
Groenewald and his wife operate a safari tour company and according to investigators, they are said to be the masterminds behind the killings. Other suspects in the case include veterinarians and veterinary assistants, professional hunters and a helicopter pilot.

Head Kruger vet arrested
Two veterinarians and a professional hunter have been arrested in connection with the wrongful possession and distribution of veterinary drugs commonly used in rhino poaching. The accused Dr Douw Grobler, formerly head of the Kruger National Park's wildlife capturing and veterinary services unit, private vet Dr Johannes Gerhardus Kruger, and professional hunter Hugo Ras are accused of supplying a rhino-poaching syndicate with tranquillisers.

In March 2012, Christoffel Jacobus Lombard, Eugine Petrus van der Merwe and William Theuns Jooste were arrested and charged with possession of M99; Illegal entry upon land with a weapon; conspiracy to commit a restricted activity and fraud.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/rhino-m99.html