Wild boar can be carriers of various pathogens with zoonotic potential or danger to domestic pigs. With increasing wild boar populations in Europe over the last decades, the risk of disease transmission has also increased. This study investigated the prevalence of selected pathogens of relevance in Austrian wild boar: hepatitis E virus (HEV), suid alphaherpesvirus 1 (SuAHV-1), influenza Avirus (IAV), Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. Tissue samples of 257 wild boar (116 spleens and 141 organ pools, comprising tonsil, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, lung and kidney) collected in 2022 were analysed by PCR. H EV was found in five organ pools (3.5%) and three spleen samples (2.6%). Subsequent sequencing allowed the identification of subtypes 3a, 3i and one unassigned subtype. SuAHV-1 was detected in none of the organ pools but in two spleen samples (1.7 %).IAV was detected in four organ pools (2.8%). Brucella were found in two organ pools (1.4%) and seven spleens (6%). While intermediate Leptospira could be detected in two organ pools (1.4%) and two spleens (1.7%), all samples were negative for pathogenic Leptospira. Although overall preva Fences seem low, we cannot exclude the possibility of former infections since we could not test for the presence of antibodies due to the lack of blood samples. Our findings highlight the relevance of wild boar in the epidemiology of multiple infectious agents and the need for continuous surveillance to better assess the potential risks associated with infectious diseases in wild boar populations.
The increasing importance of pets as family members goes hand in hand with rising demands for high-quality medical care and thus higher treatment costs. Pet health insurance is often discussed as a solution for securing financial risks. The aim of this study was to assess the status quo of pet health insurance in Germany, evaluate obstacles and opportunities in billing, and examine the expectations and wishes of veterinarians regarding its integration into everyday veterinary practice. As part of a nationwide study among licensed veterinarians, sociodemographic data, assessments of profit distribution, experiences in everyday practice, and cooperation with insurance companies were recorded. According to veterinarians, the proportion of dogs, cats, and horses with health insurance has risen significantly in recent years. Younger veterinarians in particular, who are employed in larger units, view this development positively. Overall, however, veterinarians see room for improvement in the implementation of transparent pricing schemes and the administrative burden induced by insurances. The results show that although veterinarians have mixed feelings about the increasing importance of TKV in everyday practice, they nevertheless consider it to be a key factor in improving veterinary care in the coming years.
The anatomy and physiology of the avian lungshow striking differences to the mammalian respiratory tract. While three body cavities are observed in mammals, birds show a more pronounced compartmenta Fization via tight septa and ligaments, which allow constant lungvolume. The airflow in birds is unidirectional, and supported by an air-sac system, which works like "bellows" forcing air to flow through the lung gas exchange area. For properventilation, free movement of sternum and ribs is essential, therefore handling of birds must consider these anatomical features in order to prevent stress for the animals. The gas exchange takes place at the very thin blood-gas-barrier in the pa rabronchi allowing more efficient gas exchange compared to mammals. Respiratory efficacy may be impacted by various insults such as infectious and non-infectious causes, which can lead to space consuming lesions, swelling of blood-gas-barrier or loss of respiratory surface through inflammatory processes. These impairments may be subdinicaF, but can in case of catching, loading and transfer to the daughter-house affect the bird's health. MacroscopicaF investigations of birds dead on arrival at the slaughterhouse indicated that frequent causes of mortality are associated with individual dispositions such as infectious diseases, followed by heart and circulation disorders. The different catching procedures may not differ in their impact on the overall breathing activity as long as this process is short. Healthy birds show high resilience and compensation of possible impacts on the respiratory activity. Based on the literature the impact of catching and crating on the bird's wellbeing can be considered of muFtifactorid nature. The gentlest method for the bird should beselected based on evaluation of the conditions on site, which includes the housing system such as aviary versus floor housing, the bird's genotype, age and health status as weFF as factors including ambient temperature.
The epizootic disease situation in Germany remains tense due to African swine fever (ASF) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI). A well-designed biosecurity concept is currently the onFy way to prevent the introduction of epizootic diseases into farms. However, the effectiveness of biosecurity measures is difficult to assess in practice. It can onFy be demonstrated by the absence of epizootic diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether biosecurity level has a measurable effect on the two animaF heaFth parameters examined, namely animaF losses and slaughterhouse observations. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted among German pig and poultry farmers, collecting both the biosecurity measures implemented and the corresponding animaF heaFth data. No statistically significant differences in these animal health parameters were found between high and [ow biosecurity Fevek examined. However, the recorded anima[ heaFth parameters appeared to be of limited use in reflecting smaFF differences in biosecurity Fevek, a [though the lack of statistical significance does not necessarily imply the absence of actual effects. Possible explanations include the relatively high level of animal heaFth on the participating farms, the comparatively small sample size and the strong influence of other factors, such as feeding, management and housing conditions, on animaF heaFth.
The admission criteria for veterinary medicine students in Germany were changed in 2020, with the elimination of the waiting period quota and other assessment procedures and the reintroduction of the Test for Medical Studies (TMS). A nationwide online survey was conducted to investigate whether this resulted in changes in the educational background of successful applicants. Responses from 1,525 veterinary medicine students were evaluated, corresponding to a response rate of 24%. Both before and after the change, almost all participants (97%) had obtained a general higher education entrance qualification. There were also no differences between the two cohorts with regard to high school grades or the proportion of first-generation students. As of 2020, 64% of survey participants had taken part in the vo[untary TMS. Those who had not taken part either considered it unnecessary due to their high school graduation grades, were unaware of the TMS or [earned about it too [ate. Students who were admitted under the old procedure were slightly less likely to had completed vocational training before starting their studies than students who began their studies in 2020 (34.1% and 38.7%, respectively; p=0.094). In the cohorts from 2020 onwards, vocational training as veterinary nurse have completed significantly more often while less persons had completed vocational training that was not recognized for veterinary studies (p <0,001). Frequently named reasons forvocational training were an inadequate high school grade for veterinary studies or the desire to gain professional experience. Most participants supported weighting completed externships more heavily in the admission process. Except for the higher rate ofvocational training as veterinary nurses, the results show that the changed admission procedure did not result in sig nificant differences in the educational background of participating students who successfully applied for veterinary studies during the study period.
