Abstract Background This quantitative study describes characteristics and career outcomes (in August 2024) of students completing research master's or PhD degrees in canine health and welfare who received not‐for‐profit funding between 2012 and 2018. Methods Historical canine health and welfare research funding data were used to identify research students whose subsequent career outcomes were established by visual scrutiny of public online databases. Data were anonymised, aggregated and analysed to determine overall career patterns. Results This cohort ( n = 50) comprised 23 veterinarians and 27 non‐veterinarians, with an approximately 4:1 female:male ratio. In 2024, 23 (50.0%) of the traceable prior students had secured a permanent job, but 63.0% of the prior students employed within academia were significantly less likely to have a permanent role than those working outside academia ( p = 0.002). All those employed remained within the science and health sector, and the majority (71.7%) worked in animal‐focused roles. Limitations This study is retrospective and quantitative and considers only the canine sector. Conclusion Postgraduate research degrees in canine health and welfare are undertaken by some veterinarians and non‐veterinarians and lead to varied subsequent employment opportunities. However, these results support wider concerns that early career pathways in academia provide less secure employment opportunities than comparable alternatives.
Background:Antiparasitic drugs used in companion animals may persist in the environment, contributing to ecological contamination and raising One Health concerns. Understanding behavioural patterns of veterinarians' prescription is essential for development of effective antiparasitic stewardship programmes. Methods:A survey of 29 questions was completed between 22 February and 6 March 2024 by 16 qualified veterinary surgeons selected through non-probability convenience sampling. The online platform JISC enabled creation and distribution of the survey. Descriptive statistics including percentages for the Likert-scale questions were used to explore nominal and ordinal data alongside the collection of demographic data. Results:Ease of administration was a primary consideration for 81% of respondents and client preference strongly influenced 44% of veterinarians in product selection. Only 6% of respondents agreed that environmental contamination and drug resistance guided their prescribing. Prophylactic administration was recognised as the most effective strategy by 63% of respondents. Notably only 38% of participants actively kept up to date with parasite treatment guidelines. Limitations:The sample size was 16 veterinarians and the geographic distribution of participants was limited. Conclusions:This study highlights regional and demographic factors influencing feline antiparasitic prescribing, emphasising the need for expanded surveillance beyond the studied UK regions. Despite growing concerns about environmental contamination and drug resistance, these factors have a minimal impact on antiparasitic prescribing practices.
Background:Students' sense of belonging is increasingly recognised as an important enabler of student engagement and wellbeing in health profession education. Understanding the role of students' sense of belonging in veterinary education may inform targeted interventions and guide further research in the discipline. This scoping review examined how belonging has been conceptualised in veterinary education literature and examined reported factors and outcomes associated with students' sense of belonging. Methods:A search was conducted across 11 databases, screening 1572 records. Studies were eligible if they addressed students' sense of belonging (or closely related constructs) in veterinary education and reported factors or outcomes. Eight studies met inclusion criteria and were synthesised thematically. Results:The analysis revealed the limited conceptualisation of belonging in veterinary education. Peer interactions can encourage students' sense of belonging, constituting a key enabler of sense of belonging. By contrast, lack of diversity in the veterinary programme, and experiences of discrimination and racism appeared to hinder students' sense of belonging, especially for diverse students. Academic performance and satisfaction were also associated with belonging. Conclusions:Current evidence is limited and conceptually inconsistent. While fostering peer connections and inclusive educational cultures appear to be promising enablers of belonging in veterinary education, further research is needed to more robustly evaluate potential interventions.
Background:Diet plays a critical role in promoting wellness and longevity in both humans and canines. Epigenetic ageing clocks have emerged as accurate tools for assessing biological ageing and evaluating dietary and lifestyle interventions in humans and mice. Methods:A dog-specific epigenetic ageing clock was developed and validated using buccal swab samples from domestic dogs aged 1.5 and 17 years. The clock exhibited a strong correlation with chronological age in both the training set (r = 0.99) and the validation set (r = 0.83). To investigate the impact of diet on epigenetic ageing, purebred pugs were assigned to either one group fed a minimally processed, human-grade food (MPHGF, n = 18 completed) or a processed, extruded dry kibble (EDK, n = 7 completed). Epigenetic age was assessed from buccal swabs collected at baseline and 6-month timepoints. Each dog served as its own control by calculating delta age (epigenetic age minus chronological age) over the study period. Results:Dogs fed with MPHGF diet exhibited a significant reduction in delta age, decreasing from 2.75 to 1.80 years over 6 months (p = 0.02), indicating a trend of slowed epigenetic ageing. In contrast, dogs fed with EDK diet exhibited no significant change in epigenetic ageing (p = 0.86). After sex-stratified analysis, females in the MPHGF group showed younger delta age at M6 than M0; however, not insignificant comparing to females in the EDK group. Conclusion:This study demonstrates the potential for dietary interventions to influence epigenetic ageing in dogs and provides a practical, quantitative framework for investigating healthy ageing in companion animals.
Background Diarrhoea in newborn calves, which occurs in the first month of life and is caused by various pathogens, poses a significant threat to livestock industries. Therefore, timely diagnosis of enteritis in calves can be advantageous.Objective This study aimed to determine the efficacy of faecal calprotectin as a biomarker indicating gastrointestinal inflammation and a method to distinguish diarrhoeic calves from healthy calves. Additionally, the applicability of a human enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for measuring faecal calprotectin in bovine samples was evaluated. The relationship between calprotectin and faecal score as an index of diarrhoea severity, and the correlation between calprotectin levels, albumin, albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) and serum electrolytes has also been investigated.Methods This study enrolled 34 Holstein neonatal calves, including 12 with diarrhoea and 22 healthy controls. A clinical assessment of faecal consistency was performed, and faecal samples were collected for ELISA measurement of calprotectin. Blood samples were taken to determine serum albumin and globulin concentrations, from which the AGR was calculated. The serum sodium (Na) and potassium (K) concentrations were also measured. Using SPSS (version 21) and appropriate statistical tests, associations between faecal calprotectin, albumin, AGR, Na, K and faecal scores were investigated.Results Compared with healthy calves, diarrhoeic calves had higher calprotectin levels and lower AGR levels. The serum K levels in diarrhoeic calves were higher, while the serum Na levels were lower. Faecal calprotectin concentration and serum Na levels were negatively correlated. Calves with faecal score 3, which indicated severe watery diarrhoea, had significantly higher calprotectin levels than those with lower scores.Conclusion Faecal calprotectin could represent a potential inflammatory biomarker for the diagnosis of neonatal calf diarrhoea, along with serum indicators.
