Characteristics and challenges of companion animal rescue organisations in New Zealand

AIMS

To describe the characteristics of companion animal rescue organisations (CARO) in New Zealand; to describe current capacity, resource limitations and challenges of CARO with a particular focus on cats and dogs; and to explore support for creating a national database of CARO in New Zealand.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was administered to CARO in New Zealand in May 2022. The survey asked about organisational characteristics, types and numbers of animals cared for, services provided, policies, staffing, funding sources, challenges, and attitudes towards a national database for rescue organisations. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and free-text comments were analysed for common themes.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 106/208 (51%) known CARO distributed across the country. These CARO provided services to an estimated 59,874 homeless animals annually with 86/106 (81%) providing services to cats and/or dogs. Primary services provided by CARO who cared for cats or dogs included rehoming (72/86; 84%) and housing (70/86; 81%) animals. Intake was managed through a combination of strategies. Donations (72/86; 82%) were the main funding source. The 62 registered charities were more likely to report being funded by grants than the 23 non-charities (39/62 (63%) vs. 1/23 (4%); p < 0.001), and non-charities were more likely to self-fund (18/23 (78%) vs. 20/62 (32%); p < 0.001). Nearly half of the CARO that provided workforce information (35/72; 49%) had a workforce of 10 or fewer including volunteers. A total of 5,699 people worked for 86 CARO that care for cats or dogs of whom 4,847 (85%) were part-time volunteers. Of the 72 cat and dog CARO who provided workforce information, 57/72 (79%) relied solely on volunteers.The majority of all 106 CARO respondents (78/106; 73%) indicated they were likely to register on a national database of CARO, subject to addressing concerns about time required and information security.CARO respondents described challenges of insufficient funding, access to veterinary services, and a shortage of volunteers and foster homes, with additional concerns including a lack of public awareness, supportive legislation, and resources. Financial support (90/106; 85%) and policy change (76/106; 72%) were preferred support options.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the significant role played by CARO in New Zealand and the challenges they face, emphasising the need for financial support, legislation, and initiatives extending beyond the rescue sector to reduce the number of animals being surrendered. The findings also suggest a willingness among CARO to participate in a national database.

Euthanasia of dogs and cats by veterinarians in New Zealand: protocols, procedures and experiences

AIMS

To collect data on protocols used by New Zealand veterinarians to perform euthanasia of dogs and cats, and to explore opinions towards the training they received in euthanasia during veterinary school.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was administered to all veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand. The survey asked respondents about their practices' policies for euthanasia; protocols for performing euthanasia of dogs and cats; opinions towards euthanasia training received in veterinary school; and subsequent experiences with euthanasia in practice. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and thematic analysis was performed on the free-text comments.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 361/1,448 (24.9%) veterinarians in companion or mixed animal practice. The mean number of dogs and cats euthanised each month were 7.2 (median 5; min 0; max 60) and 7.9 (median 5; min 0; max 60), respectively. Fewer than half of respondents reported that their clinic had a standard protocol for euthanising dogs (147/361; 40.7%) and cats (157/361; 43.5%). For euthanasia of dogs, 119/361 (32.9%) always used sedation while 71/361 (19.7%) indicated that they would not use sedation. For euthanasia of cats, 170/361 (47.1%) always used sedation while 53/361 (14.7%) indicated that they would not use sedation. Placement of IV catheters, methods for patient restraint, preferences towards the presence of owners during euthanasia, services provided with euthanasia, and discussions with owners were also highly variable and handled case-by-case depending on the client, patient, and clinical scenario. When asked about the euthanasia training received at veterinary school, it was generally ranked as below satisfactory, with approximately one third of respondents indicating that they received no training in dealing with emotional clients (113/361; 31.3%), sedation protocols for euthanasia (107/361; 29.6%), or managing compassion fatigue (132/361; 36.6%). Most respondents (268/361; 74.2%) received no formal training in euthanasia after graduation and learned from experience or discussions with colleagues. Providing animals and owners with a good experience during the euthanasia process was highlighted as important for managing compassion fatigue.

CONCLUSIONS

Euthanasia is a common procedure in companion animal practice and there is considerable variation in how veterinarians approach both the technical and non-technical elements. Training provided during veterinary school was generally considered below satisfactory, particularly regarding managing compassion fatigue and clients' emotional needs.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Providing veterinarians with additional training on adapting their euthanasia protocols to different clinical scenarios may improve the experience for patients, owners and veterinary staff.

Practices and opinions of New Zealand sheep farmers towards pain management in lambs during castration and/or tail docking

AIMS

To collect baseline data from New Zealand sheep farmers on techniques for docking and castrating lambs, their perceptions of the level of pain lambs experience following these procedures, and their opinions about the use of pain relief.

METHODS

From a voluntary cross-sectional survey of New Zealand sheep farmers, descriptive statistics were provided for quantitative study variables. Thematic analysis was performed on the free-text comments. Univariable logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with farmers indicating they would consider using a device allowing administration of pain relief simultaneously with castration and tail docking.

RESULTS

There were 432 survey responses containing sufficiently complete data for analysis. Of the 340 individuals (77.5%) always or sometime performing castration of ram lambs, 242 (72.2%) used rubber rings for complete castration, 23 (6.9%) used the short scrotum method for cryptorchid castration, and 75 (22.4%) used a combination of both methods. Of the 423 individuals (97.9%) who indicated that they always or sometimes performed tail docking, 245 (57.9%) used a hot iron only, 148 (35.0%) used a rubber ring only, 26 (5.8%) used both methods, 3 (0.7%) used a surgical knife, and 1 (0.2%) provided no response. Less than 2% of respondents always or sometimes used pain relief for these procedures. Of the 432 respondents, 139 (32.2%) and 180 (41.7%) strongly agreed that castration and tail docking do not cause sufficient pain to warrant using pain relief, respectively. Time and cost were identified as major barriers to providing pain relief. In the unadjusted logistic regression analyses, respondents who were female, had high levels of education, had been farming < 20 years, who believed lambs experienced high levels of pain following the procedures, and who believed pain lasted longer than 6 hours, were more likely to indicate willingness to use pain control devices.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Our results suggest very few New Zealand sheep farmers currently provide lambs with pain relief following tail docking or castration. This is likely due to the perception that the procedures are not painful enough to warrant pain relief, and concern over time and cost. This highlights the need to educate farmers about lamb pain and distress following tail docking and castration, and its negative impact on animal welfare. Farmers also need pain relief techniques and tools that can be administered simultaneously with these procedures to save time and labour cost.

Cross-sectional survey of barriers and opportunities for engaging backyard poultry producers and veterinarians in addressing poultry health

AIMS

To assess the current level of engagement between backyard poultry keepers and veterinarians in New Zealand; to understand the opportunities and barriers for improving access to poultry health care; and to gauge the interest of backyard poultry keepers in participating in a voluntary national poultry health information system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Backyard poultry were defined as any bird species kept for non-commercial purposes. Separate cross-sectional surveys were administered to backyard poultry keepers and veterinarians in New Zealand over 12-week periods starting 22 March 2021 and 03 May 2021 respectively. The veterinarian survey was advertised in the monthly update e-mail from the Veterinary Council of New Zealand, while the survey for backyard poultry keepers was advertised on various online platforms that focus on raising backyard poultry. Results for quantitative variables were reported as basic descriptive statistics, while qualitative free-text responses from open-ended questions were explored using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 125 backyard poultry keepers and 35 veterinarians completed the survey. Almost half (56/125; 44.8%) of backyard poultry keepers reported that they had never taken their birds to a veterinarian, with common reasons being difficulty finding a veterinarian, cost of treatment, and perceptions that most visits result in the bird being euthanised. The majority (113/125; 90.4%) of backyard poultry keepers reported that a general internet search was their primary source for poultry health advice. However, it remains unclear if owners were satisfied with the advice found online, as many cited that having access to reliable health information would be an incentive for registering with a poultry health information system. Of the veterinarian responses, 29/35 (82.9%) reported treating an increasing number of poultry in the last 5 years, although many (27/35; 77.1%) suggested they would be hesitant to increase their poultry caseload due to concerns over their lack of knowledge and confidence in poultry medicine; a lack of clinic resources to treat poultry; concerns over the cost-effectiveness of treatments; and a general feeling of helplessness when treating poultry, with most consultations being for end-stage disease and euthanasia.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study highlight opportunities for increased engagement between backyard poultry keepers and veterinarians, including making available accurate poultry health information and providing veterinarians with improved training in poultry medicine. The results also support the development of a poultry health information system in New Zealand to further enhance health and welfare in backyard poultry populations.

Phenology, Development, and Parasitism of Allium Leafminer (Diptera: Agromyzidae), a Recent Invasive Species in the United States

Allium leafminer, Phytomyza gymnostoma (Diptera: Agromyzidae), is an invasive species first recorded in the Western Hemisphere in 2015 and has expanded its range into northeastern and MidAtlantic states. Its host range encompasses Allium species grown for food and ornamentals, weedy species, species used for pollinator provisioning, and species of conservation concern. Using field and laboratory studies, we advanced methods for rearing, developed a phenology model for spring emergence, describe pupal development, and report on parasitism. Spring emergence was best detected by scouting wild alliums as opposed to emergence cages, and modeled using 350 degree-days above a lower threshold of 1.0°C. Spring adult flight occurred for about 5 wk. Larval development required 22 and 20 d at 17.5 and 25°C, respectively. Pupal development progressed along a color gradient, and an initial presence of fat cell clusters and an air bubble, followed by an exarate pupa. Pupal developed at 3-5% per day at 3°C and reached 25% per day at 21.5°C, but development was not successful at 30°C. Although parasitism rates were low, we documented two Chalcidoidea parasitoids, Halticoptera circulus (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Chrysocharis oscinidis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Together, these data provide baseline information to advance IPM for this invasive species both in crops and noncrop areas.

Practices and opinions of New Zealand veterinarians regarding control of bovine viral diarrhoea

AIMS

To explore recommendations that New Zealand veterinarians make for diagnosing and managing bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) in cattle herds under different clinical scenarios and their opinions towards potential barriers and opportunities for implementing BVD control programmes in New Zealand.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of registered veterinarians in New Zealand was conducted in 2019. Respondents were asked about the approaches they would use to manage BVD under different clinical scenarios as well as their opinions on national BVD control. A subset of veterinarians completed a more in-depth survey providing additional free-text responses on a range of different BVD topics. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and the free-text responses were also analysed to generate further insights into veterinarians' perceptions towards BVD management.

RESULTS

The cross-sectional survey was completed by 101 of an estimated 870 (11.6%) cattle veterinarians. Thirty-five veterinarians completed the in-depth survey. There was wide variation in the BVD diagnostic testing and vaccination protocols that respondents recommended under different clinical scenarios. Annual bulk milk BVD testing was perceived as a valuable tool for initiating BVD discussions with dairy farmers. Respondents indicated that beef farmers were more difficult to engage in BVD control largely due to the logistical challenges of yarding cattle at the appropriate times to implement interventions, with many farmers only contacting veterinarians after experiencing a BVD outbreak Most respondents (91/101; 90%) believed it was possible to eradicate BVD from New Zealand, but cited lack of farmer awareness and poor compliance with management recommendations as significant barriers. The measure with the most support for inclusion in a compulsory national eradication programme was requiring farmers to declare the status of their animals prior to sale while the least supported measure was requiring farmers to double fence boundaries to prevent nose-to-nose contact with neighbouring stock. Although respondents highlighted the need for farmers and industry to support any national eradication programme in order for it to be successful, there was also recognition that veterinarians could be more pro-active in engaging with farmers particularly in discussions around the economics of BVD.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

While the survey respondents appeared to be highly supportive of BVD control, it was perceived that financial and logistical barriers existed that could impede farmer engagement. Further extension efforts may be needed to ensure that veterinarians are presenting clear and consistent recommendations about BVD management to farmers.Abbreviations: BVD: Bovine viral diarrhoea; NAIT: National Animal Identification and Tracing System; PI: Persistently infected.

Veterinary technology graduates' perceptions of their education and subsequent employment experiences

AIMS

To describe the current employment status of Bachelor of Veterinary Technology (BVetTech) graduates in New Zealand, to assess how well they felt that their degree programme had prepared them for practice, and to explore their experiences in their current job roles.

METHODS

All 195 individuals who completed the BVetTech degree at Massey University between 2011 and 2018 were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey regarding their education and employment experiences. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and thematic analysis was performed on the free-text survey comments.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 125/195 (64.1%) BVetTech graduates. Of these, 96/125 (76.8%) were engaged in full-time or part-time veterinary work. The most common work environments were small animal practice (55/125; 44.0%) and mixed animal practice (19/125; 15.2%). The median reported annual salary was NZ$42,640 (mean $45,817; min $34,515; max $80,000) while the median reported hourly wage was NZ$20.00 (mean $21.01; min $17.70; max $27.00). Most respondents generally agreed with statements that their degree had prepared them well for different aspects of their subsequent work as veterinary technologists with "understanding the scientific rationale behind clinical decisions in practice" and "gaining hands-on practical experience that directly linked with their classroom learning" highlighted as being the best aspects of their education. However, respondents expressed the need for more training in client interactions and veterinary business management. Common themes that emerged when respondents were asked to describe the best things about their work were "forming relationships with animals, clients, and co-workers," "making a meaningful difference through their work," and "having opportunities to use and develop their skills" while the worst things about their job were "underutilisation of their skills," "poor pay in relation to their education and skill," and "compassion fatigue arising from dealing with euthanasia and difficult clients." Another common theme across free-text questions was the lack of employer awareness about the capabilities of a veterinary technologist.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Recent BVetTech graduates were generally satisfied with their educational experience, but perceived that employers underestimated the value of their training and consequently underutilised their skills. This highlights the need for additional research to better estimate the value of veterinary technologists to the New Zealand animal health industries as well as additional extension efforts to increase awareness amongst employers about the scope of responsibilities that veterinary technologists are legally able to perform in practice.

Temporal trends in bulk tank milk antibody ELISA and PCR test results for bovine viral diarrhoea in New Zealand pastoral dairy herds

Aims: To describe temporal trends in bulk milk antibody ELISA and PCR testing for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) in New Zealand pastoral dairy herds and to assess the use of historical accession data to predict herd-level BVD incursions. Methods: Data on all diagnostic testing of bulk milk for BVD performed by the Livestock Improvement Corporation (Hamilton, NZ) over eight lactation seasons from 1 June 2010 to 31 May 2018 were analysed. This included anonymised herd identification, geographic location, herd size, sample collection date, sample to positive (S/P) ratio for antibody ELISA results, and cycle threshold values for PCR detecting viral RNA. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between historical accession data and the risk of herds having at least one positive bulk milk PCR test result in the 2017 season. Results: There were 156,034 bulk milk BVD diagnostic testing accessions for 10,495 uniquely identified dairy herds over the 8-season period. The prevalence of tested herds with at least one positive bulk milk PCR test result decreased from 14.6% (407/2,786) in the 2010 season to 5.6% (355/6,309) in the 2017 season with similarly marked declines in S/P ratios. In the 2017 season, 2,961/6,309 (46.9%) herds had S/P ratios greater than the 0.75 cut-off value indicating recent or active BVD virus transmission within the herd while 1,422/6,309 (22.5%) herds were classified as having negative or low S/P ratios. Herds that cleared BVD from the milking herd experienced a mean decline in S/P ratio of 0.11 units per year (min 0.05; max 0.18). In the multivariable analysis, the overall incidence risk of herds experiencing a BVD incursion in the 2017 season was 3.8% (146/3,848) and there were three significant predictors in the final model: herd size, PCR status in the 2014 season, and change in S/P ratio between the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The area under the receiver operating curve for the final model was 0.695 indicating poor discrimination. Conclusions and clinical relevance: The prevalence of dairy herds in New Zealand with positive bulk milk PCR test results and high S/P ratios has decreased over time, suggesting fewer herds are actively infected with BVD and that herd immunity may also be declining. Although monitoring trends in bulk milk test results provides useful information on changes in individual herd status, it is difficult to accurately predict when new incursions will occur and farmers should continue to maintain good biosecurity.

Practices, preferences, and opinions of New Zealand veterinarians towards continuing professional development

Aims: To describe the current practices and preferences of New Zealand veterinarians towards continuing professional development (CPD), explore factors acting as perceived barriers to CPD engagement, and identify opportunities for reforming the current CPD regulations. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of all veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ) was conducted in October 2019. Descriptive statistics were provided for all quantitative study variables and thematic analysis was performed on the free-text survey comments to identify key issues regarding the current CPD regulations in New Zealand. Results: Complete survey responses were provided by 222/3,484 (6.4%) registered veterinarians. Most respondents (153/222; 68.9%) were satisfied with the amount of CPD completed and spent a mean of $2,511 (median $2,000; min $0; max $20,000) on CPD activities each year. The most popular CPD formats were those involving collegial interaction including conference and skills training workshops. The choice of CPD activities was most commonly influenced by interest in the topics and the desire to become more competent in their work while the main barriers were difficulties fitting CPD around work and family commitments. There were 164 (73.9%) respondents who cited at least one occasion in the previous 12 months where participating in CPD caused them to modify their existing practices. Thematic analysis of the free-text comments revealed several major themes related to the administrative burden of recording CPD activities under the current regulatory framework, and the need to develop CPD plans tailored towards the unique circumstances and goals of individual veterinarians. Respondents also expressed concerns over the reliability of using CPD record audits for evaluating professional competency. Factors identified as being the most helpful for improving the current CPD framework were simplifying the CPD points categories and developing a mechanism to record and share CPD activities in real-time. Conclusions: While most respondents felt there was significant value in completing CPD, the current regulatory framework was perceived to be administratively burdensome and inflexible in allowing them to tailor CPD activities to match their unique employment situation, learning style and professional goals. Clinical relevance: Providing resources that could assist veterinarians to design and implement tailored CPD programmes may improve professional and personal outcomes. However, further research is needed to develop more effective mechanisms for identifying veterinarians who are not performing competently without placing excessive administrative burdens on those who are.

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of diagnosing and treating phantom cows in seasonal-calving dairy herds

The objective of this study was to explore the cost-effectiveness of using a progesterone-based synchrony program to manage phantom cows on seasonal-calving dairy farms. Phantom cows were defined as cows that had been artificially inseminated ≤14 d after mating start date (MSD), were not subsequently detected in estrus, and were diagnosed nonpregnant at a pregnancy diagnosis conducted approximately 49 d after MSD. Decision-tree analysis was applied to data from a previous randomized controlled trial in which phantom cows (n = 378) from spring-calving dairy farms were randomly allocated to an untreated control group or were immediately treated with a 10-d progesterone-based synchrony program with fixed-time artificial insemination. The net economic return of treating all cows presented by the farmer for pregnancy diagnosis that were diagnosed nonpregnant was compared with no intervention. The net return was calculated per cow present at MSD because the decision trees followed all cows present at MSD through to mating end date to account for farmers inadvertently presenting ineligible cows for pregnancy diagnosis and possible treatment. Probabilities, costs, and benefits of reproductive outcomes were based on published data and expert opinion. The effects of key variables on the economic return were tested by sensitivity analysis. Phantom cow intervention delivered a net return of NZ$4.451 (at the time of the study, NZ$1 = US$0.6629) per cow present at MSD. The sensitivity of pregnancy diagnosis, the proportion of ineligible cows presented by the farmer for pregnancy diagnosis, and the prevalence of phantom cows were highly influential on the net economic return from phantom cow intervention. These findings suggest that treatment of phantom cows in seasonal-calving dairy farms using a progesterone-based synchrony program is economically viable based on the current model assumptions. Accurate cow selection and pregnancy diagnosis are essential to success, and veterinarians and animal health advisors can improve the net economic return of intervention by selecting farms likely to have a higher prevalence of phantom cows based on the presence of observable risk factors.

Symmetric dimethylarginine values in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) based on oxalate nephrosis status

Oxalate nephrosis is a prevalent renal disease in koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) of the Mount Lofty Ranges population in South Australia. The symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) assay is widely used in companion animals to diagnose renal disease, particularly in the early stages. This study aimed to determine: (1) reference intervals for SDMA in koalas and (2) SDMA values of koalas with oxalate nephrosis. Blood samples were collected from 41 Mount Lofty Ranges koalas euthanased on welfare grounds. Koalas were necropsied and, based on renal histopathology, were classified as unaffected (n = 22) or affected (n = 19) by oxalate nephrosis. Serum or plasma samples were analysed for creatinine, urea and SDMA and urine samples for urine specific gravity (USG). The reference interval for SDMA in unaffected koalas was 2.4-22.9 μg/dL. In koalas with oxalate nephrosis, SDMA was elevated in 74% of cases above the upper limit of the confidence interval. SDMA was elevated in three affected koalas with normal creatinine values. A positive correlation was found between SDMA and creatinine (R = 0.775, P < 0.001) and SDMA and urea (R = 0.580, P < 0.001) and a negative correlation between SDMA and USG (R = -0.495, P = 0.027). In conclusion, SDMA correlates well with other commonly used tests of renal function in koalas and should be included as part of the standard diagnostic process to increase the accuracy of oxalate nephrosis diagnosis in koalas.

Estimating the level of disease risk and biosecurity on commercial poultry farms in New Zealand

Aims: To collect baseline data on the contact risk pathways and biosecurity practices of commercial poultry farms in New Zealand, investigate the relationship between the farm-level disease contact risks and biosecurity practices, and identify important poultry health concerns of producers. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of all registered New Zealand commercial poultry operations was conducted in 2016 collecting information on farm demographics, biosecurity practices, and contact risk pathways. Survey responses were used to generate an unweighted subjective disease risk score based on eight risk criteria and a subjective biosecurity score based on the frequency with which producers reported implementing seven biosecurity measures. Producer opinions towards poultry health issues were also determined. Results: Responses to the survey response were obtained from 120/414 (29.0%) producers, including 57/157 (36.3%) broiler, 33/169 (19.5%) layer, 24/55 (44%) breeder, and 6/32 (19%) other poultry production types. Median disease risk scores differed between production types (p < 0.001) and were lowest for breeder enterprises. The greatest risk for layer and broiler enterprises was from the potential movement of employees between sheds, and for breeder enterprises was the on- and off-farm movement of goods and services. Median biosecurity scores also differed between production types (p < 0.001), and were highest for breeder and broiler enterprises. Across all sectors there was no statistical correlation between biosecurity scores and disease risk scores. Producers showed a high level of concern over effectively managing biosecurity measures. Conclusions: The uptake of biosecurity measures in the commercial poultry farms surveyed was highly variable, with some having very low scores despite significant potential disease contact risks. This may be related to the low prevalence or absence of many important infectious poultry diseases in New Zealand leading farmers to believe there is a limited need to maintain good biosecurity as well as farmer uncertainty around the efficacy of different biosecurity measures. Further research is needed to understand barriers towards biosecurity adoption including evaluating the cost-effectiveness of biosecurity interventions.

An overview of dropped hock syndrome cases in New Zealand cattle

Case history: Data were collected from 47 outbreaks of dropped hock syndrome (DHS) that were reported by veterinarians in New Zealand to the Ministry for Primary Industries between October 2012 and August 2017. There were 181 affected dairy cows from 44 farms. Of those with records, all 86 were aged between 2-3 years-old, and 4/94 (4%) were Friesian, 56/94 (60%) were Jersey and 33/94 (35%) were Jersey/Friesian cross. Of the 47 outbreaks, 45 (96%) occurred during winter and 37 (79%) in the South Island.Clinical findings: Of 151 cases with records, hindlimb weakness (117 cows), shortened gait (112 cows) and dropped hocks (106 cows) were most commonly reported, with 110 cases being bilaterally affected. The level of diagnostic work-up and the data recorded by veterinarians for each outbreak were highly variable. Creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase activities were reported for 22 cases and were within normal ranges for cows with mild disease but increased in cows with severe disease. Concentrations of Cu in serum and liver were below normal for 13/22 and 9/10 cows, respectively, from six outbreaks. Of 41 cows with records for clinical outcomes, 12 had complete resolution, 18 had partial resolution, and 11 had no resolution.Pathological findings: Post-mortem data were available from 26 cases. Muscle necrosis and haemorrhage of the origin of the gastrocnemius muscle were the key gross findings. In 14 cows with records for muscle histopathology, myodegeneration and recent haemorrhage were observed, and connective tissue pathology was reported to predate muscular pathology in seven cases.Diagnosis: DHS appeared to be a degenerative rather than inflammatory condition primarily affecting the connective tissue of the hind limb, especially at the dense collagen interfaces of the gastrocnemius. Although no evidence of neuropathy was found, this cannot definitively be ruled out as a potential cause.Clinical relevance: A more standardised and systematic approach to investigating cases and recording case data is required to make robust inferences about the aetiology, risk factors, and treatment interventions for DHS.

Serological evidence for exposure to bovine viral diarrhoea virus in sheep co-grazed with beef cattle in New Zealand

Aims: To determine whether sheep that co-grazed with cattle that were suspected to be positive for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus had serological evidence of exposure to the virus.Methods: Eighteen commercial farms that routinely co-grazed cattle and sheep in the same paddocks were recruited through purposive sampling. The recruiting veterinarians identified nine farms with cattle herds that were known or highly suspected to be positive for BVD and nine farms that were considered to be free of BVD. Blood samples were taken from 15 ewes aged 1 year on each farm and samples were submitted to a commercial diagnostic laboratory to test for antibodies against pestiviruses using an ELISA. All samples that were positive were then tested using a virus neutralisation test (VNT)for antibodies against BVD virus.Results: Of the 270 blood samples, 17 were positive for pestivirus antibodies by ELISA and these originated from two farms that were known or suspected to have BVD virus-positive cattle. None of the samples from the nine flocks co-grazed with cattle herds that were known or suspected to be BVD virus-negative were positive for pestivirus antibodies. Within the two positive farms, 2/15 samples from the first farm and 15/15 samples from the second farm were antibody-positive. When the 17 positive blood samples were submitted for VNT, all 15 samples from the second farm tested positive for BVD virus antibodies with the highest titre being 1:512.Conclusions and clinical relevance: In this small sample of New Zealand sheep and beef farms with suspected BVD infection in cattle, there was evidence of pestivirus exposure in co-grazed sheep. Although we were unable to confirm the origin of the exposure in these sheep, these findings highlight that farmers who are trying to eradicate BVD from their cattle should be mindful that the infection may also be circulating in sheep, and both populations should be considered a possible risk to each other for generating transient and persistent infections. Further work is needed to estimate the true prevalence of New Zealand sheep flocks that are affected by BVD and the associated economic impacts.

Practices and opinions of New Zealand beef cattle farmers towards bovine viral diarrhoea control in relation to real and perceived herd serological status

Aims: To investigate the seroprevalence of infection with bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus among 75 beef herds and seroconversion in cattle during early pregnancy, and to determine the practices and opinions of farmers towards BVD control and their association with real and perceived herd serological status.Methods: Blood samples were collected before mating in 75 beef herds across New Zealand from 15 unvaccinated heifers that had delivered their first calf that season. Serum samples were tested for BVD antibodies using ELISA individually, and after pooling samples for each farm. Animals that were antibody-negative were retested at either pregnancy diagnosis or weaning. Farmers were asked to complete a detailed survey about herd demographics, BVD testing and vaccination practices, and opinions towards national BVD control.Results: Based on the pooled serum antibody ELISA results, there were 28/75 (37%) negative herds, 15/75 (20%) suspect herds, and 32/75 (43%) positive herds. Of 1,117 animals sampled 729 (65.3%) tested negative for BVD virus antibodies; when retested, 47/589 (8.0%) animals from 13/55 (24%) herds had seroconverted. Among 71 famers providing survey responses 11 (15%) believed their herd was infected with BVD, 24 (34%) were unsure and 36 (51%) did not think their herd was infected. Only 19/71 (18%) farmers had performed any BVD testing within the past 5 years and 50/70 (71%) had not vaccinated any cattle for BVD. Support for national BVD eradication programme was strong in 51/71 (56%) respondents, but the biggest challenge to BVD control was considered to be famer compliance. Compared to farmers who did not think their herd was infected, more farmers who thought BVD was present in their herds had previously tested for BVD, would consider testing all replacement calves, and would support establishing a national BVD database; fewer would consider purchasing BVD tested or vaccinated cattle only.Conclusions and clinical relevance: Only 15% of the beef farmers in this study believed their herds were infected with BVD virus and few of them had undertaken BVD screening. Nevertheless many were supportive of implementing a national BVD control programme. It is likely that the lack of farmer awareness around BVD and the failure of farmers to recognise the potential impacts in their herds are hindering progress in controlling the disease in New Zealand. There are opportunities for New Zealand veterinarians to be more proactive in helping beef farmers explore BVD management options.

Cross-sectional survey of surgical techniques used to perform dog and cat spays in New Zealand veterinary practice

Aims: To describe the variation in surgical techniques used by veterinarians to perform routine dog and cat spays in first-opinion veterinary practice in New Zealand, and how these techniques differed with the number of years since the veterinarian graduated.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of veterinarians registered to practice in New Zealand was conducted online between 1 April and 30 May 2018. Respondents were asked their year of graduation and about the procedures, they would use to perform a routine spay of a healthy, 5 kg, young adult, female domestic shorthair cat, and a healthy, 20 kg, young adult, female mixed-breed dog. The number of years since graduation was calculated by subtracting the reported year of graduation from 2018.Results: Overall, 282 respondents provided details about dog spays, and 361 about cat spays, and the median number of years since graduation was 14 (min 0, max 50). Only 54/282 (19.1%) respondents performing dog spays and 43/361 (11.9%) performing cat spays wore a surgical cap, gown, mask, and gloves. For dog spays, 278 (98.6%) respondents used a ventral midline approach and 147 (52.1%) used manual exteriorisation of the uterus. Most used two clamps (168; 59.6%) and used two encircling ligatures (152; 53.9%) for removal of the uterus. For cat spays, 254 (70.4%) respondents used a ventral midline approach and 313 (86.7%) used a spay hook for exteriorising the uterus. Most used two clamps (250; 69.3%) with one encircling ligature (213; 59.0%) for removal of the uterus. Simple interrupted external or intradermal patterns were mostly used for skin closure for both dog and cat spays. For cat spays, the percentage of respondents using the ventral midline approach decreased with increasing years since graduation (p < 0.001). For both dog and cat spays, the percentage of respondents using two encircling ligatures and transfixation ligation of the uterus, and using a simple continuous suture pattern for the closure of the abdomen, decreased with number of years since graduation (p < 0.05).Conclusions and clinical relevance: Veterinarians responding to this survey used a wide range of techniques to perform routine dog and cat spays, some of which were associated with the number of years since graduation. It may be beneficial to provide veterinarians with resources to reflect on their current approaches for performing routine spays. However further research is needed to determine whether any surgical techniques are superior to others.

Preliminary analysis of post-adoption outcomes for kittens and adult cats rehomed through a New Zealand animal shelter

Aims: To determine the frequency of different types of health and behavioural problems observed in the first month after adoption in kittens and adult cats rehomed through an animal shelter in New Zealand, to assess satisfaction of adopters and to determine the preferences of adopters for provision of post-adoption support.Methods: The adopters of kittens and cats from an animal shelter in Auckland, New Zealand between 15 October 2016-4 December 2016 were invited to complete a survey 1 week and 1 month after adoption. Respondents were asked about how well the animal was settling into the household, whether they had observed any health or behavioural problems, and what their preferences were for receiving post-adoption support.Results: Data from at least one survey were available for 83/115 (72.2%) kittens and 70/155 (45.6%) adult cats, with 39/115 (34%) adopters of kittens and 35/155 (23%) adopters of adult cats completing surveys at both 1 week and 1 month after adoption. By 1 month after adoption 57/60 (95%) adopted kittens and 40/53 (75%) adopted adult cats had settled well into their new home. At 1 month after adoption 28/60 (47%) kittens and 26/53 (49%) cats had ≥1 reported behavioural problem, and 16/60 (27%) kittens and 18/53 (34%) cats had ≥1 reported health problem. The most common problem behaviours for kittens were episodes of hyperactivity and scratching household items, and for adult cats were spending most of the time hiding and scratching household items. The most common health problems for kittens were eye problems and sneezing or a runny nose, and for adult cats were sneezing or a runny nose. Amongst respondents, the most helpful support for recent adopters was considered to be an email or phone call 1 month after adoption from the animal shelter.Conclusions and clinical relevance: Although many adopters reported health and/or behavioural issues in their adopted kittens and adult cats, most issues were generally mild and the adopters were generally satisfied with their animals. Providing new adopters with advice about managing common health and behavioural issues such as upper respiratory disease and scratching household items may increase satisfaction with adoptions.

Cross-sectional survey of pet ownership, veterinary service utilisation, and pet-related expenditures in New Zealand

Aims: To describe the demographics of and predictors for pet ownership, reasons for visiting a veterinarian, and pet-related expenditure in pet owners in New Zealand. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from 18-22 June 2015 using a permission-based panel of New Zealand residents aged ≥18 years. Questions included demographics of respondents, number of pets and reasons for owning or not owning pets, number of visits and reasons for visiting a veterinarian, and pet-related expenditure. Results: Of the 1,572 respondents who completed the survey, 1,013 (64.4%) owned ≥1 pet. Of these, 443 owned dogs, 696 cats, 32 horses, 103 birds, 55 rabbits, and 159 owned fish. Companionship was the most common reason for getting dogs, cats, and birds; horses were mostly owned as a hobby, rabbits to provide fun for children, and fish as a source of relaxation. The majority of dog, cat, and rabbit owners considered their pets to be family members; horse owners almost equally considered their horses a hobby or a family member. The odds of pet ownership increased for respondents from a rural region, having a higher household income, having children and being female. Overall, 711/1,013 (70.2%) pet-owning respondents had taken ≥1 animal to the veterinarian in the previous year, with the most common reasons being for vaccination or annual check-ups or health issues. Respondents who considered their pets trusted companions, had a higher income, and owned dogs or cats compared with other species, were most likely to have taken their pet to a veterinarian. The greatest pet-related expenditure for all species was food. The median yearly veterinary expenditure was $200-499 by dog owners, $100-199 by cat owners, and <$100 by horse, bird, rabbit, and fish owners. The best source of information for pet-related issues was considered to be veterinarians by 724/1,001 (72.3%) owners, and the internet by 509/1,001 (50.8%) owners. Conclusions: Among survey respondents, pet ownership was common and pets filled a variety of roles in the household. Pet owners reported spending considerable amounts of money on their pets each year, but some of them may be underutilising veterinary services despite veterinarians being considered as valuable sources of information about pet-related issues.

A survey of opinions towards dog and cat management policy issues in New Zealand

Aims: To describe the opinions of respondents to an online survey on desexing, microchipping and pet registration, and the management of cats, and aggressive dogs in New Zealand. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted online from 18-22 June 2015 using a permission-based panel of New Zealand residents aged ≥18 years. Questions included demographics of respondents, number of dogs and cats owned, and opinions on desexing, microchipping, pet registration, management of cats and aggressive dogs. Results: Of the 1,572 survey respondents, 216 (13.7%) owned ≥1 dog and ≥1 cat, 227 (14.4%) owned ≥1 dog and no cats, 480 (30.5%) owned ≥1 cat and no dogs, and 559 (35.6%) did not own any pets. The majority of dogs (456/613; 74.8%) and cats (974/1,045; 93.2%) were desexed. The most common reasons for not desexing pets were cost, feeling that it was not needed, or keeping the dog for breeding. Of the 613 dogs, 557 (90.9%) were registered with the local council, and 434 (71.0%) were microchipped, but only 290 (47.3%) were registered in the national database. Of the 1,045 cats, 326 (31.2%) were microchipped and 279/486 (57.4%) owners felt that it was unnecessary. Of the 1,572 respondents, 947 (60.2%) were unaware of stray cats in their local community, and 479 (30.5%) stated that local councils, or animal welfare organisations (546/1,572; 34.7%) should be responsible for managing strays. Among all 1,572 respondents, 787 (50.1%) thought stray cats should be assessed and subjected to euthanasia. Compared with non-pet owners, a lower percentage of cat owners agreed that cats should be confined (p < 0.001). When asked to choose the most appropriate course of action for dogs that had bitten people or other animals, 849 (54.0%) and 820 (52.5%) respondents, respectively, agreed that the dog should be assessed by an expert who would then determine the appropriate action. Compared with non-pet owners, a lower percentage of dog owners supported registration and education of dog owners, aggressive dogs being destroyed, and giving more power to local councils (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results highlight opportunities to improve owner compliance with desexing, microchipping and registration of dogs and cats. Opinions towards management of stray cat and aggressive dogs varied between pet owners and non-owners. Further research is needed to better understand how to engage the public in important dog and cat management policy issues.

Owner perceptions and management of the adverse behavioural effects of fireworks on companion animals: an update

Aims: To provide updated results on the adverse behavioural effects of fireworks on companion animals in New Zealand, measures that owners use to mitigate these effects, and opinions on a ban on the sale of fireworks. Method: A cross-sectional survey of companion animal owners in New Zealand was conducted between 2 November and 5 December 2016 using an online survey. The survey was modelled after a similar study conducted in 2006. Owners were asked to provide information on the types and severity of behaviours observed in their animals that were frightened by fireworks, what they did for their frightened animals and whether they would support a ban on the sale of fireworks. Results: There were 4,293 respondents who completed the online survey and they owned 15,871 companion animals, of which 11,750 (74.4%) were frightened of fireworks. For the 7,464 fearful animals with individual data available, the most commonly reported adverse behaviours were hiding (5,287; 70.8%), shivering (4,058; 54.3%) and cowering (3,324; 44.5%). Owners reported that 345 animals had been physically injured as the result of fireworks. Of 3,682 owners with frightened animals, 2,649 (71.9%) had not sought help or treatment for their animal. Frightened animals were mostly kept inside (3,479/7,464; 46.%) or comforted (2,112/7,464; 28.2%). Of all 4,325 respondents, 3,631 (84.0%) were supportive of a ban on the private sale of fireworks, with 370 (8.6%) against and 315 (7.3%) undecided. Owners with ≥1 animal that was fearful towards fireworks were more likely to support a ban (3,137/3,412; 91.9%) than owners whose animals were not afraid (466/561; 83.1%) (OR = 2.32; 95% CI = 1.80-2.98). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance: Among respondents to this survey, many owners of companion animals reported that their animals were adversely affected by fireworks, but few of them sought advice about strategies to mitigate the impacts. The majority of respondents supported a ban on the private sale of fireworks. Campaigns to raise public awareness of treatment strategies for managing fear behaviours during anticipated fireworks displays may be beneficial.

Recommendations for the testing and control of bovine viral diarrhoea in New Zealand pastoral cattle production systems

Eradicating bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) from cattle populations requires a clear approach for determining the epidemiological status of individual herds and implementing the appropriate control measures to ensure the transmission cycle is cost-effectively broken. This is particularly important in countries such as New Zealand where there is currently no coordinated national programme and the herd-level decisions to control BVD are left to the discretion of individual farmers and veterinarians. To ensure greater consistency in the information being delivered by different stakeholders, we review the epidemiology of BVD in the context of New Zealand pastoral production systems and provides a series of simplified recommendations for the future control of BVD in beef and dairy herds. Based on analysis of BVD test accession data from commercial diagnostic laboratories, it has been estimated that 40.6% of dairy herds and 45.6% of beef herds tested had positive results for antibodies to BVD virus. While BVD continues to remain widespread and under voluntary control in New Zealand, it is recommended that herds test all individual mixed-age cows and replacement heifers for BVD virus or antigen and remove persistently infected animals from the breeding population. All new breeding animals that have entered the herd either through purchase or birth should also be tested for BVD virus. Biosecurity risks should be managed by reducing contacts with other herds and implementing targeted vaccination programmes. All individual purchased cattle should be tested and confirmed negative for BVD virus before being moved onto the buyer's property, even if the herd of origin had a negative antibody-based screening test. Herds should continue annual antigen or virus testing of all calves as soon as possible after birth to identify any persistently infected animals.

Assessing the use of diagnostic laboratory accession data to support national bovine viral diarrhoea control in New Zealand

Aims: To assess the suitability of using existing national diagnostic laboratory testing data to support national bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) research, surveillance, and control in New Zealand. Methods: Data on laboratory accessions for BVD diagnostic testing in New Zealand from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2017 were provided by four commercial veterinary diagnostic companies. The data were integrated into a single dataset containing the unique accession number, sample submission date, farm location (territorial authority level), test type (bulk milk antibody-ELISA, bulk milk PCR, serum antibody-ELISA, blood/serum/tissue antigen-ELISA, or blood/serum/tissue PCR), and test results. Estimates for the number of registered cattle farms in each territorial authority were generated from the National Animal Identification and Tracing database. Results were summarised for July 2015 to June 2016 and July 2016 to June 2017. Results: There was a total of 59,007 unique BVD diagnostic test accessions including 39,920 (67.6%) for bulk milk antibody-ELISA, 27,832 (47.2%) for bulk milk PCR, 3,229 (5.5%) for serum antibody-ELISA, 9,132 (15.5%) for blood/serum/tissue antigen-ELISA, and 7,122 (12.1%) for blood/serum/tissue PCR. Of the 17,946 accessions for blood/serum/tissue samples, 4,316 (24.0%) were missing the herd production type and 6,678 (37.2%) were missing the animals age. Approximately 7,000/10,958 (65%) dairy herds and 1,600/43,611 (4%) beef herds were conducting annual BVD screening tests. In 2016/2017, the prevalence of accessions with ≥1 BVD-positive result was 40.6% for bulk milk antibody, 6.4% for bulk milk PCR, 45.6% for serum antibody, and 9.8% for blood/serum/tissue antigen-ELISA or PCR tests. There was substantial regional variation in both the percentage of herds testing for BVD and the prevalence of positive accessions. Following pooled serum antibody-ELISA, only 175/604 (29.0%) beef herds and 177/566 (31.3%) dairy herds had recorded follow-up testing. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Laboratory diagnostic accession data has the potential to provide valuable insights about BVD epidemiology in New Zealand, but there are significant limitations in the data collected and discrepancies in the different systems that each laboratory uses to measure, interpret, and record diagnostic data. There is a strong need to develop a more consistent national system for recording and sharing BVD test results to support BVD management at farm and industry levels. Abbreviations: BVD: Bovine viral diarrhoea; Ct: Cycle threshold; NAIT: National Animal Identification and Tracing; NZVP: New Zealand Veterinary Pathology; PI: Persistently infected; S/P: Sample to positive control.

Estimating the herd and cow level prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis on New Zealand dairy farms: A Bayesian superpopulation approach

A cross-sectional study of 127 dairy herds distributed across four regions of New Zealand (NZ) was conducted to estimate the regional herd-level prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) and the prevalence of cows with BDD lesions within affected herds. Each herd was visited once during the 2016-2017 lactating season and the rear feet of all cows in the milking herd were examined to detect the presence of BDD lesions. Of the 127 herds examined, 63 had at least one cow with a detected BDD lesion. Of the 59 849 cows observed, 646 cows were observed with BDD lesions. All of the herds in which BBD was detected were located in three of the four regions (Waikato, Manawatu and South Canterbury). No convincing lesions were observed on the West Coast. The probability of BDD freedom on the West Coast was predicted to be 99.97% using a Bayesian latent class model. For the three regions where BDD lesions were observed, the true herd level and cow level prevalences were estimated using a Bayesian superpopulation approach which accounted for the imperfect diagnostic method. Based on priors obtained from previous research in another region of NZ (Taranaki), the true herd level prevalences in Waikato, Manawatu and South Canterbury were estimated to be 59.2% (95% probability interval [PI]: 44.3%-73.9%), 43.3% (95%PI: 29%-59%) and 65.9% (95%PI: 49.5%-79.9%), respectively, while the true median within-herd prevalences were estimated as 3.2% (95%PI: 2%-5%), 1.7% (95%PI: 0.9%-3.1%) and 3.7% (95%PI: 2.4%-5.5%), respectively. All of these estimates except for the true herd level prevalence in Manawatu were fairly robust to changes in the priors. For Manawatu region, changing from the prior obtained in Taranaki (the best estimate of the herd level prevalence = 60%, 95% sure > 40%) to one where the mode was 50% (95% sure < 80%) reduced the posterior from 43.3% to 35.2% (95%PI: 20.1%-53.5%). The marked variation in BDD prevalence between regions and between farms highlights the need for further exploration into risk factors for disease.

Abstract P5-11-01: Phamacodynamic and circulating tumor DNA evaluation in a phase I study of GDC-0927, a selective estrogen receptor antagonist/ degrader (SERD)

Background: Modulation of estrogen activity and/or synthesis is the mainstay therapeutic strategy in the treatment of ER positive breast cancer. However, despite the effectiveness of available endocrine therapies, many patients ultimately relapse or develop resistance to these agents via estrogen-dependent and estrogen-independent mechanisms, including mutations in ESR1 affecting the ER ligand binding domain that drive ER-dependent transcription and proliferation in the absence of estrogen. Based on preclinical and clinical data, SERDs are expected be effective in patients harboring ESR1 mutations. Biomarker analysis was performed on plasma and tumor samples from the Phase I study of GDC-0927 in metastatic breast cancer (Dickler et al, SABCS 2017) with the goal of evaluating activity in both ESR1 mutant and wildtype tumors, and to assess ER pathway modulation.

Methods: Hotspot mutations in ESR1, PIK3CA, and AKT1 were analyzed in baseline, on-treatment and end of treatment plasma derived circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) using the BEAMing assay in patients treated at multiple dose levels of GDC-0927. A subset of samples was analyzed with Foundation Medicine's next generation sequencing ctDNA assay (FACT), which covers genomic alterations in 62 commonly altered genes. Paired pre- and on-treatment biopsies were collected to assess ER pathway modulation. ER, PR, and Ki67 protein levels were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Gene expression analysis was performed using Illumina's RNA Access library preparation kit followed by paired-end (2x50b, 50M reads) sequencing on the HiSeq.

Results: Baseline and on-treatment plasma samples were available for 40 patients. ESR1 and PIK3CA mutations were observed in 52% and 33% of patient baseline samples, respectively (BEAMing method). Mutant allele frequencies (MAF) generally declined in the first on-treatment samples collected for both ESR1 (16 out of 21 samples) and PIK3CA (7 out of 12 samples). The majority of the reductions were greater than 95% relative to baseline. Increases in ESR1 MAFs were observed in later time-points and were not associated with any particular ESR1 mutation. There were six instances for which an ESR1 mutation was detected in an on-treatment sample that was not detected in the baseline sample, three at L536P and one each at D538G, L536H, and S463P, and four out of six with MAFs close to the limit of detection. The FACT assay also detected alterations in CDH1, NF1, PTEN, and TP53 in baseline samples. The relationship between MAF changes and clinical benefit to GDC-0927 will be presented. A predefined, experimentally-derived set of ER target genes were evaluated in pre- and on-treatment tumor biopsy pairs from six patients. Four of the six patients showed evidence of suppression in ER pathway activity, one patient treated at the 1000 mg dose level and three at the 1400 mg dose. The degree of pathway suppression was associated with pre-treatment pathway levels and decreases of ER and Ki67 protein levels.

Conclusions: We report here evidence of consistent reduction of ESR1 and PIK3CA ctDNA in patients treated with GDC-0927. ER pathway suppression was observed at both the transcript and protein level confirming pharmacodynamic activity of the SERD.

Citation Format: Spoerke JM, Daemen A, Chang C-W, Giltnane J, Metcalfe C, Dickler MN, Bardia A, Perez Fidalgo JA, Mayer IA, Boni V, Winer EP, Hamilton EP, Bellet M, Urruticoechea A, Gonzalez Martin A, Cortes J, Martin M, Gates M, Cheeti S, Fredrickson J, Wang X, Friedman LS, Liu L, Li R, Chan IT, Mueller L, Milan S, Lauchle J, Humke EW, Lackner MR. Phamacodynamic and circulating tumor DNA evaluation in a phase I study of GDC-0927, a selective estrogen receptor antagonist/ degrader (SERD) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-11-01.

Elimination of bovine viral diarrhoea virus in New Zealand: a review of research progress and future directions

The major impacts of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) on cattle health and production have prompted many countries to embark on national elimination programmes. These programmes typically involve identifying and removing persistently infected (PI) cattle in infected herds and implementing biosecurity measures, such as pre- or post-movement testing. In order to design a systematic national control programme to eliminate BVD in New Zealand, which achieves the greatest benefits to the industries at the lowest cost to individual farmers, an accurate understanding is necessary of the epidemiology, economics and social motivation for BVD control in New Zealand. In this article we briefly review the pathogenesis of BVD, transmission and diagnosis of BVD virus infection, and effectiveness of vaccination. We summarise the current state of knowledge of the prevalence, risk factors for transmission, and financial impacts of BVD in New Zealand. We describe control programmes in Europe and then discuss the challenges that must be addressed to design a cost-effective national control programme to eliminate BVD in New Zealand.

Experience and confidence of final year veterinary students in performing desexing surgeries

AIMS

To describe the level of experience and confidence of veterinary students in performing canine and feline desexing procedures at the end of their final clinical year.

METHOD

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with veterinary students at Massey University in November 2017 after completion of their final clinical year. The questions included career plans after graduation, number of assisted and unassisted desexing procedures performed, approximate time to complete desexing surgeries, level of confidence with different aspects of desexing surgeries, what aspects of their desexing surgery training were most helpful, and what could be done to improve training in desexing surgical skills in veterinary school.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 70/95 (74%) students in their final clinical year. Among respondents, 55/70 (70%) had performed >2 unassisted feline neuters before graduation. However 38/70 (54%) students had never performed an unassisted feline spay, 31/70 (44%) had never performed an unassisted canine neuter, and 44/70 (63%) students had never performed an unassisted canine spay. The median reported times to complete a feline neuter, feline spay, canine neuter, and canine spay were 9, 40, 30 and 60 minutes, respectively. The median level of confidence for these procedures were 9, 6, 7 and 5 (on a scale from 1=least confident to 10=most confident), respectively. The reported time to complete procedures and the confidence in performing procedures did not change markedly with increasing total number of procedures performed. Students were most concerned about their ability to perform the desexing procedures in a reasonable amount of time and to prevent post-operative bleeding from occurring. Students were least concerned with their ability to manage post-operative pain in patients and to select the appropriate suture material. Free-text comments revealed that 62/70 (89%) students wanted more hands-on surgical experience prior to graduation.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVENCE

Many students are currently completing veterinary school with limited experience and low confidence with performing routine canine and feline desexing procedures. Further research is needed to identify the most effective ways for addressing this issue within the constraints of the veterinary curriculum and teaching hospital resources.

Abstract PD5-10: A first-in-human phase I study to evaluate the oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), GDC-0927, in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (BC)

Background: Modulation of estrogen activity and/or synthesis is the mainstay therapeutic strategy in the treatment of ER+ BC. However, despite the effectiveness of available endocrine therapies, many patients ultimately relapse or develop resistance to these agents via estrogen-dependent and estrogen-independent mechanisms, including mutations in ESR1 affecting the ER ligand binding domain that drive ER-dependent transcription and proliferation in the absence of estrogen. ER antagonists that are efficacious against ligand-dependent and ligand-independent, constitutively active ESR1 mutant tumors may be of substantial therapeutic benefit. GDC-0927 (formerly known as SRN-927) is a novel, potent, non-steroidal, orally bioavailable, selective ER antagonist/ER degrader (SERD) that induces tumor regression in ER+ BC patient-derived xenograft models.

Methods: A phase I dose escalation study with 3+3 design was conductedin postmenopausal women with ER+ (HER2-) metastatic BC (progressing ≥ 6 months on endocrine therapy and with ≤ 2 prior chemotherapies in the advanced or metastatic setting) to determine the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of GDC-0927. Pharmacodynamic (PD) activity was assessed with [18F]-fluoroestradiol (FES)-PET scans. Plasma PK samples (after single dose and at steady state), CT scans, and when feasible, pre and on-study tumor biopsies were obtained

Results: From March 16, 2015 to March 17, 2017 patients (pts) with a median age of 53 years (range 44-69) and a median number of prior therapies for MBC 4 (range 1-7) were enrolled at 3 total daily dose levels (600, 1000, 1400 mg) once daily (QD) given orally with fasting (n = 12). Increases in GDC-0927 exposure were approximately dose proportional. Treatment related adverse events (AEs) were all grade 1 or 2. The most common treatment-related AEs were nausea (54%, n = 7), diarrhea (46%, n = 6), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (39%, n = 5) and anemia, constipation, (each 31%, n = 4). Treatment interruption was required for 2 pts due to nausea and vomiting. Of those pts with FES-PET avid disease at baseline (9 of 12), all post-therapy scans showed complete or near complete (&gt; 90%) suppression of FES uptake to background levels, including pts with ESR1 mutations. Evidence of reduced ER levels and Ki67 staining was observed in on-treatment biopsies. Five of 12 pts (1 at 600 mg and 4 at 1400 mg) were on study ≥ 24 weeks (CBR = 41.6 %) with the best overall response of stable disease with 1 patient (ESR1 mt+ D538G) on study for over 490 days. There were no dose limiting toxicities and no SAEs related to study drug. R2PD was 1400 mg and was selected for single arm dose-expansion which is now complete with last patient enrolled on March 17, 2017. Updated results from dose-escalation and dose-expansion will be presented at the meeting (N = 43).

Conclusions: GDC-0927 appears well-tolerated to date with PK exposure supporting QD dosing, evidence of robust PD target engagement, and encouraging anti-tumor activity in heavily pretreated pts with advanced or metastatic ER+ BC, including pts with ESR1 mutations.

Citation Format: Dickler MN, Villanueva R, Perez Fidalgo JA, Mayer IA, Boni V, Winer EP, Hamilton EP, Bellet M, Urruticoechea A, Gonzalez-Martin A, Cortes J, Martin M, Giltnane J, Gates M, Cheeti S, Fredrickson J, Wang X, Friedman LS, Spoerke JM, Metcalfe C, Liu L, Li R, Morley R, McCurry U, Chan IT, Mueller L, Milan S, Lauchle J, Humke EW, Bardia A. A first-in-human phase I study to evaluate the oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), GDC-0927, in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (BC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD5-10.

Preliminary description of aging cats and dogs presented to a New Zealand first-opinion veterinary clinic at end-of-life

AIMS To conduct a preliminary investigation into the chronic disease conditions and clinical signs present in aging New Zealand companion animals at end-of-life and to describe the timing, circumstances, and manner of death. METHODS The medical records database of a first-opinion, companion animal, veterinary practice in Auckland, New Zealand was searched to identify all canine and feline patients ≥7 years of age that were subjected to euthanasia or cremated in the period between July 2012-June 2014. The free-text medical notes were analysed for information on the circumstances surrounding the death, previous diagnoses of chronic disease conditions, and the presence of clinical signs associated with decreased quality-of-life at the time of euthanasia. RESULTS The median age at death was 15 (max 22) years for the 130 cats and 12 (max 17) years for the 68 dogs in the study sample. Euthanasia at the clinic was carried out for 119/130 (91%) cats and 62/68 (91%) dogs, with the remainder recorded as having an unassisted death. The frequency of deaths was highest during December for both cats and dogs. Cost was mentioned as an issue in the medical records for 39/181 (21.6%) patients that were subjected to euthanasia. At the time of euthanasia, 92/119 (77.3%) cats and 43/62 (69.4%) dogs were recorded as having >1 clinical sign associated with a decreased quality-of-life. Inappetence and non-specific decline were the two most commonly recorded clinical signs for both dogs and cats. Cardiovascular disease (44/130, 34%), renal failure (40/130, 31%), and malignant neoplasia (36/130, 28%) were the most common chronic disease conditions recorded for cats. Degenerative joint disease (22/68, 32%), malignant neoplasia (14/68, 21%), and cardiovascular disease (8/68, 12%) were the most common chronic disease conditions recorded for dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These preliminary findings highlight that aging companion animals in New Zealand frequently have chronic disease conditions and clinical signs that may potentially be associated with decreased quality-of-life at the time of death. Further in-depth studies are required to determine whether there is a greater role for veterinarians in counselling owners about end-of-life care and euthanasia decisions.

Prevalence and risk factors for cats testing positive for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus infection in cats entering an animal shelter in New Zealand

AIMS To estimate the prevalence of cats testing positive for antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) antigens in domestic cats entering a New Zealand animal shelter, based on a commercial point-of-care ELISA, to identify risk factors associated with cats testing positive, and to compare the results obtained from the ELISA with those obtained using PCR-based testing. METHOD A cross-sectional study was performed on 388 cats entering the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals animal shelter in Auckland, New Zealand between 7 February 2014 and 30 May 2014. Whole blood samples were collected from each cat and tested for FIV antibody and FeLV antigen using a commercial point-of-care ELISA. Information on the signalment and health status of the cat at the time of entry was also recorded. Blood and saliva samples from a subset of cats were tested for FIV and FeLV proviral DNA using a real-time PCR assay. RESULTS Of the 388 cats in the study sample, 146 (37.6%) had been relinquished by owners, 237 (62.4%) were strays, and 5 (1.3%) were of unknown origin. Overall, 53/388 (13.7%) cats tested positive for FIV antibodies and 4/388 (1.0%) were positive for FeLV antigen. Stray cats had a higher FIV seroprevalence than relinquished cats (42/237 (17.8%) vs. 11/146 (7.5%); p=0.008). Of 53 cats that were FIV-seropositive, 51 (96%) tested positive for FIV proviral DNA using PCR testing of blood. Of these 51 cats, 28 (55%) were positive by PCR testing of saliva. Of the four cats that were FeLV antigen-positive by ELISA, two (50%) were positive for FeLV proviral DNA by PCR testing of blood. The odds of a cat being seropositive for FIV were greater for intact compared to desexed cats (OR=3.3; 95% CI=1.6-7.4) and for male compared to female cats (OR=6.5; 95% CI=3.2-14.0). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The seroprevalence for FIV was 14% among cats entering an animal shelter in Auckland, whereas the prevalence of FeLV antigen-positive cats was only 1%. These findings suggest differences in the transmission dynamics of each virus in free-roaming cat populations in New Zealand. Our study also highlights the potential role of desexing cats in reducing transmission of FIV. However, further data from first-opinion veterinary practices are required to confirm that these findings may be generalised to the wider domestic cat population in New Zealand.

The safety and feasibility of probiotics in children and adolescents undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has become a standard treatment for many adult and pediatric conditions. Emerging evidence suggests that perturbations in the microbiota diversity increase recipients' susceptibilities to gut-mediated conditions such as diarrhea, infection and acute GvHD. Probiotics preserve the microbiota and may minimize the risk of developing a gut-mediated condition; however, their safety has not been evaluated in the setting of HCT. We evaluated the safety and feasibility of the probiotic, Lactobacillus plantarum (LBP), in children and adolescents undergoing allogeneic HCT. Participants received once-daily supplementation with LBP beginning on day -8 or -7 and continued until day +14. Outcomes were compliance with daily administration and incidence of LBP bacteremia. Administration of LBP was feasible with 97% (30/31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 83-100%) of children receiving at least 50% of the probiotic dose (median 97%; range 50-100%). We did not observe any case of LBP bacteremia (0% (0/30) with 95% CI 0-12%). There were not any unexpected adverse events related to LBP. Our study provides preliminary evidence that administration of LBP is safe and feasible in children and adolescents undergoing HCT. Future steps include the conduct of an approved randomized, controlled trial through Children's Oncology Group.

Body Mass Index of First Nations youth in Ontario, Canada: influence of sleep and screen time

INTRODUCTION

Prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in Canada have risen rapidly in the past 20 years. Concurrent with the obesity epidemic, sleep time and physical activity levels have decreased among youth. Aboriginal youth experience disproportionately high obesity prevalence but there is inadequate knowledge of contributing factors. This research aimed to examine sleep and screen time behavior and their relationship to Body Mass Index (BMI) in on-reserve First Nations youth from Ontario, Canada.

METHODS

This was an observational population-based study of cross-sectional design. Self-reported physical activity, screen time, and lifestyle information was collected from 348 youth aged 10-18 years residing in five northern, remote First Nations communities and one southern First Nations community in Ontario, Canada, from October 2004 to June 2010. Data were collected in the school setting using the Waterloo Web-based Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. Based on self-reported height and weight, youth were classified normal (including underweight), overweight and obese according to BMI. Descriptive cross-tabulations and Pearson's χ² tests were used to compare screen time, sleep habits, and physical activity across BMI categories.

RESULTS

Participants demonstrated low levels of after-school physical activity, and screen time in excess of national guidelines. Overall, 75.5% reported being active in the evening three or less times per week. Approximately one-quarter of the surveyed youth watched more than 2 hours of television daily and 33.9% spent more than 2 hours on the internet or playing video games. For boys, time using the internet/video games (p=0.022) was positively associated with BMI category, with a greater than expected proportion of obese boys spending more than 2 hours using the internet or video games daily (56.7%). Also for boys, time spent outside after school (p=0.033) was negatively associated with BMI category, with a lesser than expected proportion spending 'most of the time' outside (presumably being active) after school. These relationships were not observed in girls. Adjusted standardized residuals suggest a greater than expected proportion of obese individuals had a television in their bedroom (66.7%) as compared with the rest of the population.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study adds to the limited information about contributors to overweight and obesity in First Nations youth living on-reserve in Canada. Concerns about inadequate sleep, excess screen time, and inadequate physical activity mirror those of the general population. Further investigation is warranted to improve the understanding of how various lifestyle behaviors influence overweight, obesity, and the development of chronic disease among First Nations youth. Initiatives to reduce screen time, increase physical activity, and encourage adequate sleep among on-reserve First Nations youth are recommended.

Relative associations of cattle movements, local spread, and biosecurity with bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) seropositivity in beef and dairy herds

The success of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) eradication campaigns can be undermined by spread through local transmission pathways and poor farmer compliance with biosecurity recommendations. This work combines recent survey data with cattle movement data to explore the issues likely to impact on the success of BVDV control in Scotland. In this analysis, data from 249 beef suckler herds and 185 dairy herds in Scotland were studied retrospectively to determine the relative influence of cattle movements, local spread, and biosecurity on BVDV seropositivity. Multivariable logistic regression models revealed that cattle movement risk factors had approximately 3 times greater explanatory power than risk factors for local spread amongst beef suckler herds, but approximately the same explanatory power as risk factors for local spread amongst dairy herds. These findings are most likely related to differences in cattle husbandry practices and suggest that where financial prioritization is required, focusing on reducing movement-based risk is likely to be of greatest benefit when applied to beef suckler herds. The reported use of biosecurity measures such as purchasing cattle from BVDV accredited herds only, performing diagnostic screening at the time of sale, implementing isolation periods for purchased cattle, and installing double fencing on shared field boundaries had minimal impact on the risk of beef or dairy herds being seropositive for BVDV. Only 28% of beef farmers and 24% of dairy farmers with seropositive herds recognized that their cattle were affected by BVDV and those that did perceive a problem were no less likely to sell animals as replacement breeding stock and no more likely to implement biosecurity measures against local spread than farmers with no perceived problems. In relation to the current legislative framework for BVDV control in Scotland, these findings emphasize the importance of requiring infected herds take appropriate biosecurity measures to prevent further disease transmission and conducting adequate follow-up to ensure that biosecurity measures are being implemented correctly in the field.

Efficacy of heartworm preventatives against ascarids and hookworms in client-owned dogs: a retrospective case control study

The efficacy of heartworm preventatives against ascarids and hookworms was assessed in a retrospective analysis of 1329 dogs that received a fecal examination and were surveyed about heartworm preventative use upon presentation to the veterinary teaching hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. To remove confounding due to age, patients under 6 months old were analyzed separately from the remaining population. Although there were no reported cases of ascarids or hookworms in patients under 6 months old receiving monthly heartworm prevention, the prevalence reached 5.2% and 11.7%, respectively, in patients that were not using any products. For patients over 6 months old, there were no apparent associations between parasites and heartworm preventative use. Of the 75.5% of dogs that were administered heartworm preventatives, 16.1% reported seasonal use and 83.9% reported using the products year round. Patients using heartworm preventatives seasonally were no more likely to be harboring nematode parasites than patients using preventatives year round (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.19-2.55). Overall efficacy rates were consistent with prior studies on the active ingredients. Heartworm preventative have the greatest value for controlling nematode endoparasites in patients under 6 months old.

A phase II study of the anti-IGFR antibody MK-0646 in combination with cetuximab and irinotecan in the treatment of chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer

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Background: Evidence of cross-talk between EGFR and IGFR signaling pathways provide a logical rationale for combining anti-EGFR and anti-IGFR strategies in the treatment of cancer. Prior to commencing a blinded randomised phase II study, an opened-labelled safety run-in was undertaken to assess the tolerability of a three-drug combination utilizing irinotecan (Ir), cetuximab (Cx) and two schedules of MK-0646 (Mk). Methods: Eligible patients (pts) had previously failed both Ir and oxaliplatin and had progressed on or within 3 months of their last therapy. Pts were required to have measurable disease and tissue samples available for tumour KRAS testing. Pts were randomised to receive either Mk 10mg/kg weekly (Arm A) or Mk 15mg/kg loading followed by 7.5mg/kg every alternate week (Arm B). All randomised pts also received Cx 400mg/m2 loading followed by 250mg/m2 weekly and Ir according to the same dose and schedule as they had previously received. Patients continued on treatment until disease progression with radiological response assessments undertaken every 6 weeks. Results: 10 pts were recruited to Arm A and 8 to Arm B. Pt characteristics: median age 60.5 years, male 67%, PS 0/1 33%/67%. Median number of prior chemotherapy regimens 3. The median number of cycles of Mk received in Arm A and B is 25 and 8 respectively. Reported grade III/IV toxicities in Arm A and Arm B were: neutropenia 30% and 0%, diarrhoea 30% and 25%, hypomagnesemia 0% and 25%. Hyperglycemia (≥ grade 2) was seen in 10% of Arm A and 25% in Arm B. Acneiform skin toxicity (≥ grade 2) was seen in 30% of Arm A and 62% of Arm B. The radiological response rate was 33% in Arm A and 14% in Arm B. The median time on study drug is 5.8 months in Arm A and 3.9 months in Arm B. 2 pts on Arm A and 1 in Arm B remain on study therapy. Tumour KRAS testing is in progress. Conclusions: The combination of MK-0646, cetuximab and irinotecan is tolerable with no concerning overlapping toxicities highlighted. PFS and KRAS data will be available for presentation. The efficacy of this three drug combination is under evaluation in an ongoing randomised phase II/III study.

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The role of age at asthma diagnosis in the development of triggers of asthma episodes

This study examined the relationship of age at asthma diagnosis to the subsequent impacts of 12 common asthma triggers, which we classified as either mainly physically based or strongly psychosocially mediated. The physically based triggers were air pollution, cigarette smoke, high humidity, high/low environmental temperature, allergy problems, respiratory infection, physical activity, and nighttime hours; the psychosocially mediated triggers were stress or worry, anger, excitement, and laughter. Data were collected with questionnaires from families with asthmatic children (n=115), 2 to 20 years of age, as part of a larger study of biological and psychosocial factors in asthma and other illnesses. Using parents' reports, we classified the children as early-diagnosed (before age 2) or later-diagnosed (at or after 2) for asthma and compared these groups, separated by gender, in 2 x 2 multivariate analyses. The impacts of all four psychosocially mediated triggers on asthma attacks were significantly greater for the later-diagnosed children than the early-diagnosed children. No age of diagnosis differences were found for any of the physically based triggers, and no gender or interaction effects were found for either type of trigger.

Pharmacological effects of AMPA receptor potentiators LY392098 and LY404187 on rat neuronal AMPA receptors in vitro

The present study describes the pharmacological activity of two novel positive allosteric modulators at AMPA receptors in acutely isolated rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons and cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Currents elicited by application of glutamate (100 microM) to isolated cerebellar Purkinje neurons were potentiated by LY392098, LY404187, cyclothiazide, CX516 and aniracetam. The rank order of potency was LY404187> LY392098> cyclothiazide > CX516> aniracetam. LY392098 displayed a higher maximal efficacy than the other compounds examined. AMPA-activated inward currents in cultured rat hippocampal neurons were potentiated by LY392098, LY404187 and cyclothiazide in a reversible and concentration-dependent manner although considerable heterogeneity in the magnitude of response from cell to cell was observed. LY392098 was ineffective in potentiating AMPA receptor responses when dialyzed via the intracellular solution. The selectivity profiles of the two novel AMPA receptor potentiators were examined. LY392098 or LY404187 had minimal activity on NMDA receptor responses, on voltage-gated calcium channel currents in cultured hippocampal neurons and on GluR5 kainate receptor currents in acutely isolated rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.