key: cord-0041430-izutpu98
authors: nan
title: NEWS
date: 2012-03-22
journal: Aust Vet J
DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2012.news_v90_i4.x
sha: 984be70961fe12680cd5402306ff44daa1a27a05
doc_id: 41430
cord_uid: izutpu98

nan

Debbie Neutze

Tasmanian devil photographed at Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park

T o support the theme of Polite Pets Month, together we can prevent dog bites, the AVA hosted a media event on 1 March in Sydney to o cially launch the campaign.

A group of experts discussed a collaborative dog bite solution that combines proven strategies such as reward-based training, early socialisation, parent and child education, dog selection and environmental modifications. Kersti Seksel also appeared on the ABC1 TV breakfast program to discuss what to look for in potentially aggressive dogs and the importance of parent and child education in dog bite prevention solutions.

Dr Seksel said dog bites were just as much a people problem as they are a dog problem.

"We really need to tackle the things people do that may contribute to canine aggression. Any dog is capable of responding aggressively when they're scared or threatened.

"The best way to train your dog is to reward them when they do what you want them to do. This technique, known as rewardbased training, is the most humane and effective way to train your dog, " she said.

Dogs that had undergone reward-based training were also showcased at the media conference to the delight of guests.

Dr O'Shea stressed at the end of the conference that the solution to dog bite prevention lies in cooperation across the community.

"We need trainers, vets, local councils, educators and pet owners to deliver the solutions. Only by working together can we prevent dog bite injuries. "

A simple blood test can provide more information about your canine patient's murmur and uncover hidden disease in cats. My boss, Geoff Manefield, was prepared to teach you if you were prepared to learn. Many days were spent TB testing or vaccinating calves against brucellosis. It was nothing then to do a cat spay then a caesar on a cow -or three if you were in the mood. Several calvings then a milk fever cow was commonplace. Even doing a calving in your dinner suit on the way to a ball was not unusual! This was the ultimate introduction to practice for a new graduate. A great team, a busy practice and an employer prepared to educate. This provided me with the basis for my future career and eventually led me to buy and run my own practice in Yass, NSW.

As a 'city boy' married to a 'city girl' , you might wonder why I opted to stay in rural practice and I can tell you that it was the lifestyle and the satisfaction that I got from my job as a country vet that kept me there.

Living and working in a rural community allows you to develop professionally and personally. It allows you to become what you want to be -a skilled, multifunctional veterinarian as a surgeon and a physician, an advisor to your clients and a confidante to many stressed farmers. And whether you like it or not, you also become a community leader, respected citizen and a role model to many young people.

Rural mixed practice can be exacting on your personal life. Without adequate assistance you will soon burn out. You won't be much fun for anyone to be around if you do not endeavour to develop your practice into a growth industry. That was me -24 hours a day 7 days a week. Then I had my epiphany -forget your competition and their second rate work practices and discounted fees. Be professional, build your skills, your equipment and educate your clients about quality. The only way to succeed is to develop your business skills, understand what it is that your clients want, plan for growth, and while you're at it make sure you charge professional fees.

My next light bulb moment came courtesy of a fourth year veterinary student, whose attitude and attributes led me to declare that we would hire her immediately upon graduation. We did. It was a no brainer really. We were expanding and the choice was hire another vet nurse or hire another vet and work one weekend in three. The choice was easy! The next phase of growth was to re-develop the practice facilities. With five acres, stables and sheds, what else could you need? The answer was exposure.

We were located on the back streets, known to the locals, but not to any new comers. The practice has since grown from three vets to five, helped by some part-time assistance when needed. As well as the relocation, it was also our attitude that contributed to the practice's growth. I firmly believe that if you look second rate you will be, and if your attitude is second rate so will you be as well.

I also believe that your veterinarians work with you not for you -you are a team. And the same goes for your vet nurses, receptionists, kennel hands and so on.

Remember, you own the practice, all issues reflect on you (and your personal indemnity insurance). If there is an issue you will wear it. Too many of us are too tired to accept this and just want to push the blame on to others, but as the owner it's your job to see that there are no problems, only solutions. You must be prepared to support your assistants in their development either personally or by utilising the skills of other experienced veterinarians. You have to be able to set policies and procedures and empower your colleagues so that you can walk away from the practice for any amount of time and business carries on as usual.

With the increase in the number of young women graduating today future employment will rely on lifestyle choices included in the employment package. Job sharing, less after hours pressure, salary packaging, payment of AVA membership and board registration fees, provision of acceptable continuing professional development programs to balance with life and family will all be important factors. Employers will also need to take into consideration time off work for child birth, crèche facilities at work and baby seats in practice cars. The list goes on, but the important message is that we must plan for this change.

Most small animal practices in major cities have access to afterhours emergency centres, part-time positions, job sharing and the growth of corporate practices with family-friendly facilities.

But the savvy rural practice owner can also thrive and will benefit from taking the right approach. Modernise, both your facilities and your attitude, plan, develop your skills and equipment, take the plunge and employ another vet, develop a new graduate and charge as a professional.

Every rural community practice that has grown (I have personally owned one and worked in another) has a positive mental attitude, modern facilities, a desire to educate and empower new graduates, a drive to educate their clients and a professional attitude to their staff. We were given weights of the owner plus dog, the veterinarian plus dog, all three together, and the challenge of calculating the weight of the dog by mathematical derivation. This is a problem which is often encountered in a veterinary practice and experienced by many dog owners.

It occurred to me that this is a very practical way for school children to learn important problem solving skills by introducing everyday situations involving animals. This is a separate endeavour from that of PetPEP, which educates children and the community about responsible pet ownership, safety around animals, healthy living (pets and people), welfare of animals and animals in the community.

A current 'hot issue' is the parlous state of education about agriculture in Australia. We often hear of the rural/urban divide and the loss of direct family connections between those who still live in the country and are actively engaged in farming, and their city-bound relatives.

There has been a loss of institutions offering tertiary education diplomas and degrees in agriculture-related topics in the past 20 years, and a marked reduction in applicants for the few places remaining. This is despite the widely publicised current demand for about 4000 agriculture graduates annually, a figure about five or six times the number of current graduates.

The AVA has provided a written submission and appeared before the Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations committee inquiry into rural education to provide a veterinary perspective. The AVA emphasised the high and increasing student debt load, increased numbers of veterinary graduates, low wages, social isolation, and lack of services among issues to be considered.

Modern agriculture is a sophisticated technology-intensive, highly integrated business. Computers and software, satellites, remote sensing equipment, driverless tractors and other farm machinery, genomics and biotechnology are just some of the areas where cuttingedge science is intimately intertwined with decision-making processes in an internationally competitive series of commodity production enterprises. Those involved in modern farming have been slow to promote how advanced their production systems must be to ensure a safe, secure, consistent food supply for the rest of us.

The critics of agriculture have been much more successful at gaining publicity for a wide range of practices they consider unacceptable. Animal management, water use, and land clearing are just some of the areas where we rarely get to hear both sides of the story. The furore after wide publicity about the unacceptable treatment of cattle in an abattoir last year was a real wake-up call to all those engaged in agriculture and related industries. It is no longer acceptable for those in agriculture to ignore community concerns about what appropriate standards in agriculture should be. Producers who ignore these concerns unnecessarily place their sectors at risk.

Many peak bodies in agriculture have decided to take up the challenge of spreading the good news about rural Australia and what modern farming entails. Parallel with these endeavours is the need for the introduction of regular auditing of all production systems to ensure that they adhere to accepted principles of animal care and environmental management.

Veterinary practitioners are best placed to become involved in animal-related auditing programs through regular visits to farming properties.

The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is currently engaged in organising and developing a program to address the long-term future of agriculture to benefit all Australians. The project is known as the NFF Blueprint for Australian Agriculture and it aims to identify the key pillars to success for the entire agriculture sector to create a strong and sustainable future (www.nff.org.au/blueprint). The AVA is participating in these discussions. The AVA is also a proud supporter of the Australian Year of the Farmer which is aimed at increasing the profile of agriculture in Australia.

Incorporating animal and agriculturerelated problems into the school curriculum would be an easy way to engage city-based children with what happens out in rural areas and allow them to become more familiar with the practical problems encountered daily on farms. Importantly, teachers need to be made aware of what really goes on in the farming community and convey accurate messages in these learning experiences. Too often we hear of highly inaccurate assertions made in reference to farming and agriculture from teachers who have no experience in rural life. The Primary Industries Education Foundation (www. primaryindustrieseducation.com.au) has been formed to enable information to be provided to school children via their resources for teachers (www.primezone.edu.au).

By the way, it took us a bit more than the back of a postage stamp to work out that the reluctant dog Oscar weighed 9kg. The meeting recognised that one of our strategies over the past four years was increased resourcing of our divisions, as part of an overall investment in improving our ability to provide services to members. This strategy has delivered some positive outcomes and has proved to be sustainable financially -in 2011 the financial result across all AVA divisions was a positive variance to budget, although this naturally included some variation in the performance of individual groups. Our development of internal benchmarks and key performance indicators is helping both divisions and SIG's compare their outcomes and activities with other groups within the AVA.

At the same time, we know that if the AVA is to succeed in its aspiration to represent a far higher proportion of Australia's veterinarians, we must continually review not only what is working well, but what we should do differently. After the many reforms of the past few years, we are now at a point where we can focus less on short-term change and more on the future -five years and beyond. Beginning that thought process, and starting to create a roadmap that will guide the AVA for the next decade, was the goal of our summit.

Discussions on the day covered a range of topics.

Our student program has been underpinned by division engagement with local veterinary schools, and we have had great success, as over 85% of students are AVA members. However, as is the case for most professional associations, recent graduates are overrepresented in the group of members who lapse each year, and it is critical to engage new graduates and provide value to them so they continue to renew.

The research says that young professionals are, contrary to some beliefs, 'joiners' . Our challenge is to create new opportunities for engagement, and volunteer roles that are more flexible or less onerous than our current offerings of 'formal' committee memberships and offices.

We engage with a significant number of members and non-members at AVA events, and must ensure that these promote collegiality, and deliver positive messages to younger veterinarians.

Inviting non-members to attend all events and access services, at a minimal (if any) cost differential to members, is not in itself a recruitment strategy, and can actually be a disincentive to join. We are seeing more evidence that member-only events do in fact lead to people joining when they see value in an event.

We are delivering plenty of activities, but need a better understanding of who accesses these and receives the benefit. Are a small number of members accessing a large number of events, so that we service 50 members out of 500 really well, but don't provide value to another 450?

It is important to identify where we spend time and resources, and evaluate how these can provide the most benefit for the largest number of members. We also need to be realistic about what drives our activities -is it truly 'what members want' , or is it the view of a vocal minority?

Lobbying is about providing solutions, and historically the AVA has often been good at providing problems and not so good at providing solutions. Our access to decision makers is currently very strong, and we must start to give them solid public policy solutions, backed by data and sound economic argument, if we are to be valued. There is no need to advocate on everything. Effective advocacy is about achieving an outcome, not making a noise or having a say on every topic.

We want the first point of call for a member wanting information to be contact with their professional association -not Google. Our eLibrary will be accessible shortly and will offer a significant new member benefit. Email is still considered the best way to communicate to time-poor people, but we are currently 'drowning' some of our members in email communication, and not helping them easily identify what's relevant to them. A new approach to our email communications will be a major project for 2012.

In exploring the AVA structure and how it might change it was agreed that while we work within the current federal system, with specific veterinary legislation in each jurisdiction, our current state and territory division structure remains important. At the same time, that structure needs to evolve so that each group has access to all the skills they need, without simply duplicating effort in seven different offices. Central roles -like policy analysis, and some administrative services -could service all states, and there was support for a 'centres of excellence' approach in which state executive officers provide specific skills and expertise to all divisions. The summit provided a great forum for information sharing, an opportunity to think about how we deliver value to members, and some great food for thought for all who attended. It's no longer enough just to have an animal wake up. Now, consistent induction, minimal systemic effects, and rapid reliable recovery are the expectations of safe anaesthesia.

Sometimes, meeting these expectations means moving on from the past, even if the past is familiar.

Alfaxan raises the standards of anaesthetic safety and helps vets meet the expectations of today.

Today, more is expected of anaesthesia too. The initiative had its beginnings in the national pet food product withdrawals of 2008 and 2009 when safety concerns led manufacturers to remove three products from sale in Australia. While no causal link has ever been established, Kramar Supa Naturals Chicken Breast Strips and VeggieDent Chews for Dogs were withdrawn from sale. Orijen cat food imported from Canada was also taken off the market after concerns about its effect on animals.

"When I came across a spate of cases of Fanconi-like syndrome in small dogs in late 2008, there was no centralised reporting system to help monitor the extent and impact of the problem occurring around Australia, " said AVA member Linda Fleeman, one of the driving forces behind PetFAST.

"PetFAST is what representatives of the AVA and the PFIAA have come up with given that there's no government authority responsible for this in Australia.

"It is the first system of its kind in the world and is designed to be an efficient and flexible means of identifying pet food related adverse events in dogs and cats, " said Linda.

Veterinarians are able to report suspected adverse events related to pet food through an online form on the AVA website. The reports are monitored by AVA and PFIAA staff for similarities that may indicate a widespread or serious problem. They will notify a joint technical committee if there are at least three similar cases reported that reflect a probable or possible link with food or treats or another cause. A meeting of the joint technical committee will be called to discuss what steps need to be taken. Actions may include alerting veterinarians to look for and report similar cases, communication with the manufacturer for discussion of the events, or further investigation by a committee member of possible causes.

Information about PetFAST, frequently asked questions, and the online reporting form can be found at www.ava.com.au/petfast. "The PetFAST report is quite detailed, so we've supplied a handy checklist online for veterinarians to help them gather the right info when they suspect a health issue may have been caused by pet food contamination, " Linda Fleeman says.

Veterinarians are encourage to report cases where they have ruled out other possible causes and consider that diet is likely to be causing the clinical signs they are treating. The system is especially designed to monitor unusual, serious or unexpected health problems that you suspect have a significant connection with pet food, treats or pet meat.

It's not necessary to report normal gastric signs due to changes in diet that resolve on altering the pet's food. Allergies and food sensitivities can also be excluded from reporting.

"We encourage vets to report thiamine deficiency cases from sulphite preservatives too, as we need to remain vigilant about monitoring and gathering information about this ongoing problem, " said Linda. It is confirmed that the increases will commence as of 1 July 2013, not as of 1 July 2012 as was printed.

The HR Advisory Service would like to apologise for any confusion this may have caused. All finance is subject to our credit assessment criteria. Terms and conditions, fees and charges apply. Deposit products are issued by Investec Bank. Before making any decision to invest in these products, please contact Investec Professional Finance, a division of Investec Bank, for a copy of the Product Disclosure Statement and consider whether these products suit your personal financial and investment objectives and circumstances. We reserve the right to cease offering these products at any time without notice. Income Protection/Life Insurance is distributed by Experien Insurance Services Pty Ltd (Experien Insurance Services) which is an authorised representative of Financial Wisdom Limited. AFSL 231138 (AR No.320626). Experien Insurance Services is part owned by Investec Professional Finance Pty Ltd.

Equipment, fit-out and practice assets are critical to the way in which you run your practice and care for your patients. Investec has a range of finance structures where you can select repayment options to suit your cashflow, enabling you to update your equipment now and be best placed to treat your patients' needs.

Be at the forefront of your profession.

Your nance.Our specialisation. 

The great international speakers in the small animal stream are David Fowler on surgery and Peter Best on anaesthesia.

Step into the largest conference program stream to hear about wound management and reconstruction as well as minimally invasive techniques. Anaesthesia lectures will cover the latest best practice in monitoring and recovery.

Other sessions cover new perspectives on early age desexing, dermatology and post-cruciate ligament surgery rehabilitation. You might want to drop in to the session on a new coronavirus in dogs to find out all about an emerging pathogen.

The behaviour stream has a host of goodies on offer, including a series of lectures on behaviour basics covering everything you need to know to add behavioural expertise to your clinical practice. You can also find out about the pitfalls to avoid when running puppy preschools. And don't miss the update on behaviour medications and how to use them, along with some special sessions on cat behaviourhouse soiling, marking, licking and itching, and aggression. Not to be outdone, the dental stream also offers a full range of useful clinical instruction. Lectures include exodontia, root canals, fracture repair and dental radiology. If you've ever wondered how to treat teeth in a rabbit, there's even a session on that!

The great in-depth workshops program includes a basic and an intermediate dental wetlab. There's also the opportunity to visit the Australian Federal Police canine operations unit for a special behind-the-scenes visit to the world of the law enforcement working dog. The AVA Annual Conference is the don't-miss opportunity of the year for small animal practitioners. See the full program and register now at www.ava.com.au/conference. NAG (Acetyl Glucosamine), two active agents working in synergy to improve mobility and reduce in ammation. 1, 2, 3 The result? Advanced arthritis outcomes. 2 With 100% of patients responding within two weeks 2 and 91% showing a "very good" or "good" improvement 2 (compared to only 33% for PPS alone), the combination in SYNOVAN helps ensure a better result for your clients and their pets. 2 By e ectively reducing joint swelling and improving mobility, 2 SYNOVAN represents a leap ahead in arthritis management.

For more information speak to your wholesaler or email synovan@ceva.com Many Australians and veterinarians may be unaware that similar scenes were played out in both Korea and Japan in 2010 and 2011. In South Korea, around 25% of the national cattle and pig herd was destroyed, and the country is yet to regain its FMD freedom. Worryingly, the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea all have sophisticated biosecurity systems similar to Australia's. However, they lack Australia's significant FMD-sensitive export markets. Here, the economic consequences of an FMD outbreak would be far higher.

While the devastating outbreaks in Japan and Korea received limited Australian media attention, Australia's veterinarians, governments, producers and organisations like the AVA were watching closely to assess what these events meant in terms of policy and planning.

Matthews to provide a qualitative assessment of Australia's FMD preparedness (the Matthews report) which is available on the DAFF website.

The Matthews report included a study that estimated that losses from an FMD outbreak in Australia would range from AUD$7.1 billion for a small (3 month) outbreak to AUD$16 billion for a large (12 month) outbreak.

The report also identifies early detection and the ability to quickly mobilise skilled responders as key in minimising outbreak duration. Large animal veterinarians already play a vital role in field surveillance, but policy-makers are also looking at ways all registered veterinarians could play a part in an emergency response.

Through 2012, the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, via the Australian Veterinary Journal, will keep readers updated on the progress of veterinarians, the AVA and others in improving Australia's FMD preparedness. We'll also offer advice on how private veterinarians can support bans on swill feeding, and participate in field surveillance and emergency response activities. Keep an eye out for future articles, be informed and take action!

Comment on this article at www.ava.com.au/12018 The forums form part of the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture initiative, which aims to bring together everyone with an interest in agriculture to help shape its future direction.

The AVA has had some input into the initial concept and the establishment of key pillars behind the Blueprint process.

One major area of concern is not just the viability of rural veterinary practice, but the overall viability of our rural communities and the foundations on which they are based. Once a rural community starts to slide the local infrastructure and available services perish.

Our duty is to the viability of rural communities as well as to our colleagues in these communities.

For more information on the Blueprint forums or to fill in the online survey visit www.ava.com.au/newsarticle/have-your-say-futureagriculture. While the program featured many new developments in research, it catered for more than just the scientists.

An industry forum, sponsored by Animal Health Australia, facilitated sharing of practical experiences from producers and field veterinarians who had faced the many challenges posed by this persistent, insidious disease.

Chief Executive Officer of Animal Health Australia, Mike Bond, said a diverse range of people had a legitimate interest in Johne's disease management programs.

"There are practical implications for any disease control strategy and sometimes these can negatively affect the very people they aim to help, " said Dr Bond.

"While scientific advancements are critical to the control of this disease, this session was an important opportunity to consider 'on the ground' lessons of Johne's disease management in conjunction with research.

"We have a far greater chance of success with collaborative programs, where research and policy development is complemented by an understanding of what is practical and feasible, " he said.

"Learning from our past experiences has allowed the Australian Johne's control program to evolve and adapt to producer needs, keeping Australia at the forefront of Johne's disease management and control. "

Veterinarian and technical advisor to the National Johne's Disease Control Program, David Kennedy, who attended the forum, agreed.

"There is an ongoing need for effective control. Johne's disease continues to affect increasing numbers of flocks and herds in parts of southern Australia. But the control program of today is very different from early programs.

"As a result of the long standing commitment of the livestock industries, Australia is well placed internationally in the control and management of Johne's, " he said.

The forum also provided an opportunity to share successes. "One presentation was from a community group in New South Wales that came together specifically to manage the disease in their area during the 1990s, " said Dr Bond.

"They did it very successfully and recently won a national biosecurity award in recognition of their ongoing efforts.

In 2012, revised national management plans for ovine Johne's disease and bovine Johne's disease will place greater emphasis on risks assessment and biosecurity practices, giving producers greater flexibility to manage their disease risk.

A transition phase begins for the revised Ovine Johne's Disease Management Plan in July and information is available from www.ojd.com.au. Bovine Johne's revisions will commence later in 2012 and further information will be published as it becomes available. T he Radiation Regulators Forum have issued a product advisory warning about some models of dental x-ray equipment that are available for purchase via internet auction and sales sites such as eBay. They advise that although such equipment might appear to be considerably cheaper than other makes or models that are available through established Australian distributors, caution must be exercised if purchasing x-ray equipment over the internet. X-ray equipment that does not meet the relevant safety standards approved by Australian radiation regulators may be hazardous and may not be authorised for use.

The use of unauthorised x-ray equipment could result in a breach of the radiation legislation. The regulators note that possession of x-ray equipment does not guarantee regulatory authorisation and members are advised to confirm with the relevant radiation regulator whether the make and model of an x-ray unit being considered for purchase is expected to be authorised before buying the equipment. A list of relevant radiation regulatory authorities in Australia can be found at www.arpansa.gov.au/Regulation/Regulators/index. cfm.

Warning over online dental x-ray equipment A veterinary practitioners' primary concern is rst and foremost for the welfare of the animal. This is set out in the various veterinary practitioners' codes of conduct in each state or territory.

There are situations where a veterinarian is required to attend to an animal simultaneously with a non-veterinary technician, such as an equine dental technician, veterinary chiropractor or acupuncturist. It is important to remember, in such circumstances, that the veterinarian's responsibility extends to the total welfare of the animal for the entire duration of the treatment, and not just for the particular service the veterinarian has been contracted to perform.

Often, in situations where a veterinarian and technician are attending to an animal, the veterinarian's services are required for sedation purposes. However, the veterinarian's responsibilities towards the animal are not limited to the administration of appropriate doses of sedation. Given the primary concern of the veterinarian is for the welfare of the animal, we are finding that veterinarians are being held responsible for the outcome of the treatment being provided by the technician. In some circumstances where the technician's treatment has been found to be inappropriate or negligent, the veterinarian has been found to be guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct by the professional registration boards.

The professional registration board's stance is that it is not enough to say that you, as the veterinary practitioner, performed your part of the service adequately. You are expected to supervise the non-veterinary technician and ensure that they are not adversely affecting the welfare of the animal. The animal is considered to be in your care and you have a duty to act at all times to ensure the welfare of the animal. Accordingly, it is important for a veterinarian to be familiar with: the treatment being provided by the technician the expected outcomes of the treatment the associated risks.

Being responsible for the welfare of the animal may be considered to include a physical assessment of the animal's health status prior to the commencement of treatment and any necessary follow-up of the animal. For example, in the case of an equine dental technician, an examination of the status of the horse's teeth prior to the commencement of treatment will assist in evaluating the necessity of treatment being provided. Furthermore, an examination at the end of treatment will assist in evaluating whether further treatment or review is warranted. Such actions can provide some protection in the event of a future claim or complaint, particularly if the veterinarian is able to say they examined the teeth post-treatment and there was no damage noted.

When being asked to provide services in conjunction with a non-veterinary technician it is important to be familiar with the technician's qualifications, skill set and treatment plan. The technician's opinion on the expected outcomes of the treatment they provide as well as their view on the possible complications that could arise during or after treatment should also be ascertained.

If you are unfamiliar with the treatment being performed, you may not be able to adequately assess the animal's welfare and you could place yourself at risk of a future claim or complaint to a professional registration board.

It is also important to maintain comprehensive records in the same way you would with all animals in your care. Good records should include: a history provided by the client the animal's presenting problem the examination undertaken the findings of the examination the treatment plan the treatment provided the information provided to the client post-care instructions.

Comment on this article atwww.ava.com.au/12017

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For example, a complaint was made to the veterinary practitioners' board regarding an equine dental technician. The technician had provided dental treatment to the complainants' horse which included the use of power tools under sedation. The complainants alleged that the equine dental technician caused undue suffering to their horse which ultimately led to the horse's death. Expert evidence was obtained by the Board which indicated that the horse had suffered from acute pulp exposure and subsequent pulp necrosis and tooth death. The most likely cause of the damage was considered to be the inappropriate or excessive use of power equipment. The veterinarian in this case had been contracted to perform the sedation only. Nevertheless, the Board held that the veterinarian was the supervising vet and had a duty to act at all times to ensure the welfare of the horse. As the supervising veterinarian there was a responsibility to ensure that any procedures carried out did not put the horse's health or welfare in jeopardy. The Board found the veterinarian failed to adequately supervise the equine dental technician and the treatment provided to the horse compromised its health. The veterinarian was found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct and issued with a caution. Oversupply and dwindling incomes pose a threat to the ability of Australian veterinarians to provide quality animal welfare services.

The profession needs to unite to investigate the issues and find real solutions to reverse current trends.

"Critical examination of the relevant data must lead to the conclusion that more will become disappointed and disillusioned, underemployed or exploited, or at least unable to pursue the career of their dreams. Having survived a demanding course with the highest entry levels, and graduated with a high level of debt, they are likely to find that the only positions available are at the lowest salary levels. " 1

This was how Trevor Heath described the dilemma of increasing numbers of veterinary graduates back in 2007.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has recently elected to invest resources to address this important contemporary problem. 2 This issue is of critical importance due to the close ties between financial security, job satisfaction and the professional responsibility to practice high-quality veterinary medicine that is beneficial to the welfare of animals.

Qualified veterinarians, having undertaken five or more years of full-time university study in one of the most expensive courses offered by universities, enter a profession currently offering one of the lowest salaries for professionals in Australia. With a private practice average salary of around AUD$67,000, it is also significantly worse than the North American average of USD$121,000. 3 Of even greater concern is that veterinary salaries have been decreasing compared with the Australian national average for the past 30 years 4 and graduates unable to find fulltime employment have doubled in the past five years. 5 The high incidence of stress and depression within the veterinary profession has recently been the subject of some research. Although the causes of this are multifactorial, finances appear to be a pivotal factor, with suggestions that lack of pay rises and low pay rates are the greatest cause of dissatisfaction among veterinarians. 6, 7 Veterinarians are four times more likely to commit suicide than the general population and twice as likely as other high-risk health professionals, such as doctors and dentists. 8 Onethird of medical general practitioners committing suicide have financial difficulties and the statistics are likely to be similar within the veterinary profession. 8 The Australian government was advised that future need for veterinary services could be met with four veterinary schools, but this recommendation has gone unheeded. 9 There are now seven schools, with an expected increase in graduates of 50% from 2008 to 2013. This is in addition to a near 100% increase in the number of registered veterinarians from 4757 in 1991 to 9700 in 2009. Australia already has at least 30% more veterinarians per capita than the USA and UK. 1 A fundamental concept of basic economics is that of supply and demand. Price of veterinary services (and in this case, wages of veterinarians) reflects the supply-demand relationship in this industry. Given the existing price competition between clinics and decreasing wages of veterinarians, we have an oversupply of veterinarians and veterinary clinics in Australia.

The corollary of this is that veterinarians will eventually be forced to abandon the profession due to a combination of factors stemming from low wages and lack of employment. This is undoubtedly devastating news to individuals who have already invested much time and money in completing an arduous and expensive university degree. Switching to another professional career (such as law, medicine or dentistry) takes significant time and self-funding, leaving students with massive debt, difficulties in starting a family and delaying eventual retirement. Universities should be informing potential students of the anticipated financial debt and expected career outcomes prior to course entry. 10 Hourly wages for veterinarians in rural areas are lower and the hours longer due to the vast distances between clients. There is also a reliance on income from lower numbers of companion animals. Average farm expenditure is only AUD$200 per year on veterinary fees. 9 in Western Australia rely on non-veterinary income to support themselves. 11 Wages and lifestyle are the predominant reasons cited for leaving rural practice. Contrary to some reports, there is no shortage of rural veterinarians, but there is low demand for veterinary services and a lack of clients willing to pay appropriate fees to support rural veterinary practice. In North America, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners has taken a more sensible approach, publicly releasing a statement in regard to the false information on supply-demand and wages, clarifying that there is no shortage of rural veterinarians. 12 Some have suggested the oversupply will abate due to increased female part-time workers, large numbers of rural veterinarians retiring from the workforce and expansion into other disciplines such as aquaculture and biosecurity. Wage trends, current veterinarian numbers and retraction of government veterinary employment, from 50% to 10% in the past 50 years, collectively refute such statements. 4, 5, 9 In one study, 92.4% of pre-veterinary and veterinary students wanted to work in general practice on graduation. 6 The stress of the pay rates and on-call hours are not recognised until after commencement of employment when some may consider nonpractice careers. 6 By this stage there is a competitive disadvantage in the job market for non-practice positions because knowledge is out-of-date and graduate training programs are no longer possible in these other areas. Additionally, the intensive number of university contact hours during semesters and clinic rotations makes the completion of traditional internships and cadetships in non-practice areas more difficult. Challenges of transitioning to alternative employment may contribute to a feeling of entrapment, which has been determined as a stress factor in veterinarians. 8 Veterinary deans are concerned about decreasing graduate quality due to faculty funding and poorly perceived rewards from a veterinary degree. 3 Further decreases in practitioner quality could be expected if the course is diversified to increase graduate skills in non-practice areas. With the expanding length of veterinary degrees, it is possible that ambitious individuals may seek non-veterinary pathways where it is easier and quicker to achieve high marks, postgraduate qualifications (Masters or PhD) and work experience in specific animal health fields, such as aquaculture and public health. The international veterinary profession is currently experiencing increased market tension with paraprofessionals such as equine dentists, 13 online pharmacies 14 and even lawyers 15 taking on tasks and responsibilities previously the preserve of veterinarians.

Having covered a number of serious contemporary issues confronting our profession, there is a need to actively advance further debate, discussion and action. Some possible responses are described below.

Reduce the number of graduates from Australian universities -protection from the threat of new entrants is critical to sustainability. 16 Reducing the number of veterinarians per capita is one method of improving veterinary working conditions. This will require convincing governments and 

the public of the reduced quality and efficiency in an oversupplied workforce and the public subsidies required by veterinarians who need to retrain in other fields.

Increase the fees and appropriate testing of immigrating veterinarians -immigrating veterinarians are yet another source of new entrants into the profession in Australia. More appropriate testing and cost barriers to entry may well enhance the viability and quality of the struggling veterinary profession in Australia.

Impose restrictions on the location of new veterinary practices -the pharmacists have provided competition protection through distance and general practice location factors. 17 Similar schemes, together with increasing the costs and processing time to register new veterinary clinics, may well serve to reduce the entry of unnecessary competitors. New processes should aim at encouraging potential buyers to purchase existing practices rather than setting up in competition. This may help to reverse the trend of unimpressive profit margins of existing clinics.

Encourage the uptake of animal insurance and educate the public on the costs associated with quality veterinary care -actively encouraging the uptake of animal insurance policies or prior financial planning (related to unforeseen veterinary expenses) is a critical factor in ensuring animal welfare. One suggestion is to implement a governmentsupported insurance scheme for companion animals that is closely linked to council registration. The scheme would also enhance current campaigns for microchipping and responsible pet ownership. Increased government financing of rural veterinary services, through landholder fees, would undoubtedly assist the sustainability of important rural biosecurity, food security, animal welfare and food safety services.

Charge appropriately -low-cost clinics and price discounting undervalues quality veterinary care and trivialises the skills and qualifications of veterinarians. For the benefit of animal welfare, 'gold standard' treatment must be advocated and priced appropriately. Third-party payment programs, such as VetPay or GE CareCredit, should be offered and client accounts denied for those on restricted budgets.

Increase the award rates for veterinarians -with an oversupply of veterinarians there is increased potential for employee neglect. The current minimum wages are extremely archaic for professionals possessing such high levels of skill and knowledge. For international students, the veterinary course costs AUD$215,714 at the University of Melbourne, in addition to the costs of a prerequisite undergraduate degree, which makes the wages appear miniscule. 18 Increase professional memberships -to conquer these challenges veterinarians need to brainstorm and unite as one voice. Professional organisations must provide fair representation in decision making and leadership positions to both employees and employers.

Where have all the planners gone?

Getting down to business

Higher Education Base Funding Review Submission. Submission to Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Number, distribution and concentration of Australian veterinarians in

Veterinary students' understanding of a career in practice

Occupational injury, disease and stress in the veterinary profession

Veterinary surgeons and suicide: a structured review of possible influences on increased risk

Review of rural veterinary services

Personal characteristics, knowledge of the veterinary profession, and influences on career choice among students in the veterinary school applicant pool

Rural veterinary services in Western Australia. Part B: Rural practice

Tight job market squeezes large-animal veterinarians

Veterinary regulators poised to define parameters of lay dentists

Tips for fighting Internet pharmacies

Texas court says pet dog has sentimental value

Business analysis & valuation: using financial statements

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Pharmacy location rules

The University of Melbourne fee policy for international students 2012

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Copyright © 2012 Australian Veterinary Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing from the copyright holder. This consent does not extend to other kinds of copying such as copying for general distribution, for advertising or promotional purposes, for creating new collective works or for resale. Authorisation to photocopy items for internal and personal use is granted by the copyright holder for libraries and other users registered with their local Reproduction Rights Organisation (RRO), eg. Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA (www.copyright.com), provided the appropriate fee is paid directly to the RRO. This consent does not extend to other kinds of copying such as copying for general distribution, for advertising or promotional purposes, for creating new collective works or for resale. Special requests should be addressed to PermissionsUK@wiley.com DISCLAIMER The publisher, The Australian Veterinary Association and editors cannot be held responsible for errors or any consequences arising from the use of information contained in this journal; the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, the Australian Veterinary Association and editors, neither does the publication of advertisements constitute any endorsement by the publisher, the Australian Veterinary Association and editors of the products advertised. Submission of photographs for publication will be held to imply that permission for publication has been obtained from the photographer and from the subject(s) of the image.AVJ.PI.Feb12 TRADEMARKS AVA and the AVA logo are registered trademarks of the Australian Veterinary Association Limited.If the veterinary profession in Australia continues to progress in the manner that it has thus far, the inevitable result is reduced public respect for the profession. The reasons for this include trends towards over-servicing, increased reliance on industry-funded continuing education, sales of non-evidence-based therapies to support income, inability of clinics to purchase quality equipment and hire capable staff, paraprofessionals performing veterinary duties and an exodus of talent from the profession as disillusioned veterinarians seek jobs that are more rewarding, both morally and financially.We currently face the prospect of private practice veterinarians comprising inexperienced recent graduates, individuals trapped by the burden of student debt, practice owners with high capital investment, secondary household income earners and those who are satisfied raising a family on the lowest of finances or happy to retire at a late age. Instead of working in the veterinary industry, people who wish to advance the welfare of animals would instead pursue more highly valued and highly paid professions, and simply donate to respectable animal charities. For the benefit of the veterinary profession and allied animal welfare in Australia, it is sincerely hoped that this situation does not occur.

Join the discussion online at www.ava.com.au/forum/sustainability-veterinary-profession