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News
Aust Vet J Vol 80, No 12, December 2002
University of Queensland’s Schoolof Veterinary Science has launcheda $1 million public fundraising
drive in a push to provide state-of-the artequipment and facilities for students. The school is in urgent need of fundsthrough a decrease in CommonwealthGovernment funding for universities andthe higher cost of training veterinarystudents than medical students. Aspokesman said the university itself hadprovided $1.6 million to start thefundraising. The campaign is said to be gaining supportfrom veterinarians across the State and willget a boost from television vet Dr Harry
Cooper, who will appear at an open day atUQ Vet School early next year. President of the North QueenslandVeterinary Association, Dr GrahamTuckett, said a modern, fully equipped UQVet School was vital for training vets andmaintaining broad research.“Facility and technology upgrades andincreasingly more sophisticated andexpensive equipment are needed to meetthe public’s demand for veterinarians whocan deliver best practice health care to pets,livestock and wildlife,” he said.Researchers at UQ Vet School are workingon a diverse range of animal ailments,including heartworm and tick paralysis indogs, diabetes in cats, diseases of tropical
livestock, and the deadly horse diseaselaminitis.Dr Tuckett said Queenslanders wanting tosupport the campaign could visit theirlocal veterinary clinic and pick up abrochure and donor card. All donationsover $2 are tax deductible.An “honour board” is being set up at theschool to recognise pet owners who donate$100 or more. The names of their pets willbe recorded on the board as a show ofappreciation.For more information: Dr NeilMcMeniman, head of UQ VeterinarySchool, (07) 3365 2784, or Dr GrahamTuckett, ( 07) 4956 1897
UQ vet school launches $1m fundraising drive
Newcastle Diseasefound at Sydney
poultry farm
Newcastle disease was discoveredlast month on a second poultryfarm at Horsley Park in Sydney’s
south-west. Agriculture Minister Richard Amery saidthe property had been placed in quarantineand all 8900 layer hens destroyedhumanely under veterinary supervision.“The property is within the restricted areadeclared around the original infected farmwhere 7550 layer hens were destroyedtwo weeks previously,” Amery said (seeAust Vet J 80 11 p649). The secondproperty is also a small layer farm withhens of various ages.“Vets carrying out routine surveillancefound a bird displaying nervous signs andsubsequent tests confirmed virulentNewcastle disease in one group of six-month-old birds,” Amery said. “TheNational Management Group, whichincludes representatives of industry andState and Territory AgricultureDepartments, decided that all poultry onthe property should be euthanased.”Amery said while the latest developmentwas disappointing it was not unexpected.“It is within the surveillance period,” hesaid. Poultry farms within the restrictedarea were vaccinated.
University of Melbourne’sVeterinary Clinic and Hospitalrecently celebrated the 10th
anniversary of the Western AnimalEmergency Centre and the officialopening of an improved and enlargedintensive care unit.WAEC opened on Melbourne Cup day,1992. The emergency unit is now staffed24 hours a day by at least one nurse andone vet, every day of the year. More than4000 cases are seen annually, a numbersaid to be steadily increasing. VeterinaryClinic and Hospital Director, Dr MarkDavis, said the emergency centre has alsohelped to train close to 800 veterinarystudents.Plans for extended ICU facilities have
been in place since the caseload began tooutgrow the small room the emergencycentre started in. In the past year, thanksto the sponsorship of Nestle Purina,renovations have been undertaken todouble the floor space, and new cagesand equipment have also been provided.Dr Davis said Purina’s head veterinarian,Dr Karen Johnson, has offered supportand advice for development of the ICU,and for continuing education programsthat clinicians and nurses at theVeterinary Clinic and Hospital have runthis year.The celebrations included presentationsfrom Dr Johnson and Dr Pru Galloway,a feline medicine specialist from NewZealand who spoke about critical carenutrition.
Western Animal EmergencyCentre celebrates 10th birthday
Visitors take a tour of the expanded ICU facilities at WAEC
