NEWS AND VIEWS
Novel treatments and a new recruit Sarah Olson, Assistant Editor of the NZVJ, offers a sneak preview of the enlightening articles in this month’s issue. IN CONTRAST TO the bovine-dominated theme in the last issue of the New Zealand Veterinary Journal (NZVJ), the November issue contains a pick-n-mix of articles on a variety of species and topics. Two scientific articles discuss the application of novel methods of physiological support. In the first, Hisashi Sakata and colleagues investigated the use of bubble wrap for preventing heat loss in cats under anaesthesia. In their study, the limbs and thoraxes of cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy were wrapped in a combination of bubble wrap and absorbent pads. The heat loss in the bubble-wrapped animals was reduced, resulting in improved recovery times from general anaesthesia. The authors report that the wrap was simple to apply and suggest this is an inexpensive and practical method for
16 – VetScript November 2020
reducing perioperative hypothermia in cats undergoing surgery. In the second, Alejandro Soraci and colleagues adapted a plastic hood to accommodate piglets’ heads and snouts, enabling the rapid delivery of oxygen with a system that is practical for use on farm. The use of this device at birth improved KAT CROSSE the outcomes of piglets born with asphyxia and in 2016. She has continued to work as very low birth weights, and proved a costa senior lecturer at Massey University, effective, safe and easy method to help teaching undergraduates and running mitigate hypoxia. a residency programme in addition to This issue also contains two undertaking her clinical role. retrospective, short articles featuring “I enjoy nearly all aspects of surgery dogs: one that reports the results of – although I could give up routine a study of soft tissue sarcomas that orthopaedics without any regret – and compared their removal using either CO2 I’m especially interested in trying to find laser or surgical excision; and another the root causes of clinical problems and in which the C-reactive protein:albumin tailoring specific surgical treatments,” ratio was assessed as a prognostic marker Kat says. Her desire to modify treatment for acute pancreatitis. You can also read strategies to get the best outcomes articles on: administering a progesteronefor patients has led her to investigate based synchrony programme to phantom the variations and progression of cows on seasonal-calving dairy farms brachycephalic obstructive airway in New Zealand; the use of specific syndrome, the aetiology of chylothorax, trace element blood collection tubes the use of custom surgical implants and a for measuring concentrations of zinc rethink of our approach to open-chest CPR. in serum in sheep and cattle; and the When not thinking about or performing effects of feeding fodder beet during the surgery, Kat likes to get out and enjoy dry period on the metabolic profiles of the New Zealand landscape with her dog spring-calving dairy cows. Fennel. They can often be seen in the We would like to welcome the newest hills, on a mountain bike trail or exploring member of the NZVJ Editorial Board, new beaches. She’s also recently taken up Kat Crosse. Kat is a Senior Lecturer in drawing and painting. small animal surgery at Massey University. Hailing from the UK, she started her veterinary career in rural Sussex in a mixed practice dealing with everything from cats and dogs to turkeys and monkeys. After a Members of the NZVA can skiing accident and two cruciate surgeries, access any articles published Kat began to take on more and more small in the NZVJ by logging in to SciQuest animal work, specifically surgery, and this (www.sciquest.org.nz). More led her to move to New Zealand for an information about the NZVJ can be internship in surgery at Massey University. found at www.vetjournal.org.nz. Following her internship and then a You can contact the editors at residency, Kat became a Diplomate of the nzvj@vets.org.nz. European College of Veterinary Surgeons
