Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature
Approximately 50% of cats admitted to Australian shelters are kittens, and 26% of dogs are puppies, and, particularly for cats, euthanasia rates are often high. Cats can be pregnant by 4 months of age, yet the traditional desexing age is 5–6 months, and studies in Australasia and Nth America reveal...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/1/3 |
| _version_ | 1818246367179440128 |
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| author | Alannah Jupe Jacquie Rand John Morton Sophie Fleming |
| author_facet | Alannah Jupe Jacquie Rand John Morton Sophie Fleming |
| author_sort | Alannah Jupe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Approximately 50% of cats admitted to Australian shelters are kittens, and 26% of dogs are puppies, and, particularly for cats, euthanasia rates are often high. Cats can be pregnant by 4 months of age, yet the traditional desexing age is 5–6 months, and studies in Australasia and Nth America reveal that only a minority of veterinarians routinely perform early age desexing (EAD) of cats or dogs, suggesting they are not graduating with these skills. This study aimed to describe the attitudes of veterinary teaching staff in Australian and New Zealand universities towards EAD, and to determine if these changed from 2008 to 2015. It also aimed to identify students’ practical exposure to EAD. Most (64%) of the 25 participants in 2015 did not advocate EAD in their teaching and, in their personal opinion, only 32% advocated it for cats. Concerns related to EAD cited by staff included anesthetic risk, orthopedic problems, hypoglycemia, and, in female dogs, urinary incontinence. Those who advocated EAD cited benefits of population control, ease of surgery and behavioral benefits. Only three of the eight universities provided a majority of students with an opportunity to gain exposure to EAD procedures before graduation, and in two of these, most students had an opportunity to perform EAD. In conclusion, most veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand are not graduating with the knowledge or skills to perform EAD, and have little opportunity while at university to gain practical exposure. Welfare agencies could partner with universities to enable students to experience EAD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T14:47:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a53faa61af0c43809d5469ef9fe2325e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T14:47:41Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-a53faa61af0c43809d5469ef9fe2325e2022-12-22T00:21:05ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152017-12-0181310.3390/ani8010003ani8010003Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing LiteratureAlannah Jupe0Jacquie Rand1John Morton2Sophie Fleming3School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaSchool of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, AustraliaApproximately 50% of cats admitted to Australian shelters are kittens, and 26% of dogs are puppies, and, particularly for cats, euthanasia rates are often high. Cats can be pregnant by 4 months of age, yet the traditional desexing age is 5–6 months, and studies in Australasia and Nth America reveal that only a minority of veterinarians routinely perform early age desexing (EAD) of cats or dogs, suggesting they are not graduating with these skills. This study aimed to describe the attitudes of veterinary teaching staff in Australian and New Zealand universities towards EAD, and to determine if these changed from 2008 to 2015. It also aimed to identify students’ practical exposure to EAD. Most (64%) of the 25 participants in 2015 did not advocate EAD in their teaching and, in their personal opinion, only 32% advocated it for cats. Concerns related to EAD cited by staff included anesthetic risk, orthopedic problems, hypoglycemia, and, in female dogs, urinary incontinence. Those who advocated EAD cited benefits of population control, ease of surgery and behavioral benefits. Only three of the eight universities provided a majority of students with an opportunity to gain exposure to EAD procedures before graduation, and in two of these, most students had an opportunity to perform EAD. In conclusion, most veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand are not graduating with the knowledge or skills to perform EAD, and have little opportunity while at university to gain practical exposure. Welfare agencies could partner with universities to enable students to experience EAD.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/1/3pet population controlteaching staffveterinary studentsdesexingearly age desexingsterilizationattitudesspayneutergonadectomycatdog |
| spellingShingle | Alannah Jupe Jacquie Rand John Morton Sophie Fleming Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature Animals pet population control teaching staff veterinary students desexing early age desexing sterilization attitudes spay neuter gonadectomy cat dog |
| title | Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature |
| title_full | Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature |
| title_fullStr | Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature |
| title_short | Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature |
| title_sort | attitudes of veterinary teaching staff and exposure of veterinary students to early age desexing with review of current early age desexing literature |
| topic | pet population control teaching staff veterinary students desexing early age desexing sterilization attitudes spay neuter gonadectomy cat dog |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/1/3 |
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