Distribution of equine and food animal emergency caseload by time of day, day of week, time of year, holiday, and phase of moon at an academic ambulatory and referral hospital

OBJECTIVE

Determine the association of time of day, day of week, time of year, holiday, and phase of moon on academic ambulatory and hospital emergency caseload for equine and food animal species.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Large animal teaching hospital emergency service.

ANIMALS

Equine and food animals.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The hospital database was searched for after-hours on-farm and in-hospital emergencies seen from 2014 to 2020. Variables included date and time of admission, species (equine or food/fiber animal [FA]), and hospital service (field or in-hospital). The association of the caseload with time of day, day of week, day of year (holiday, full moon, or new moon), and season of year was defined and examined. The majority of equine field-based emergencies occurred on the weekend, in contrast to 44.8% of hospital cases. Most equine emergencies occurred between 4:00 p.m. and midnight on weekdays and between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekends for both field (89.1% and 46.9%) and hospital (82.8% and 48%) services. The same was true for FA cases on the farm (90% and 49.2%) and in the hospital (85% and 51.4%). More equine cases (67%) were seen in the field than FA. Winter had the fewest emergency cases for all species and locations, and spring had the most for FA. The majority of holiday equine emergencies were seen in the field (62.2%), but the majority of holiday FA emergencies were seen in the hospital (66.3%). Moon phase had no significance on caseload for all species and locations.

CONCLUSIONS

Saturdays and Sundays were the busiest days for all species and services. Winter was the slowest time for emergencies for all species and services. Most emergencies were seen between 4:00 p.m. and midnight on weekdays and between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Sundays and Saturdays.

Risk factors associated with veterinary attrition from clinical practice: a descriptive study

A sustainable workforce is important for the veterinary profession to meet the demands of society. To maintain a sustainable workforce, it has been recommended to retain veterinary clinicians. However, there seems to be an increasing issue with retention of veterinarians in clinical practice. In the following study, the researchers sought to understand the associations between demographic and work-related factors and attrition of veterinarians from clinical practice. Responses to an online cross-sectional survey of 881 current and former Australian veterinary clinicians were analysed. A logistic regression model was used to identify and describe associations between attrition from veterinary clinical practice and salary, working hours, role in practice, years of experience, field of work, interaction with regulatory authorities, region of work and on-call duties. Lower salary, longer working hours, having on-call duties and having worked in both rural and metropolitan regions were found to significantly (P < 0.05) increase the likelihood of leaving clinical practice. The results may inform intervention strategies to assist the industry to retain veterinarians in clinical practice.

Large Animal Emergency Relief Services-A Model for University Engagement With Private Practitioners and Development of Practice Readiness for Veterinary Students

Large animal teaching hospitals often struggle to maintain consistent teaching caseloads, which are affected by seasonal variations, economic pressures, increased abilities of local large animal practices to hospitalize large animals, and client intolerance for the operational needs of an academic mission. Non-academic large animal practices enjoy a more consistent caseload but suffer from a lack of emergency relief and a limited ability to share emergency duties, which may have adverse effects on work-life balance. An academic, on-farm, large animal emergency relief service can combine multiple clinics' emergency services to increase overall caseload and the probability of consistent teaching exposure for veterinary students. In late November of 2013, the Large Animal Teaching Hospital at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine adopted a business model to provide a large animal emergency relief service to area practitioners; enhance student learning via increased emergency caseload; and advance the academic mission to develop practice-ready graduates. Providing this service contributes to the well-being of area practitioners and enriches student learning through increased caseload.

Perceptions of Equid Well Being Well-Being in South Dakota

In South Dakota, the status of equid well being is relatively unknown. This study sought to (a) gain understanding about the current perceptions of nonhuman animal well being in South Dakota, with an emphasis on horses and other equids; (b) determine the level of care equids are reportedly receiving and the perceived challenges to equine well being in South Dakota, and (c) determine if people from diverse geographical locations (east or west of the Missouri River) have similar views on the well being of equids in South Dakota. Respondents indicated the current level of equid well being in South Dakota is sufficient, but there is room for improvement. Current challenges for the equid population of South Dakota were the high annual cost of horse care, poor horsemanship, dental problems, and whether caregivers understand basic equine care. Several significant associations arose between where a respondent lives (Western or Eastern South Dakota) and their level of agreement with various statements. The results provide a benchmark to gauge well being and help give direction for future educational needs that can continue to improve equid care.