Interesting Read About Vets And Infectious Diseases

[tdierikx]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/half-of-australias-vets-sickened-by-animals-they-treat/story-fngwib2y-1226641178248

ALMOST one in two vets contract infections from animals they treat because of bad hygiene practices, a study has found.

Research by the University of Sydney's Veterinary Science department shows poor infection control has led to 44.9 per cent of vets contracting an infectious disease during their career.

More than 75 per cent of the 344 veterinarians questioned admitted they did not use masks, gowns, or gloves when performing surgery, dental procedures and post-mortems.

"Our profession appears to have a complacent attitude towards the use of personal protection," said the study's author, Dr Navneet Dhand.

"Not using appropriate protection when necessary is just like having unprotected sex with a stranger and thinking that it will be alright."

The study found almost 22 per cent of vets did not have eating areas separate from animals, and more than a third (34.8 per cent) did not isolate animals with contagious or known infectious diseases.

Dr Dhand said this was of particular concern since an increasing number of people had been affected by zoonotic or animal-borne diseases such as the Hendra virus and avian influenza.

"Vets are likely to be among the first people to encounter animals infected with these pathogens," said Dr Dhand.

"Their vigilance has implications not only for their own health but also the health and safety of the wider community."

T.

[kelpiecuddles]

I'm not surprised. I've contracted psitticosis from some birds I rescued. Thankfully they were in quarantine and I was following procedures to ensure that they were isolated from my other birds but they did not look unwell so that figure could potentially be skewed by those animals that seem OK but still carry something which they pass on.

When i was working as a vet nurse I don't remember any of us ever wearing masks but we did use gowns and gloves.

[WreckitWhippet]

and they wonder why I ask before taking any of my dogs in, has there been any parvo cases in the month

[sandgrubber]

Once or twice in a lifetime isn't bad, unless the diseases are quite serious and hard to treat.

Good on vets for not being paranoid.

After all, the statistics on kindergarten teachers catching infectious diseases must run 50% a year. We wouldn't want them running around in masks and gowns. The only surgeries I've witnessed are Ceasars and castrations. I'd say gloves, gowns, and masks would have gotten in the way and made the procedure more expensive.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Hendra is VERY scary.

[inez]

I have certainly found taking puppies to the vet for vaccination is a pretty sure way to be bringing home Kennel cough, thats for sure.

Most of the dogs there arent there for their vaccinations. Discovered after the event there were 2 dogs with kennel cough out the back and common aircondtining for the entire surgery, how stupid is that? Amazing how many vets wont even consider they might responsible for all the suddenly sick puppies.

Only ever use a vet who will do them in your car rather than risk that.

Edited May 13, 2013 by inez

[Jumabaar]

Once or twice in a lifetime isn't bad, unless the diseases are quite serious and hard to treat.

Good on vets for not being paranoid.

After all, the statistics on kindergarten teachers catching infectious diseases must run 50% a year. We wouldn't want them running around in masks and gowns. The only surgeries I've witnessed are Ceasars and castrations. I'd say gloves, gowns, and masks would have gotten in the way and made the procedure more expensive.

Actually vet staff can catch Q fever from aerosolised particles of placenta and really should be wearing gloves, gowns and masks during Sections!!!

http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/qfever.html

[inez]

Once or twice in a lifetime isn't bad, unless the diseases are quite serious and hard to treat.

Good on vets for not being paranoid.

After all, the statistics on kindergarten teachers catching infectious diseases must run 50% a year. We wouldn't want them running around in masks and gowns. The only surgeries I've witnessed are Ceasars and castrations. I'd say gloves, gowns, and masks would have gotten in the way and made the procedure more expensive.

Yes, Kindi is a wonderful time, your child brings every childhood disease home to share.

[Jumabaar]

Once or twice in a lifetime isn't bad, unless the diseases are quite serious and hard to treat.

Good on vets for not being paranoid.

After all, the statistics on kindergarten teachers catching infectious diseases must run 50% a year. We wouldn't want them running around in masks and gowns. The only surgeries I've witnessed are Ceasars and castrations. I'd say gloves, gowns, and masks would have gotten in the way and made the procedure more expensive.

Yes, Kindi is a wonderful time, your child brings every childhood disease home to share.

But how many of those teachers have died from those childhood diseases?

The zoonotic diseases that vets catch are generally innocuous and not a big deal- Hendra has a greater than 50% mortality rate and Q fever can have massive impacts on peoples life. A little more serious than a cold and the reason Vets lack of care for personal protection is concerning.

[Kirislin]

A horse vet I used to use certainly wasn't very conscious about this kind of thing. A few years ago he misdiagnosed a horse of mine and attributed the chest infection he got to my horse. Only thing is it didn't occur to him to warn me as well. Luckily for him he was wrong anyway.

[sandgrubber]

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1368447983[/url]' post='6200387']

Once or twice in a lifetime isn't bad, unless the diseases are quite serious and hard to treat.

Good on vets for not being paranoid.

After all, the statistics on kindergarten teachers catching infectious diseases must run 50% a year. We wouldn't want them running around in masks and gowns. The only surgeries I've witnessed are Ceasars and castrations. I'd say gloves, gowns, and masks would have gotten in the way and made the procedure more expensive.

Yes, Kindi is a wonderful time, your child brings every childhood disease home to share.

But how many of those teachers have died from those childhood diseases?

The zoonotic diseases that vets catch are generally innocuous and not a big deal- Hendra has a greater than 50% mortality rate and Q fever can have massive impacts on peoples life. A little more serious than a cold and the reason Vets lack of care for personal protection is concerning.

There is a vaccination for Q fever...and from the link you provided, it looks like I'm as much at risk in my compost pile as a vet is doing a Ceasar. Hendra is localized and associated with sick horses. Vets know when they are at risk, and I'd be surprised if they didnt take appropriate precautions in areas where Hendra was known. Kindergarteners could carry scary diseases, too...but it's rare for them to do so. I knew someone who picked up measles as an adult while teaching kindergarten....and nearly died from it.

[kelpiecuddles]

So true sandgrubber, I have a compromised immune system and despite being vaccinated I have to be very careful of the possibility of chicken pox and all the 'occals'(pneumacoccal, meningicoccal, etc). Funnily enough I trained as a primary school teacher, what was I thinking!

I have to say psitticossis was not fun at all, I felt atrocious. Made me very glad that I practiced good quarantine though, despite those birds dieing from the disease and me becoming ill my own birds were kept safe.

[BlackJaq]

Is it actually common for vets not to use gloves during surgery??

[Dory the Doted One]

Is it actually common for vets not to use gloves during surgery??

Generally not.

I did work with a couple who didn't, but they did take a lot of care in scrubbing...and they were old...oooooooolllllld school Vets. And very rural/back of beyond Vet experience. So not the norm.

I know... :eek:

[OSoSwift]

All my vets use gloves, if it is a non-sterile job they use non-sterile gloves and sterile ones for sterile surgeries, changing part way through etc.

Some other vets I worked for didn't wear them all the time though..............

[LisaCC]

Last time I was at the vets a nurse/receptionist had her hand in a dogs mouth and then answered the clinic phone straight away without even wiping the slobber off. Urgh.

[kelpiecuddles]

gross!

[Dory the Doted One]

Last time I was at the vets a nurse/receptionist had her hand in a dogs mouth and then answered the clinic phone straight away without even wiping the slobber off. Urgh.

In fairness...which is not to say, rightness...

Some Vets (especially if it is the business owner) can get REAL cranky with nursing staff if the phone isn't answered within three rings. They don't care if you are doing three things at once.

[mixeduppup]

We get slobber on our hands all the time, that's why we're always f10ing the phone, light switches, doorknobs and any common surface. I've only ever seen a vet operate without gloves once and they were English and speyed from the side...

Edited May 14, 2013 by mixeduppup

[PuddleDuck]

Is it actually common for vets not to use gloves during surgery??

Generally not.

I did work with a couple who didn't, but they did take a lot of care in scrubbing...and they were old...oooooooolllllld school Vets. And very rural/back of beyond Vet experience. So not the norm.

I know... :eek:

I worked for a vet about 11 years ago who didn't use gloves for anal glands or any other internals, and definitely nothing for surgeries