Communication education in veterinary in the United Kingdom and Ireland: the NUVACS project coupled to progressive individual school endeavors.

This article reports on the coordination of communications skills training in veterinary schools in the United Kingdom and Ireland and describes the progress and status of training that is occurring in six of these schools.

Transient hyperlipidaemia and anaemia in kittens.

Severe fasting hypertriglyceridaemia (5 to 126 mmol/litre) and anaemia (packed cell volume < 11 per cent) was observed in 12 litters of kittens around the time of weaning; the entire litter was usually affected, with significant mortality. Lipid analysis revealed marked increases in chylomicrons and moderate increases in very low density lipoproteins. Supportive measures for the treatment of anaemia and weaning on to a low fat diet resulted in rapid resolution of the clinical signs, anaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia.

The effect of short-term dietary fibre administration on oro-caecal transit time in dogs.

The effect on oro-caecal transit time of addition of soluble (guar gum) and insoluble (wheat bran) fibre to diets fed to seven healthy dogs at levels that have been shown to reduce post-prandial hyperglycaemia was assessed. Oro-caecal transit time was measured by sequential analysis of exhaled breath hydrogen levels. Median oro-caecal transit times were 105 min (range: 45 to 135), 113 min (range: 53 to 203) and 105 min (range: 75 to 195) after administration of a 770 g standard meal of canned food alone, or with the addition of 7.