Page 329 - The History of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps 1962–2021

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS 1962 – 2021
SVH are an invaluable aid when performing diagnostic procedures such as ultrasonography and endoscopy, and coupled with safe, effective sedation we certainly have it easier in some respects than our predecessors.
The Equine Theatre is a state-of-the-art facility which enables us to easily and safely carry-out surgical procedures on horses under general anaesthesia. The theatre comprises a padded knock-down and recovery box, the operating room with adjustable hydraulic table, and an overhead gantry for moving the anaesthetised horse between the box and the table. The floor in the operating theatre is Tefcoated, which eases cleaning and inhibits the growth of micro-organisms. The theatre has piped oxygen, and horses are routinely monitored using electrocardiography, pulse-oximetry and direct sphyg- momanometry.
The equine patient is usually anaesthetised using standard protocols which we have found to be very successful. Acepromazine is administered an hour before the operation, followed by romifidine five minutes prior to induction with ketamine, which is usually given with a small amount of diazepam. When unconscious the patient is intubated and maintained on halothane. We ensure that the anaesthetic is stable before moving the horse to the table.
In recent months we have performed colic surgery, laryngeal tieback, foreign body removal, deep laceration repair, molar extraction, and castrations with a degree of success. Although much equine surgery is elective we can have the theatre fully set-up in ten to twenty minutes, and many operations are performed in the evenings or at weekends.
On the canine side we have three main roles, the screening of dogs entering the procurement system, the health and welfare of dogs at the DAC, and as a referral centre for animals with veterinary problems at outlying units.
Dog Procurement Cell brings in over eight hundred potential canine recruits every year. Each one is examined by a Veterinary Officer and has its hips radiographed under propofol, a short-acting general anaesthetic. Approximately 25% of dogs are rejected at this stage for hip dysplasia. We use a system based on the degree of subluxation of the femoral head and any secondary changes present in the joint. Dogs are graded from I to IV, where I is very good and IV is a fail. Grade IIIs are usually taken for a cross-country run and re-manipulated to ascertain if there is any pain or instability in the hips.
The dogs are all between one and three years old so lumbar-sacral problems are rare, but we do have to be vigilant for Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD), problems in the elbows and shoulders, although these are not routinely radiographed. It is interesting that many of these young dogs already have dental calculus
and many have early periodontal disease. Bitches are examined for any sign of a spay scar, and on one occasion recently, an animal was found to be pregnant.
Kennel cough is our biggest problem in the new dogs, which is why they are quarantined for at least fifteen days before going on to the main kennels for training. Although a major concern, anecdotal evidence would suggest that the disease we now see is not as severe as that occurring a few years ago. Two things have changed, firstly the dogs are no longer housed in brick kennel blocks for their quarantine period, and secondly the dogs are vaccinated against parainfluenza virus.
When a dog has completed its quarantine and has been accepted for training, we implant a microchip into the scruff. We use a FECAVA-approved chip which gives a dog a unique 10-character identification and is read by a device that looks very similar to a television remote control. All our dogs have been micro-chipped since July 1994, and we plan to start chipping our horses shortly.
The dogs kennelled at the DAC are generally a very healthy population. The incidence of diarrhoea has been reduced by the implementation of an effective disinfection policy for the kennels. Over four hundred dogs are posted from the DAC every year, they are all inspected a week prior to departure, and again on the day they leave the DAC. We ensure that the dogs are fit enough to perform their operational duties, and that their new handlers are happy with the health and care of their dog. Teeth descales are the most common procedure performed on the dogs in Canine Division. Some of the SVH staff have been on veterinary dental courses, and we are happy to fill teeth and perform root canal treatment.
Dogs are sent from Melton Mowbray to many places around the world. The Veterinary Officers are responsible for the correct certification and vaccination regimes for dogs and are appointed Local Veterinary Inspectors by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. Unfortunately, it is not feasible for these dogs to return to the UK because of our quarantine regulations.
Our third role is as a referral centre for Dog Sections throughout the country. Dogs return to be treated by us for a number of reasons. Many need to be seen by an RAVC vet to accurately assess its future operational potential. The most frequently seen referral case is the GSD with hindlimb lameness. This can be caused by spondylopathy, or occasionally arthritis of another hindlimb joint. There are three possible courses of action for these cases; return to duty with appropriate treatment, casting from service, or placing on the Basic Dog Handlers Course under constant veterinary supervision.
We also have cases referred which require in-depth investigation, or medium to long-term treatment and hospitalisation. Recently such cases have included tail
321