Page 13 - act-annual-review-2022-2023

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Page 13 - act-annual-review-2022-2023
P. 13

OUR IMPACT ON PETS





            The ACT was delighted to support our              Early use of the treadmill supported the          the clinical journey for the patient, undergraduate
            ºÚÁÏÉç neurology and orthopaedics services           observation of a dog that had gait analysis       vet and nurse students, postgraduate (interns
            by funding new gait analysis equipment.           repeated one month after a steroid epidural       and residents) and registered veterinary nurses,
            Subjective assessment of how a dog walks          injection. The main purpose of this was to assess   will be exposed to using a scientific approach
            using visual scoring has been shown               the improvement of the weight distribution        to clinical cases, and given the opportunity to
            to be highly inaccurate and unreliable,           on its four legs and how symmetrical its gait     undertake research projects using the data
            even when performed by experienced                became following the treatment. The owner         output, to answer important questions about
            specialists. For meaningful clinical              reported hardly any benefits and they felt the    diseases and treatments.
            research in orthopaedics, neurology               lameness was still evident. However, the dynamic   We are delighted to showcase some of the pets
            and musculoskeletal pain, objective gait          gait analysis showed marked improvement           that have been treated in our hospitals over the
            analysis has become essential.                    on weight distribution on the hindlimbs and       past year using ACT funded equipment. Bonnie
                                                              a symmetrical gait.
            Ten years ago we were delighted to support                                                          (pictured) received open heart surgery at eight
            the teams by funding the purchase of a long       The instrumented treadmill also allows the ºÚÁÏÉç to   months old to repair a hole in the wall of her heart
            pressure mat which became a vital piece of        continue to undertake important clinical research   and an abnormal mitral valve. She is recovering
            equipment in the hospital supporting clinical     trials to evaluate new therapies. A good example   well and is enjoying her newfound energy.
            services and providing valuable objective data for   of this is the nurse-led project focused on the
            clinical research. Since this time, technology has   ongoing measurement of the efficacy of stem
            moved on and the gait analysis treadmill is a new   cells for elbow osteoarthritis, and the impact of
            technology that demonstrates novel capabilities   rehabilitation on recovery from knee ligament
            that are not possible with other systems, such    surgery. The ºÚÁÏÉç is also planning to use it in a
            as a pressure mat, including assessment at        future study looking at the use of acupuncture in
            a consistent walking and running speed and        dogs suffering from osteoarthritis.
            measurement of standing comfort and resting       Exposure to a clinical research programme within
            limb use. Importantly, the data output is immediate   the ºÚÁÏÉç clinics is essential to inspire future
            which allows this to be functional part of the    researchers. The ºÚÁÏÉç has one of the highest
            patient’s clinical management, helping clients and   numbers of undergraduate and postgraduate
            clinicians to measure the problem and its response   clinical students undergoing training at any
            to treatment in the clinic, as well as allow clinically   veterinary hospital, hence delivering far-reaching
            relevant research and clinical trials.
                                                              impact of its innovative activities. With the treadmill
                                                              and data measurement being a routine part of




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