Maizey has become the first North American porcupine to have a caesarean section (Image courtesy of San Diego Wildlife Alliance)

In November 2023 at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in San Diego, California, Maizey, the porcupine, became pregnant with her first porcupette. Throughout her pregnancy, the wildlife care and health team monitored her to ensure she was healthy and comfortable as she continued to explore her habitat and eat her favorite snack, corn on the cobb.

When Maizey went into labor, she had a team of wildlife care and health specialists by her side. As the labor progressed, she attempted to bring the porcupette into the world herself by pacing, stretching, and rolling onto her side. However, it soon became clear that her offspring was too big to pass through the birth canal, requiring her health care teams to assess the situation and make the unprecedented decision to perform a cesarean section (C-section). Prior to Maizey, the procedure had never been performed on a North American porcupine.

According to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance,

 a team of 15 professionals was assembled to perform this first-of-its-kind procedure. The team worked through challenges, safely anesthetizing Maizey, and her baby, and properly handling her internal organs to prevent inflammation. Porcupines also have uniquely thin, sensitive, and rigid skin, which presented to be a challenge for the veterinary team making sutures.

"This groundbreaking surgery emphasizes the integral role of expert veterinary medical care in zoological facilities and highlights the advantages of innovative approaches to save species in need of conservation,” Michele Goodman, DVM,  director of animal care with Elmwood Park Zoo and veterinary advisor for the North American porcupine Species Survival Plan, said in an organizational release.

 “For the North American porcupine, this procedure represents a significant step forward to improve long-term survival rates and contributes to broader conservation efforts aimed at securing its future in the wild.”

Maizey's porcupette, Dakota, in their habitat

Porcupines are born with soft hairs that harden soon after birth. Due to the fact Maizey was in labor for 72 hours, her porcupette’s quills hardened and embedded themselves internally.

 The veterinary team removed the embedded quills and explored her abdomen for any stray quills, removing them 1 by 1. Then, after 3 hours in surgery, Maizey’s baby was born on April 11, 2024. He was male, and he was named Dakota.

Maizey is recovering well from the C-section and receives around-the-clock monitoring in a private den with Dakota. The team at San Diego Wildlife Alliance shared that Dakota is spunky, playful, and enjoys exploring his habitat. Dakota has apparently also found his signature move, “the twirly bird,” where he spins in a circle quickly and then flares up his quills while he plays.

Porcupines typically breed in the fall and early winter seasons. An ‘elaborate’ courtship is conducted involving extensive vocalizations, a courtship dance, and males typically urinate on the female prior to mating.

Gestation normally lasts between 205 and 217 days. There is typically 1 porcupette per litter, with twins being rare.

McCann S. Maizey’s Miracle. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Published September 16, 2024. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/story-hub/2024/09/16/maizeys-miracle?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9Km3BhDjARIsAGUb4nzIZyHsAOPdu-EoKIVrZFmSY1zT5oYqvL8HQOXTI7-l62jckrh37bkaArMIEALw_wcB

First-Ever North American Porcupine C-Section Birth Successfully Performed by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. News release. San Diego Wildlife Alliance. September 17, 2024. Accessed September 19, 2024. 

North American porcupine. Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Published July 11, 2018. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/north-american-porcupine

Articles

Maizey the porcupine at the San Diego Zoo became the first to have a cesarean section in North America after birthing complications arose during labor 

First-ever cesarean section performed on North American porcupine

On this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes guest Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, to dive into the essentials of managing pruritic cats and discuss effective treatment options for feline dermatology patients. Christman and Griffin discuss the critical role of maintaining skin barrier health and share valuable communication strategies for general practitioners to engage pet owners on topics like flea control and managing chronic skin conditions. 

Tune in for insights into the diverse treatment options available for these feline patients.

Dogs are fairly simple. They have allergic skin disease, they itch, they scratch, they chew at themselves, and then that leads to hair loss, secondary changes in the skin, and then eventually secondary infections in most dogs. In cats, they can present like the dogs, that's one reaction pattern, which they call self induced alopecia, or fur mowing. We used to call it that at Cornell, which is really funny. But depending on where you're trained, you'll hear those 2 different terms.

Then, outside of that, cats have the eosinophilic granuloma complex, which comprises eosinophilic plaques, the linear eosinophilic granuloma, indolent ulcers. You remember those rodent ulcers that cats get. They're really nasty, they look like they're painful. And then cats can also get a reaction pattern called miliary dermatitis, where they have multifocal, crusted papules. And usually you can feel those before you see them, because they may be underneath hair skin or underneath the hair on the skin. And then we also have the head and neck pruritus. These are cats that will rip their faces to shreds. So they often come in cones. They're bloody. You know, it's pretty terrible. They'll they'll rub their faces until their whiskers are broken off. 

Want to hear more from Griffin? She is presenting on a wide variety of dermatology topics at our upcoming Fetch Coastal Conference in 

 City, New Jersey October 14-16, 2024. Learn more about the conference and register 

This week's guest Joya Griffin, DVM, DACVD, discusses feline dermatology with host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA

 Purring and pruritic: How to avoid a “catopy” catastrophy

The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) announced the establishment of 4 Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers (AVICs), which will further the goals outlined in the FDA’s Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda (AVIA), released in September 2023.

 The AVICs will receive funding for work towards the advancement of regulatory science and further development of innovative products, as well as approaches to support animal health and veterinary interventions.

The AVICs will focus on 3 main areas of concentration, as follows

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in addition to other zoonotic diseases or One Health related issues.

Intentional genomic alterations (IGAs) in animals as well as the advancement of regulatory science in veterinary medicine. There will be specific interest in IGAs supporting agricultural resilience, food security, animal health, or public health.

Unmet veterinary medical needs in minor and major species that create significant burdens in animal or public health.

Partnerships for the FDA were selected through a competitive cooperative agreement process that looked to establish AVICs and address critical animal, human, or environmental health needs that aligned with the priorities outlined in the AVIA.

 Funding for the centers is renewable for up to 4 years, progress and availability of funds pending, and the agency’s 

 will remain open for additional applications.

The 4 AVICs that will receive funding in the partnerships are as follows

 Funds will be allocated to the support of HPAI research. Their approach involves genetically targeting pro-viral host factors, antiviral proteins, or viral proteins, exploring the development of genome-edited chickens as a method to reduce susceptibility or provide resistance to the virus, and others like it.

 Funding will go towards research on IGAs in major livestock species, working to advance gene editing technologies in food animals. The University will generate and share phenotypic and bioinformatic data in support of a scientific approach to IGA regulation in food animals.

 The funds will be used to build models for evaluating the efficacy of analgesics in food animals, including pigs, goats, and cattle, in support of new drug approvals. The work looks to support pain relief in food animals for painful diseases or surgical pain.

 The University will use the funding to support their research on the infectivity and formation of cyst-like 

the causative agent of blackhead disease in turkeys—

. Researchers also aim to identify the cellular pathways that mediate encystation in

 and analyze potent inhibitors against encystation of

In a continuation of progress towards the implementation of the AVIA, the FDA announced support for a collaboration agreement to the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA. The foundation plans to conduct an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) for the animal health, animal food, and veterinary industries. The SWOT analysis aims to establish a record of the challenges and unmet needs within the industries and determine the economic impact of the points.

The foundation has established a panel of experts to conduct the formal analysis, the results of which the FDA will use to identify areas where new or adapted regulatory approaches could be beneficial. Lisa A. Tell, DVM, DACZM, DABVP (Avian), is chair of the expert panel. The panel is made up of 8 industry professionals.

 The analysis will also consider how the animal health sectors integrate with One Health. The panel projects to complete their analysis, and publicly release their results, in the second quarter of 2025.

The Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda (AVIA)

, looking to modernize their methods of evaluation and support for the development of innovative animal and veterinary products.

 In the agenda, they shared a 4-step outline to meet their goals

 Support technologies and products that address high-priority needs

 Align regulatory pathways to the modern landscape

Enhance our One Health workforce for the future of innovation

 Identify and address gaps specific to new technologies and emerging health threats

With the most recent announcements, the FDA continues to support the goals they outlined for themselves 1 year ago, enhancing their approach and support of innovation in veterinary medicine, according to the agency.

FDA announces Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers partnerships. US Food and Drug Administration. September 18, 2024. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-announces-animal-and-veterinary-innovation-centers-partnerships

Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda. US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine. September 2023. Accessed September 18, 2024.

Reagan-Udall Foundation to research challenges in animal and veterinary industries. US Food and Drug Administration. September 18, 2024. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/reagan-udall-foundation-research-challenges-animal-and-veterinary-industries

McCafferty C. FDA releases Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda. dvm360. September 18, 2023. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/fda-releases-animal-and-veterinary-innovation-agenda

Addressing unmet need within the animal and veterinary industries. Reagan-Udall Foundation for the Food and Drug Administration. Accessed September 18, 2024. 

https://reaganudall.org/addressing-unmet-need-within-animal-and-veterinary-industries

Recent agency announcements demonstrate continued progress towards objectives in its Animal and Veterinary Innovation Agenda

FDA shows commitment to animal and veterinary innovation

Attendees at the upcoming Fetch dvm360 conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, have the benefit of hands-on learning with several laboratory experiences. 

offers this in-depth education on suture techniques, tibial tuberosity advancement, and patella luxation.

All workshops are being held on-site at the Atlantic City Convention Center, which hosts Fetch Coastal October 14 to 16, 2024. More details on each of these programs are as follows:

Shadi Ireifej, DVM, DACVS, chief medical officer for VetTriage.

This 2-hour, interactive workshop, sponsored by PRN, will be led by Shadi Ireifej, DVM, DACVS, chief medical officer for VetTriage. The session provides an opportunity for veterinarians and technicians to expand and enhance their skills in suturing. Attendees will practice various suture patterns, knots, and tacking and walking sutures. Knot security, tensile strength, and available suture will also be covered in the workshop.

This session is open to all registered conference attendees and will be held twice during the convention, with each workshop seating up to 20 participants. Payment of a separate $50 fee is required.

The first session will be held October 14, and the second will be held October 15. Both workshops will begin at 2:45 pm.

Tibial Tuberosity Advancement, Introducing MMP

This 2-hour session, sponsored by OrthoMed, provides a progressive tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) course for the treatment of canine cruciate ligament disease. With a hands-on bone cutter workshop, this lab is designed to develop practical skills that can be used to perform the procedure with successful patient outcomes. The lab features OrthoMed’s Modified Maquet Procedure (MMP), which relies on a biocompatible titanium wedge to simplify the TTA procedure and help shorten the patient’s recovery period.

This lab will be held October 15, available only to veterinarians, and is led by Scott Rutherford, BVMS, CertSAS, DipECVS, MRCVS, RCVS, cofounder and clinical director at frank. Pet Surgeons in Leeds, England. There is a limit of 16 participants. A separate fee of $600 as well as conference registration is required to attend. Attendees who have already registered can add this lab to their existing enrollment. The deadline to register for the lab is October 8, 2024.

Scott Rutherford, BVMS, CertSAC, DipECVS, MRCVS, RCVS, cofounder and clinical director at frank. Pet Surgeons. 

This 3-hour lab will be offered twice on October 15. Led by Rutherford, both sessions include a 1-hour lecture at 11 am. The lecture will be followed by 2 hours of hands-on education, starting for the first group at 12:30 pm and the second group at 3 pm.

Through this lab, sponsored by OrthoMed, attendees will learn aspects of patella luxation and review surgical treatment options. These options include OrthoMed’s RidgeStop, a synthetic ridge designed to provide a less aggressive alternative to sulcoplasty.

Available only to veterinarians, the lab is limited to 16 participants in each hands-on group. A separate fee of $600 as well as conference registration is required to attend. Attendees who have already registered can add this lab to their existing enrollment. The deadline to register for the lab is October 8, 2024.

 to register for these Fetch Coastal labs and learn more about Fetch Coastal 2024.

Workshops offer in-depth education for veterinary professionals

Hands-on labs aim to build skills for Fetch Coastal attendees

A study out of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has found that high-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 can be spread through the food-stealing behavior of some seabirds, known as kleptoparasitism.

 Kleptoparasitism is a feeding strategy in which one bird forces another to regurgitate its prey. Researchers say that if the targeted bird is infected, the regurgitated food item could come coated in saliva with a high viral load, which could infect the kleptoparasitic bird, before being spread to others.

The study, led by scientists from UNSW Sydney’s Centre for Ecosystem Science, alongside BirdLife International, Deakin University, and Monash University, examined the distribution, behavior, and movements of 

 (skuas), 2 worldwide families of seabird which are commonly kleptoparasitic. With the knowledge that HPAIV can be transmitted in this way, researchers can maintain proper surveillance of kleptoparasite health, aiding in early detection and potentially proving crucial to seabird conservation efforts.

“Understanding transmission is critical to monitoring and management efforts, particularly when at-risk species or regions are involved, and it’s helpful to understand threats to other animals and people,” Simon Gorta, the study’s lead author, PhD candidate at UNSW, said in a 

The virus has killed millions of birds across the world since 2021. Marine species, including seabirds, have been among the most impacted. Richard Kingsford, PhD, professor at UNSW Sydney’s School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, and co-author of the study, explained that seabirds are especially vulnerable to the virus because of the way they group when breeding.

“Transmission among seabirds is a real concern because of their close contact and potential contamination of communal resources on densely-packed breeding islands, as well as particular behaviors like predation and scavenging of infected individuals,” Kingsford said.

 Researchers now believe that kleptoparasitism, which is a common behavior in seabirds, could be a key point of transmission for the virus. They also expressed concerns regarding the spread of the virus to new populations through this pathway of transmission. The virus could be carried significant distances because of the common migration tendencies of seabirds.

“Many seabirds, including these kleptoparasitic species, cover tens of thousands of kilometers in their migrations,” Alex Berryman, red list officer for BirdLife International, said.

 “If kleptoparasites become infected during these migrations and come into contact with other individuals in a way that can facilitate transmission soon after, the disease could spread into new, threatened, and previously unexposed populations and regions.”

The study considered all species in the families Fregatidae and Stercorariidae, 5 species of Fregatidae and 7 species of Stercorariidae. Following observation, HPAIVs were detected in 2 of the 5 species of Fregatidae and in 4 of the 7 species of Stercorariidae birds.

 Also, during the study, Fregatidae and Stercorariidae birds were recorded kleptoparasiting 14 additional families of birds. The kleptoparasites were typically bigger than their targets. Of the 14 targeted families, only 4 (

) did not include a species that contracted HPAIVs.

As the threat of HPAIV H5N1 continues to increase across the world, understanding transmission pathways of the virus is key for monitoring and managing wildlife populations. Previously, the virus’s reach was limited to Eurasia and Africa, before spreading to North and South America in 2021 and late 2022, respectively.

University of New South Wales. ‘Food Theft’ among seabirds could be transmission point for deadly avian flu. Phys.org, Science X Network. September 17, 2024. Accessed September 17, 2024.

Gorta S., Berryman A., Kingsford R., Klaassen M., Clarke R. Kleptoparasites in seabirds – A potential pathway for global avian influenza virus spread. 

New research shows ‘food theft’ could be a point of transmission for the deadly H5N1 virus

Avian flu could be transmitted when seabirds steal food 

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently published an updated version of its “AVMA Guidelines for the Humane Slaughter of Animals.” The revised document offers best practices for veterinarians humanely ending animals’ lives in settings where these animals are destined for use as food or fiber.

The former edition of the document, published in 2016, provided guidance on the slaughter of hooved livestock such as bovids, swine, and small ruminants, as well as poultry and certain other species including finfish and crocodiles, according to a news release.

 The latest document, published September 13, 2024, expands on this content to include ducks, geese, pheasants, quail, and ratites. It also introduces new sections on mink and other fur-bearing animals, as well as frogs, decapods, and cephalopods. According to the AVMA, another update to the guidelines involved organizing the document's chapters by species, which was done to improve readability.

In addition to 8 species-specific chapters, the 133-page document includes the rules and regulations on slaughter in the US. Moreover, each chapter provides guidelines on techniques, facility design and slaughter process, human behavioral considerations and training, and animal behavioral considerations.

Robert Meyer, chair of the AVMA Panel on Humane Slaughter, explained in an AVMA Axon video that these guidelines are part of a set of 3 scientifically based documents created and maintained by the association to guide humane animal killing practices, according to a news release.

 Additionally, the AVMA has published its' AVMA Guidelines on the Euthanasia of Animals and the AVMA Guidelines on the Depopulation of Animals.

“These documents are used by veterinarians, but also by others,” Meyer said in the video, according to a news release.

 “They are referenced—and sometimes adopted as policy—by voluntary animal care programs across sectors of the animal industry. They have been incorporated into federal, state, and local regulations. They have been used as resources for implementation of federal agency policy and they have been referenced in court cases.”

“Most importantly, they provide critical guidance for veterinarians in delivering difficult, but necessary, services for their patients and their clients every single day in practice,” he continued, according to the release.

The new document was started over 3 years, under the guidance of a panel of 13 veterinarians and animal scientists. The development process included a comprehensive literature review, working groups focused on specific species, and a feedback period for AVMA members, according to the AVMA.

Moreover, revisions included in this edition were largely influenced by member input and recent publications related to the humane slaughter of nontraditional species used for food and fiber in the US, according to the organization.

 The guidelines do not address hunting or fishing of animals.

“The overriding commitment of these guidelines is to ensure that the treatment of animals during every stage of life is as humane and respectful as possible,” wrote the AVMA in statement.

 “The recommendations in the guidelines are intended to guide veterinarians, who must then use professional judgment in applying them to the various settings where animals are destined for slaughter for use as food or fiber,” the organization continued.

AVMA releases expanded humane slaughter guidelines. News release. American Veterinary Medical Association. September 16, 2024. Accessed September 17, 2024. https://www.avma.org/news/avma-releases-expanded-humane-slaughter-guidelines?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

Humane slaughter. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed September 17, 2024. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/humane-slaughter

AVMA Guidelines for the Humane Slaughter of Animals: 2024 Edition. American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed September 17, 2024. https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/Humane-Slaughter-Guidelines-2024.pdf

The document now provides guidance for veterinarians that pertains to additional species