EFVV Ukraine cheat sheet

Veterinary medicine is divided into clinical disciplines (internal medicine, surgery, reproduction, infectious disease), paraclinical sciences (pathology, microbiology, parasitology, pharmacology) and basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry).

Notifiable (reportable) diseases in Ukraine include anthrax, rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, classical swine fever, African swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza; suspicion must be reported to the state veterinary service.

Species categories commonly recognised: farm animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry), companion animals (dogs, cats), equids, and wildlife/zoo animals.

Zoonosis = any disease or infection naturally transmissible between vertebrate animals and humans (e.g., rabies, brucellosis, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, echinococcosis).

Herd-level metrics: morbidity = new cases / population at risk; mortality = deaths / population; case fatality = deaths / cases.

Standard clinical examination sequence: signalment and history, general inspection, vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration), then system-by-system examination.

Reference adult body temperatures: cattle 38.0-39.0 C, pig 38.5-39.5 C, dog 38.0-39.0 C, cat 38.0-39.2 C, horse 37.5-38.5 C.

Post-mortem examination follows a fixed order (external inspection, body cavities, thoracic, abdominal, cranial organs) with samples for laboratory testing taken before organ removal.

Ruminant stomach compartments in order: rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum; rumen fermentation produces volatile fatty acids (acetate, propionate, butyrate) as the main energy source.

Eructation removes fermentation gas; rumination (regurgitation, remastication, redeglutition) is a normal cyclic process in cattle and sheep.

Cardiac cycle: systole = ventricular contraction and ejection; diastole = ventricular filling; the first heart sound is from atrioventricular valve closure.

Normal adult respiratory rates (breaths/min): cattle 10-30, pig 8-18, dog 10-30, cat 20-30, horse 8-16.

Kidney functional unit is the nephron (glomerulus + tubule); glomerular filtration rate is the key measure of renal function.

Skeletal muscle contraction follows the sliding filament mechanism: actin and myosin filaments slide past each other after calcium binds troponin C.

Bone types: long (femur, humerus), short (carpal, tarsal), flat (scapula, skull bones) and irregular (vertebrae); the periosteum provides appositional growth and fracture healing.

Blood gas and acid-base reference: normal arterial pH approximately 7.35-7.45; bicarbonate is the principal extracellular buffer.

Pharmacokinetic parameters: bioavailability (F), volume of distribution (Vd = dose / plasma concentration), clearance (CL = dose / AUC) and half-life (t1/2 = 0.693 x Vd / CL).

Drug elimination follows first-order kinetics at therapeutic doses: a constant fraction is removed per unit time; steady state is reached after about 4-5 half-lives.

Antimicrobial classes by mechanism: cell-wall synthesis inhibitors (beta-lactams), protein synthesis inhibitors (tetracyclines, macrolides, aminoglycosides), DNA/folate inhibitors (fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides).

Withdrawal periods for veterinary drugs in food-producing animals are set so residues fall below the maximum residue limit (MRL); products are prohibited in animals producing milk for human consumption if labelled so.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs act by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), reducing prostaglandin synthesis; overdose risks gastrointestinal ulceration and renal injury.

Organophosphate and carbamate toxicity causes cholinergic crisis (salivation, miosis, bradycardia, muscle fasciculations); atropine is the antidote for muscarinic signs.

Rodenticide anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin-type) cause coagulopathy; vitamin K1 is the specific antidote.

Xylazine and other alpha-2 agonists cause sedation, bradycardia and rumen atony; yohimbine or atipamezole are reversal agents.

Rabies is a fatal viral zoonosis; post-exposure management in animals is not permitted in most countries - suspected cases are handled under official control measures.

Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) presents as sudden death with dark, non-clotting blood; carcasses must not be opened due to spore formation risk.

African swine fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease of pigs with very high mortality; no vaccine exists and control relies on culling and movement restrictions.

Mastitis in dairy cattle is most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli; somatic cell count is the herd-level indicator.

Ketosis in dairy cows occurs in early lactation from negative energy balance; signs include anorexia, drop in milk yield and ketone smell on breath.

Parasitic disease control: anthelmintic classes include benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones and imidazothiazoles; rotation of classes reduces resistance selection.

Non-infectious disease categories include nutritional deficiencies, metabolic disorders, toxicoses, congenital defects and neoplasia.

Diagnosis of infectious disease uses a combination of clinical signs, post-mortem lesions, culture, PCR and serology (paired sera for rising titres).

The five freedoms of animal welfare: freedom from hunger and thirst, from discomfort, from pain/injury/disease, from fear and distress, and freedom to express normal behaviour.

Stocking density, ventilation rate and floor space are key welfare parameters; inadequate ventilation causes respiratory disease and heat stress in housed livestock.

Colostrum must be fed to newborn calves within the first hours of life (ideally within 2-6 hours) to provide passive immunity via immunoglobulins.

Herd health management includes regular vaccination, parasite control, hoof trimming, and record-keeping for production and disease events.

Heat stress in cattle is indicated by increased respiration rate and panting; mitigation includes shade, ventilation and water availability.

Behavioural indicators of poor welfare include stereotypies, excessive aggression, feather pecking and tail biting.

Biosecurity measures include quarantine of new animals, controlled visitor access, disinfection points and all-in/all-out management where feasible.

Meat inspection at slaughter includes ante-mortem examination and post-mortem inspection of lymph nodes, organs and carcass; findings determine fitness for human consumption.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is the systematic preventive approach to food safety, based on identifying hazards and controlling critical points.

Zoonotic foodborne pathogens of major concern include Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 and Brucella.

Milk for human consumption must be pasteurised or otherwise heat-treated; raw milk is a recognised vehicle for tuberculosis, brucellosis and salmonellosis.

Residue monitoring programmes test for antimicrobials, hormones and pesticides against MRLs established for food safety.

Slaughter hygiene principles: clean/dirty separation, avoiding contamination of the carcass by intestinal contents, and rapid chilling to limit bacterial growth.

Waste and by-product handling (rendering, incineration, composting) prevents spread of pathogens and complies with animal by-product regulations.

Veterinary practice in Ukraine is regulated by the Law of Ukraine on Veterinary Medicine, which defines the state veterinary service, its powers and the duties of veterinary professionals.

Notifiable disease reporting is a legal obligation: suspicion of a listed disease must be reported to the state veterinary inspector without delay.

Prescription-only (Rx) medicines must be prescribed by an authorised veterinarian; dispensing and record-keeping requirements apply to controlled substances.

Veterinary ethics principles include animal welfare first, informed consent of the owner, confidentiality, and avoidance of conflicts of interest.

Professional duties include accurate record-keeping, maintaining competence through continuing education, and honest communication about prognosis and costs.

Animal welfare legislation prohibits unnecessary suffering and sets requirements for housing, transport and humane slaughter.

Veterinarians must not perform procedures that are illegal or unnecessary, and must report suspected animal cruelty.

Triage in emergencies prioritises airway, breathing and circulation (ABC); shock is treated with fluid resuscitation before definitive procedures.

Common clinical pathology tests: complete blood count (CBC), serum biochemistry (liver and kidney panels), urinalysis and cytology.

Fluid therapy principles: estimate deficit, maintenance and ongoing losses; isotonic crystalloids are first-line for most volume deficits.

Anaesthesia monitoring includes heart rate, respiratory rate, mucous membrane colour, capillary refill time and, where available, pulse oximetry and capnography.

Surgical asepsis requires sterile instruments, sterile gloves, patient skin preparation and a clean operating environment.

Wound management: lavage, debridement of devitalised tissue and appropriate closure or open management depending on contamination.

Antibiotic use in practice should follow culture and sensitivity where possible, with correct dose, duration and route to limit resistance.

Euthanasia must be performed humanely, using approved methods that cause rapid loss of consciousness followed by death.

Veterinary medicine is divided into clinical disciplines (internal medicine, surgery, reproduction, infectious disease), paraclinical sciences (pathology, microbiology, parasitology, pharmacology) and basic sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry).

Notifiable (reportable) diseases in Ukraine include anthrax, rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, classical swine fever, African swine fever and highly pathogenic avian influenza; suspicion must be reported to the state veterinary service.

Species categories commonly recognised: farm animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry), companion animals (dogs, cats), equids, and wildlife/zoo animals.

Zoonosis = any disease or infection naturally transmissible between vertebrate animals and humans (e.g., rabies, brucellosis, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, echinococcosis).

Herd-level metrics: morbidity = new cases / population at risk; mortality = deaths / population; case fatality = deaths / cases.

Standard clinical examination sequence: signalment and history, general inspection, vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration), then system-by-system examination.

Reference adult body temperatures: cattle 38.0-39.0 C, pig 38.5-39.5 C, dog 38.0-39.0 C, cat 38.0-39.2 C, horse 37.5-38.5 C.

Post-mortem examination follows a fixed order (external inspection, body cavities, thoracic, abdominal, cranial organs) with samples for laboratory testing taken before organ removal.

Ruminant stomach compartments in order: rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum; rumen fermentation produces volatile fatty acids (acetate, propionate, butyrate) as the main energy source.

Eructation removes fermentation gas; rumination (regurgitation, remastication, redeglutition) is a normal cyclic process in cattle and sheep.

Cardiac cycle: systole = ventricular contraction and ejection; diastole = ventricular filling; the first heart sound is from atrioventricular valve closure.

Normal adult respiratory rates (breaths/min): cattle 10-30, pig 8-18, dog 10-30, cat 20-30, horse 8-16.

Kidney functional unit is the nephron (glomerulus + tubule); glomerular filtration rate is the key measure of renal function.

Skeletal muscle contraction follows the sliding filament mechanism: actin and myosin filaments slide past each other after calcium binds troponin C.

Bone types: long (femur, humerus), short (carpal, tarsal), flat (scapula, skull bones) and irregular (vertebrae); the periosteum provides appositional growth and fracture healing.

Blood gas and acid-base reference: normal arterial pH approximately 7.35-7.45; bicarbonate is the principal extracellular buffer.

Pharmacokinetic parameters: bioavailability (F), volume of distribution (Vd = dose / plasma concentration), clearance (CL = dose / AUC) and half-life (t1/2 = 0.693 x Vd / CL).

Drug elimination follows first-order kinetics at therapeutic doses: a constant fraction is removed per unit time; steady state is reached after about 4-5 half-lives.

Antimicrobial classes by mechanism: cell-wall synthesis inhibitors (beta-lactams), protein synthesis inhibitors (tetracyclines, macrolides, aminoglycosides), DNA/folate inhibitors (fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides).

Withdrawal periods for veterinary drugs in food-producing animals are set so residues fall below the maximum residue limit (MRL); products are prohibited in animals producing milk for human consumption if labelled so.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs act by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), reducing prostaglandin synthesis; overdose risks gastrointestinal ulceration and renal injury.

Organophosphate and carbamate toxicity causes cholinergic crisis (salivation, miosis, bradycardia, muscle fasciculations); atropine is the antidote for muscarinic signs.

Rodenticide anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin-type) cause coagulopathy; vitamin K1 is the specific antidote.

Xylazine and other alpha-2 agonists cause sedation, bradycardia and rumen atony; yohimbine or atipamezole are reversal agents.

Rabies is a fatal viral zoonosis; post-exposure management in animals is not permitted in most countries - suspected cases are handled under official control measures.

Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) presents as sudden death with dark, non-clotting blood; carcasses must not be opened due to spore formation risk.

African swine fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease of pigs with very high mortality; no vaccine exists and control relies on culling and movement restrictions.

Mastitis in dairy cattle is most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli; somatic cell count is the herd-level indicator.

Ketosis in dairy cows occurs in early lactation from negative energy balance; signs include anorexia, drop in milk yield and ketone smell on breath.

Parasitic disease control: anthelmintic classes include benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones and imidazothiazoles; rotation of classes reduces resistance selection.

Non-infectious disease categories include nutritional deficiencies, metabolic disorders, toxicoses, congenital defects and neoplasia.

Diagnosis of infectious disease uses a combination of clinical signs, post-mortem lesions, culture, PCR and serology (paired sera for rising titres).

The five freedoms of animal welfare: freedom from hunger and thirst, from discomfort, from pain/injury/disease, from fear and distress, and freedom to express normal behaviour.

Stocking density, ventilation rate and floor space are key welfare parameters; inadequate ventilation causes respiratory disease and heat stress in housed livestock.

Colostrum must be fed to newborn calves within the first hours of life (ideally within 2-6 hours) to provide passive immunity via immunoglobulins.

Herd health management includes regular vaccination, parasite control, hoof trimming, and record-keeping for production and disease events.

Heat stress in cattle is indicated by increased respiration rate and panting; mitigation includes shade, ventilation and water availability.

Behavioural indicators of poor welfare include stereotypies, excessive aggression, feather pecking and tail biting.

Biosecurity measures include quarantine of new animals, controlled visitor access, disinfection points and all-in/all-out management where feasible.

Meat inspection at slaughter includes ante-mortem examination and post-mortem inspection of lymph nodes, organs and carcass; findings determine fitness for human consumption.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is the systematic preventive approach to food safety, based on identifying hazards and controlling critical points.

Zoonotic foodborne pathogens of major concern include Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7 and Brucella.

Milk for human consumption must be pasteurised or otherwise heat-treated; raw milk is a recognised vehicle for tuberculosis, brucellosis and salmonellosis.

Residue monitoring programmes test for antimicrobials, hormones and pesticides against MRLs established for food safety.

Slaughter hygiene principles: clean/dirty separation, avoiding contamination of the carcass by intestinal contents, and rapid chilling to limit bacterial growth.

Waste and by-product handling (rendering, incineration, composting) prevents spread of pathogens and complies with animal by-product regulations.

Veterinary practice in Ukraine is regulated by the Law of Ukraine on Veterinary Medicine, which defines the state veterinary service, its powers and the duties of veterinary professionals.

Notifiable disease reporting is a legal obligation: suspicion of a listed disease must be reported to the state veterinary inspector without delay.

Prescription-only (Rx) medicines must be prescribed by an authorised veterinarian; dispensing and record-keeping requirements apply to controlled substances.

Veterinary ethics principles include animal welfare first, informed consent of the owner, confidentiality, and avoidance of conflicts of interest.

Professional duties include accurate record-keeping, maintaining competence through continuing education, and honest communication about prognosis and costs.

Animal welfare legislation prohibits unnecessary suffering and sets requirements for housing, transport and humane slaughter.

Veterinarians must not perform procedures that are illegal or unnecessary, and must report suspected animal cruelty.

Triage in emergencies prioritises airway, breathing and circulation (ABC); shock is treated with fluid resuscitation before definitive procedures.

Common clinical pathology tests: complete blood count (CBC), serum biochemistry (liver and kidney panels), urinalysis and cytology.

Fluid therapy principles: estimate deficit, maintenance and ongoing losses; isotonic crystalloids are first-line for most volume deficits.

Anaesthesia monitoring includes heart rate, respiratory rate, mucous membrane colour, capillary refill time and, where available, pulse oximetry and capnography.

Surgical asepsis requires sterile instruments, sterile gloves, patient skin preparation and a clean operating environment.

Wound management: lavage, debridement of devitalised tissue and appropriate closure or open management depending on contamination.

Antibiotic use in practice should follow culture and sensitivity where possible, with correct dose, duration and route to limit resistance.

Euthanasia must be performed humanely, using approved methods that cause rapid loss of consciousness followed by death.