The Zoo, Wildlife, and Exotic Animal Medicine club of OSU College of Veterinary Medicine, along with the Student Chapter of the Wildlife Disease Association, is proud to announce they are hosting their first symposium in October. The symposium is entitled “Medicine and Management of Non-Traditional Species” and will host experts in the field from Oregon and around the United States. Some of the highlights of the symposium include Dr. Craig Packer, who will be talking about viral diseases in African lions; Dr. Cathy Johnson-Delaney, who will be discussing exotic and zoo animal nutrition and management of the critical small mammal patient; and Dr. Brian Speer, who will cover topics in avian medicine and behavior. There will also be a wet lab on marine mammal necropsy by Dr. Rob Bildfell, OSU College of Veterinary Medicine.
Expected attendees include students from Washington State University’s veterinary school and area practitioners who will be able to receive 12.5 hours of CE credit. The symposium is supported by the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the Veterinary College, Oxbow Animal Health, and local businesses. Students began organizing the symposium during spring term.
People interested in attending the symposium can go to the club’s website at: http://wdaandzwe.yolasite.com where a schedule of the symposium will be found. The symposium will be held in Magruder Hall on October 16-17.
Zoo, Wildlife and Exotic Club hosting new symposium
September 28th, 2010Aquatic animal diagnostics at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
September 28th, 2010
Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan in a lab at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) team members are usually laboratory-bound, conducting diagnostic tests and reporting those results all within the confines of CVM facilities. But one of our diagnosticians is not restricted to the laboratory and is able to work in the field examining a select group of animals, diagnosing and treating their diseases, and offering advice to their caretakers.
Dr. Tim Miller-Morgan, Oregon Sea Grant Extension Veterinarian and faculty member of the College of Veterinary Medicine, is the Section Head of the VDL Aquatic Diagnostic Service. Dr. Miller-Morgan, the first CVM faculty to be permanently based at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Ore., focuses his attention on the health issues of aquatic animals. His patients include fish and invertebrates from the ornamental fish industries, public and private aquariums, and university research facilities.
Dr. Miller-Morgan’s visits to fish holding, production, and display facilities include health assessments of the animals as well as review of facility management and biosecurity programs. Clinical examinations and basic field diagnostics (gill and fin clip preparations, skin scrapes, necropsy) are conducted as needed, and tissue and blood samples are collected for additional diagnostic work-up at the VDL. Recommendations for treatment and disease prevention are provided as well. In the face of disease outbreaks, moribund animals are delivered directly to the VDL for necropsy and further diagnostic workup.
Dr. Miller-Morgan’s services are a major component of the Aquatic Animal Health Program created by Oregon Sea Grant and the CVM. The program was originally implemented to address the needs of the ornamental fish industry through outreach and services to hobbyists, retailers and wholesalers, and to provide training in pet fish medicine for the veterinary community in Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest. The need for quality, scientifically based outreach in fish health management and veterinary services was much greater than anticipated and the program has grown significantly. The program is currently involved in local, national and international cooperative initiatives and has partnered with hobbyist organizations, corporate entities, extension programs in Arkansas and Florida, and the Aquarium Science Program at Oregon Coast Community College. The goals for the program are to improve the overall quality of aquatic animal health management throughout the industry and improve access to veterinary care.
Dr. Miller-Morgan also provides a wide variety of continuing education opportunities for practicing veterinarians, fish wholesalers and retailers, and aquarium hobbyists, as well as training opportunities for veterinary students from the CVM.
In addition to Dr. Miller-Morgan’s services, the VDL has recently added two new tests for fish diseases. Koi herpes virus (KHV) is a cause of significant mortality in the koi industry. It is considered a “reportable” disease. In response to a need by both producers and hobbyists for a rapid and reliable means to verify infection by the virus, the VDL recently began offering a PCR-based diagnostic test for KHV. Samples from deceased, suspect fish can be rapidly analyzed for the presence of KHV genetic material, verifying infection and providing the hobbyist a basis for control measures.
The other new test is a diagnostic PCR for Pseudoloma neurophilia, a microsporidean parasite that infects the central nervous system of zebrafish. Zebrafish have become an extremely important laboratory animal for biomedical research. As P. neurophila infection causes significant health problems in infected fish, there is potential for interference with experiments and research data in addition to the concern for the optimal health of the animals. The VDL now offers a PCR test for P. neurophila. Research laboratories are now able to screen zebrafish colonies for this infection and work towards elimination of the parasite from their facilities.
Aquatic animal health is now widely recognized as a viable and important component of veterinary practice, and I expect aquatic animal diagnostics at the VDL to be a growing segment of our services. If you need help with a fish disease problem, or have questions related to our aquatic animal diagnostic services, do not hesitate to contact us for assistance.
Dr. Jerry Heidel, Director, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Student Ambassador’s First Annual High School Day
September 28th, 2010
Student ambassador Jessica Desrosiers talking about heart anatomy.
On September 21, the Oregon State College of Veterinary Medicine’s student ambassadors organized a High School Day for local students in Corvallis, Albany and Sweet Home. The purpose of the day was to expose the students to concepts learned in veterinary school and to give information about the process leading to veterinary school. Forty-five students attended, accompanied by several counselors, teachers and parents. The day started with the student ambassadors sharing their different backgrounds and schooling leading to veterinary school, and discussing tips to prepare in secondary and post-secondary education. Ambassadors then gave a breakdown of the classes taken within the four years of undergraduate school, and finally the application and interview process delivered to the group by Dr. Tornquist.
Students then dressed down into lab coats, goggles and gloves and participated in dissecting sheep eyes and examining hearts led by ambassadors that taught eye and heart anatomy and physiology.
Mid-morning, clinicians led radiology and large animal physical exam stations with the high school students. Students learned about the physics behind the radiograph machine and looked at a wide variety of radiographs from horse fractures to eggs inside a turtle with Dr. Suzanne Stieger. Students then watched a short video explaining how the CT works, and were then able to see the CT itself. Dr. Barb Hunter led a horse physical exam station to show the students how a veterinarian would perform a basic physical.
High school students listening to the heartbeat of a greyhound.
The afternoon was composed of multiple stations, each a different aspect of veterinary sciences. The gross anatomy station, led by Andrea Sundholm, taught the students about bone anatomy and comparative anatomy between different species. Radiology led by Michael Glynn, delved into reading radiographs, with interesting cases for the students to practice on. Cate Dolan taught a microanatomy station looking at both normal and abnormal tissues under the microscope. Ellie Jacobs and Stephanie Schulz taught how to give basic physical exams on dogs and let the students practice listening to heart and lung sounds. Finally, Liana Granum and Sarah Tauber taught a neuroscience station discussing how to perform a neuro exam and practiced by watching videos of neurologic animals. Jessica Desrosiers helped take pictures, and accompany the students to the different stations.
Student ambassadors Liana Granum and Sarah Tauber talking with high school day participants.
The first annual High School Day was very successful. The students all had a great time with positive feedback at the end of the day. The ambassadors hope to start making this an annual event expanding to a broader area of schools. The student ambassadors would like to thank Drs. Tornquist, Stieger, and Hunter for donating their time and to the Dean’s Office for sponsoring the students’ lunch. Many thanks to the student ambassadors that helped make the day successful and a fun learning experience for the high school students.
VDL’s Rocky Baker featured on new campus banner
September 28th, 2010
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OSU has recently unfurled a new batch of campus banners. They have a brand new look and are already hanging around campus. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory’s Rocky Baker is featured on one of the new banners.
More information on him and his banner can be found here: Rocky’s Banner
For more information on the rest of the 2010 banners go here: All 2010 Banners
Dr. Beth Valentine inducted into International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame
September 28th, 2010
Congratulations to Dr. Beth Valentine for her recent induction into the International Equine Veterinarians’ Hall of Fame. Follow this link to the American Farriers Journal website for a full story.
Dr. Morrie Craig recognized with International Service Award
September 28th, 2010
Morrie Craig, professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine is the 2010 recipient of the International Service Award. This award is given to recognize exemplary, on-going contributions of OSU faculty and staff to the internationalization of the university by enhancing student, faculty, and staff awareness and participation in international education, research, and related activities.
Craig has been working with the Japanese government over concerns about toxins in straw that have caused disease in cattle. He rebuilt a testing laboratory to allow importers, exporters and farmers to know what levels of alkaloids were in feed so that high doses of toxins were not introduced to cattle, and established threshold levels of the toxins below which animals would not be adversely affected. These values have been accepted and used worldwide.
A nominator said, “Dr. Craig has consistently provided strong leadership, applied research and service testing, international and community outreach, and a continual willingness to serve and to educate members of our industry in Oregon, in Japan and wherever needed. He has made extremely essential contributions to our grass straw export industry’s ability to meet safe feed requirements in Japan and most importantly, to enjoy a strong reputation in Japan for being responsible stewards and suppliers.”
