Vet Gazette

OSU is hosting an International Symposium on Veterinary Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy, and Sports Medicine on August 4-8, 2014.  You can save by registering early at www.isvr2014.com.

The symposium features 6 International Speakers and 18 National Speakers over four days. A field trip and dinner with the speakers at the Silver Falls State Park is planned on Wednesday afternoon and evening.   For details on registration, speakers, and lecture schedules, visit www.isvr2014.com.

Patient Services Coordinator Dave Meyer demonstrates the portability of the new Intrabeam Radiotherapy System.

Thanks to a $500,000 donation from the Stearns Family Foundation, The OSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital is now the only veterinary college in the world with an Intrabeam Radiotherapy System. The system is a mobile, miniaturized linear accelerator that provides a precise radiation dose to a tumor cavity during tumor surgery. This minimizes exposure to healthy tissue while targeting the tissue where cancer is most likely to reoccur.

With the Intrabeam system, once a tumor is removed, but before the surgeon closes the incision, the Intrabeam applicator is positioned in the tumor bed and the tissue is radiated by accelerating electrons through a tube onto a gold target where low-energy x-rays are generated and emitted evenly in all directions. The surgeon then closes the incision.

Krystina Tack, a Medical Physicist in the OSU Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Health Physics, consulted with CVM veterinary oncologist Dr. Shay Bracha to select the first Intrabeam case, a cat whose tumor was removed in April. Tack will be consulting on all future cases to determine appropriate dosage and safety protocols.

The Intrabeam has been used primarly in humans with breast cancer and is new to veterinary medicine. “The approach is the same,” says Tack, “but the doses are different. We will be able to learn a lot from these animal models because animals respond more quickly. You can evaluate the efficacy after only one year where in humans a person is considered cured after five years.”

The Stearns Family Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Stan and Judy Stearns, longtime supporters of the college. The Stearns also donated the small animal MRI unit at the OSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) have partnered with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and Zoetis to create “Animal Connections: Our Journey Together,” a custom-built exhibition housed on an 18-wheel truck that introduces visitors of all ages to the complex bond between humans and animals.  The exhibit’s tour kicked-off at the 2013 AVMA Convention in Chicago and is now traveling throughout the USA.

The exhibit will be open to the public at the Reser Stadium parking lot at Oregon State University on Monday, May 19, from 9:30AM-4:30PM. “Animal Connections: Our Journey Together” features feature hands-on and minds-on activities in five sections: The Home, The Farm, The Wild, and The Veterinary Clinic. There are also behind-the-scenes insights into animal care and research at the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Faculty, students, alumni, and friends of the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine are invited to a private viewing of the exhibit that begins with a reception in the Magruder Hall Atrium at 5:00 pm. If you plan to attend the private viewing, please R.S.V.P. to suzanna.chase@oregonstate.edu or phone 541-737-6779.

Video of “Animal Connections: Our Journey Together”

The OSU College of Veterinary Medicine has a national reputation for offering students a wealth of experiential learning. Last week’s Equine Dental Elective was another great opportunity for students to get their hands on animals.

Dr. Jacob Mecham and Dr. Mike Huber teach the elective and invited the Boys Scouts and OSU Polo Club to bring in their horses for low-cost dental care. “We have been working with the Boy Scouts of America for a few years now,” says Mecham. “It is a great opportunity for the college to give back to the community.  We also have helped the OSU Polo Club by having their horses in the course for the last two years.  Dentals otherwise have been too cost prohibitive for the club.” CVM staff and students are also invited to bring their horses.

After attending several days of lectures and labs, students in the class met out at the barn and spent three days performing 79 dentals. “This whole class was incredibly valuable.” says student Samantha Hunt. “It taught us a focused skill set and then provided us with enough hands on practical applications and experience for us to become confident advertising our abilities in equine dentistry.”

Elsbeth Centola and Melissa Mercer,
Class of 2014, are very serious about
equine dental health.

Students also appreciated the chance to learn about and handle different dental equipment. “The biggest take away I had from the elective was feeling comfortable and confident in both the technique of using a wide variety of dental equipment but also building confidence in my diagnostic and treatment plans for each individual mouth,” says student Elsbeth Centola. “With this elective being so hands on, and each of us seeing a large case load, we have learned what type and style of equipment each of us prefers. I think this gives us a real leg-up as new grads so we can tell our employers what equipment we need to do the highest quality dentals possible.”

Drs. Mecham and Huber say the primary objective of this course is to make students proficient in modern and advanced dentistry. “It is my belief that we can better the overall health of horses in the community by educating students who are moving into the private sector and, in some cases, “up” the level of dentistry being performed.,” says Mecham.

“I would absolutely recommend this elective to anyone interested in working with horses during their career,” adds Centola.

The City of Corvallis provides three off-leash dog parks for it’s four-legged citizens and they are well-used. The small downtown dog park, on Third and B Streets, is particularly busy with dogs of all types and sizes bouncing around it all day long.

The OSU Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association is organizing an event at the downtown dog park on Saturday, May 17th to provide dog park users with advice and tips for keeping their pets and family healthy and safe. Dr. Candace Remcho of West Hills Animal Hospital will talk about vaccines and other dog health issues, Julie Flanery of Wonderdogs will speak on dog park manners, and OSU veterinary students will pass out fun swag and informational brochures.

Bark in the Park begins with wood chip spreading at 9 am and ends with a Q&A Session at 11:30 am. It is free and open to the public.

Retired CVM professor Brad Smith puts in many hours as a volunteer at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which he founded.

Dr. Brad Smith, a long time professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, retired in 2002. What does a retired veterinarian with a doctorate in animal reproductive medicine do for fun? He helps build homes.

In 2004, Smith joined the board of the Benton County Habitat for Humanity and founded the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which sells donated building materials. The store raises enough money to pay most of the cost of building one house a year for a local family. Read the full story.