The Waggie - UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

The Waggie
Page 1
UC Davis
School of
Veterinary
Medicine
The Waggie
September 2013
Back to School Edition
Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!?
In This Issue of the
Waggie:
Are you a Waggie
Contest Winner?
1
Life in Vet School - this 2
issue in flavors of
summer experiences
and relationship advice
Your Local
8
Neighborhood SCAVMA
Community (yes, life
6
outside of vet school DOES
exist)
Essays! And MORE
Essays!
9
Overheards
11,
14
Vet Talk - What’s Relevant 12
in the Veterinary World
Today? (Tattoos, that’s
what!)
Opinion - Wag Your
Tongue at Us!
16
Upcoming Events
20
Bit and Bobs - Cooking
with Jacob
21
Cardio Crossword
22
As anyone who has been reading our numerous emails would know, The Waggie has been
calling on the student population to submit essays for our Annual Essay Contest! Just as a
reminder, our topics were…
Job Deficits in Veterinary Medicine
Corporate Medicine in the Future of
Veterinary Medicine
A Day in the Life of a Vet Student
Funniest Experience in Vet School
Now, if you were one of those gifted student
who submitted an essay to us, know that a trained team of teachers-to-be from the
graduate studies at the Education Department looked through them long and hard before
selecting our winners. To find our who those lucky winners were (and see if you are one of
the people to win $100!), turn to page 9.
As a few of you will also remember, we asked for submissions to our logo contest in several
of the same emails. We are happy to announce Jennifer Norman, Class of 2016 as the
winner with the above (adorable) drawing. As thanks for her artistic talents, we will be
giving Jennifer a shirt with the new Waggie logo emblazoned on it (and there may be
another surprise in there for you as well, Jennifer!)
Many thanks to everyone who submitted. Enjoy the first issue of the year!
-Matt and Lane, your Waggie Editors
We Know What You Did Last Summer...
We invited a few of you to tell us what you did last summer - and thankfully, nothing
involving hooks was sent! However, for some hilarity involving catheters and heartwarming stories, read ahead!
Continued on Page 3
Life in Vet School
Page 2
Life in Vet School
Living the dream… one day at a time
Today, fellow students, we are lucky enough to have the advice of a fellow student,
Anita Lay, to help us through the dreaded Balrog of Vet School - relationships. Her
experience may yet help you navigate your very own “Shall Not Pass” moment.
Dating in Vet School
Now… Onto Online Dating
So when Lane first asked me to write this article for The
Waggie, I was a little skeptical. What could I possibly offer
my fellow vet students in the way of dating advice? And
then I thought about it… and decided that maybe I do have
some insightful tips for you all. First, I realize that much of
this is known (or should be known)
among the 2nd and 3rd years but I feel I
should enlighten the first years on how
things go around here.
Some of you brave souls may have already ventured into the
world of online dating. For my comrades in arms, I solute
you. It’s a cruel world out there full of shirtless bathroom
photos and emo selfies. Don’t get me wrong, every now and
then a good one comes along (so I’ve heard). You have to be
careful that your standards haven’t dropped
so low from looking at turds day in and day
out that you end up dating the shiniest turd in
your inbox.
Vet school is a cesspool of incestuous
relationships within the classes. Before
you make the leap of dating a classmate
you should consider a few things:
I never thought I would find myself saying
things like: “Well at least he uses
punctuation”, or “At least he didn’t post a
picture of himself in a public restroom.” But I
Anita Lay with
have. Ladies, the lack of decent men online is a real
some light reading
1) Everyone is going to know about your relaissue. From my vast experience with online dating
tionship. Vet school is like high school on crack.
here are a few tips I’ve picked up that I want to share with
You are stuck with the same people 5 days a week, all day,
you sisters-in-arms out there. Learn from my mistakes so
and they have nothing else to talk about.
that you don’t have to suffer the same humiliations that I
2) You are going to be stuck, seeing your significant other 5
have. Here’s a few basic rules to help you in your endeavors.
days a week, all day. Now, that might not seem like a big
Username. Most usernames are pretty boring and harmless.
deal to some of you… but seriously. You’re going to get tired
A few clever names have crossed my path and then
of each other.
there’s the names that make me shudder and gag a lit3) When you break up (sorry the odds are not in your favor)
tle. Names like “50 Gray Shades,” “GhettoCowboy,”
everyone will know about it and you will be trapped with
“Necromonger,” “Imakeeper,” “lonely duck,”
that person for the next 4 years. If you’re in the same color
“StudMuffin,” “Brobro,” or “Screaming-in-Despair.”
grouping you’ll have all your labs with your ex too! What
Those are what I call “Red Flags.”
could go wrong?
Body type. The body type a man lists about himself is useful
because it can tell you two things. If he has accurately
Now I’ve touched on dating but I should expand on hooking
described himself it gives you some indication that his
up with people in vet school. Like I said, vet school is high
self-image is based in reality. If he has incorrectly deschool on crack. You homeschoolers out there, pay attenscribe himself; for example, saying his body is athletic
tion, this is likely novel territory for you… tread lightly.. If
when he actually has man boobs and a gut, you know to
you hook up with multiple people in your class… everyone
stay away from that shit. He either actually believes that
will know about it and you’ll have made a nice reputation
he’s fit or he’s full of crap and you don’t want any of
for yourself. The ratio of males to females makes this statisthat.
tically easier for you guys out there, but I’ve seen women
His
pictures.
If he only has one picture and it’s super
pull it off.
pixelated and you can’t make out his face... there’s
Seriously though, think about it. These people are going to
probably a reason. It’s probably that he’s ugly. You
be your professional colleagues someday… Is that really
should also be skeptical of multiple photos shot from
what you want to be remembered for? Okay, it might be a
the same angle with filters applied. My personal favorite
good plan if you’re really good in bed. Just don’t fuck it up.
(from experience) is photos that
-Anita Lay
Continued on Page 3
Life in Vet School
Page 3
Online Dating, cont
don’t show their teeth. If they have no pictures of themselves smiling… be concerned, because their teeth are probably
jacked.
Self-description. If they can’t be bothered to write even a short description about themselves then they don’t have time to be
dating.
They like adventures. I don’t why this is a thing but every guy lists “going on adventures” as something they like to do. I have
decided this is the male version of “I like to have fun.” Well yeah, who the fuck doesn’t like having fun? The real question
is what is your idea of having fun? What do you consider an adventure? I can think of a lot of fun adventures, and a lot of
are ones that I want nothing to do with. Long story short, this phrase no longer means anything to me.
Attractiveness. I’ve encountered some highly attractive men on these sites that are so unintelligent that their looks can not
make up for their stupidity. It happens. Don’t let your lack of sex fool you into thinking you can deal with it. They’re going
to speak eventually and when that happens you’re going to want to bash their head into a table. A good rule of thumb: If
all other things were equal and this person was less attractive, would you still be talking to them? If not, stop talking to
them! Ain’t nobody got time for that shit.
Anita has offered to answer some questions from
the student population for us. So send in your relationship queries to [email protected] and have
Anita Lay answer them in the next issue!
WE
KNOW...
If you can’t be good, be good at it
-Anita Lay
We asked you to send us your fabulous (or not-sofabulous, but still funny) Summer Stories
What You Did
Last Summer
This summer I volunteered to be a camp counselor for
Camp Okizu, a seven-day live-in summer camp for
children affected by childhood cancer. At Okizu, campers
are given the opportunity to swim, boat, dance, play
games and most importantly forget all about being sick.
As a camp counselor my primary role was to facilitate fun
and break into the world of these amazingly inspirational
children. Going to Okizu requires an incredible amount of
energy to constantly interact, play, dance and sing with
the campers, but few experiences offer such incredible
rewards. Getting to know these courageous, energetic,
and compassionate campers (and counselors) offers
perspective and life-changing lessons that help me tackle
the challenges that I face throughout the rest of the year.
I would absolutely recommend spending a week of your
summer at this special place that is truly like no other on
earth. For more information visit the website or ask me
([email protected]). Applications for next
summer begin in January.
- Matt Wooddall
This summer I had the wonderful experience of working both
the Smoker and Commencement treatment crews in the
small animal internal medicine department at the UCD
VMTH. Treatment crew is a staff of 1st and 3rd year vet
students who fill in and cover the 4th year students when they
have class-wide vacations/breaks. In short, it is extremely
similar to summer rotations but you are getting paid! It was a
wonderful opportunity that I believe every veterinary student
should take advantage of. While working the treatment
crews, you act and are treated like a 4th year veterinary
student. I was responsible for performing physical exams,
writing medical records, performing treatments, ordering labs,
writing pharmacy requests, communicating with clients, and
everything else that is expected of a 4th year student. I feel
that by participating in this opportunity, I not only have better
understand of what 4th year wisll be like, but I also was able
to reinforce knowledge that I gained throughout 1st year. I
was not only able to reinforce the knowledge that I learned in
1st year, but I also was able to gain information about the
clinical importance of diseases covered in 2nd year. I strongly
recommend that other students to take advantage of the
treatment crew opportunities or summer clinics. Not only did
I get irreplaceable experience by becoming familiar with SA
VMTH, I also was able to reinforce the academic knowledge I
gained, and all while getting paid.
-Kristi Medearis
Continued on Page 4
Life in Vet School
Page 4
Over the summer I embarked
What Did You Do on my dream voyage to Africa. I
took a two-week wildlife
Last Summer?
immobilization veterinary
course through Brothers Safari in South Africa in hopes to
learn more about my intended field of medicine. The course
exceeded all my expectations. The instructor was outstanding
and made sure all the students took part in the procedures,
which included the immobilization of rhinos, zebras, a cheetah,
and many species of antelope. Activities included shooting a
paintball gun from a helicopter to simulate darting, and fishing
for poop shoulder-deep in a rhino’s butt. I would strongly
recommend the course to all students and I believe it’s a great
first step for any aspiring veterinarian interested in exotics or
wildlife.
I spent the remaining three weeks of my trip visiting the
Garden Route, Cape Town, and Kruger National Park. I got the
chance to cage dive with great white sharks, ride an elephant,
touch a lion, climb through caves, zip-line, fly a helicopter, and
do the highest bungee jump in the world off a bridge. I
witnessed a pride of lions eating an antelope, leopards mating,
a pack of African wild dogs, and a pod of over 400 dolphins.
Everything from being surrounded by a herd of elephants in
the bush to getting robbed by a giant male baboon made it an
unforgettable experience and I can’t wait to go back!
Visit http://brotherssafaris.com/ for more info
- Adrien Pesque
Cheating TAPS?
I’m sure many of you who don’t have parking
permits may have thought about, or tried to bend the
parking rules. Or maybe it’s just me. I am here to say
that either TAPS or Karma is a bitch. You decide.
Who has ever snagged the 30 minute parking spot while
running late for class in the morning, and then moved
your car to “free parking” on Garrod after the lecture
50 minutes later, all the while breathing a sigh of relief
that there was no parking ticket waiting for you. Or
maybe you got away with parking in one of the client
parking spots because it was “just for a few minutes”.
What about writing a different date over an already
used box on your GoClub permit? Or the popular
carpool permit “sharing” when only one of you is driving and the other bikes to school?
Well, I have to admit, I’ve done it all. But I’ve gotta
come clean and get on the straight and narrow. Why,
My Summer In Panama
Summer vacation is a time that, for the typical vet student,
means scrambling for coveted externships, padding up resumes
and strengthening technical skills. I wanted to experience
something a little bit different. Last summer, I spent two glorious
months practicing blood draws, running diagnostics, and
manning isolation wards. This time around, I decided to travel to
Panama, the land of frizzy hair, mango trees and thousands
upon thousands of stray animals. It is a beautiful location, and
while my Spanish is muy rusty, it was truly a life changing
experience.
I joined Spay Panama, an organization that aims to reduce the
number of stray animals by diligently spaying and neutering any
animals that arrive on its premises. This is crucial in Panama
where you can barely walk a block without seeing a scrawny,
flea-ridden dog crossing the street Frogger-style.
The moment I stepped off the plane in Panama City, I felt a rush
of adrenaline. I worked my way through hoards of people at the
airport terminal by following the arrows that showed pictures of
suitcases and relying on my weak grasp of the Spanish language.
After getting through customs and finding my way downstairs, I
found a cab driver whose attempt at English supplemented my
mangled Spanish and together we found the home of my
hostess, Patricia Chan ,along with her twenty-four cats and two
dogs.
Patricia helped me settle in and gave me a tour of Spay
Panama’s facilities. Just behind my bedroom was a surgery suite
fit for eight surgeons to perform spays at a time. Adjacent to the
surgery room was the prep room/clinic. The hospital was open
to all Panamanians; it offered free to low cost treatment for
homeless and low-income families. As
Continued on Page 6
you ask? In the past I’ve been able to sweet talk the
ladies in the TAPS office into tossing out a few small
parking tickets. I don’t think it’ll be that easy this
time. You see, they know that I used my “carpool
partner’s” non-transferable GoClub permit yesterday, and wrote over the date to re-use it today.
Though it was an expert job of concealment, to my
dismay they actually have a computer tracking
system and know the dates the permit was used. I
guess others have tried this too, and they got smart
to it. And Karma gifted me a lovely $223 ticket this
time. So in addition to appealing to TAPS, I am
appealing to Karma by vowing to be a good parking
citizen from now on, and encouraging you all to stay
true to the rules. Maybe Karma will toss out my
$223 fine.
- Anonymous
Life in Vet School
Page 5
By now, we’ve all had the talk. Life in Vet School is hard, and many people
have difficulty coping with the stresses put on us on a daily basis. This brave
student comes forth with their story, in hopes it can help others
I may be crazy, but I come by it honestly
Depression is the dragon, and he shares my cave. I’m here to talk a little bit about the human side of depression, since you all
have had or will have the cute little clinical handouts. While mental illness is common in vets and vet students, I have been in and
out of depression since I was 13. Thanks to Danielle for pointing out that I’m an old fogey like her - that’s almost half of my life
ago.
My experience:
Everyone’s experience is different, and there are a number of putative subtypes of depression, but from my experience it is all ugly. My list of symptoms was like reading out of a medical text and my chart a mile long, but
those lists don’t capture the human side of depression. I would go to the Yolo Bypass, one of my favorite birding
spots, and stand there in the marsh surrounded by a dizzying display of winter ducks in all their colors, thinking
on some level that I should love this, and all I wanted to do was crawl into the nearest stand of reeds and die.
Instead, I’d slowly drive back over the levee and back to my class notes so that I could stare blankly at more factoids that didn’t click in my broken brain that could barely keep myself fed and showered. “Lack of concentration” and “difficulty in executive function” don’t capture getting halfway through making breakfast and getting
caught in a reverie of who-knows-what, my conscious brain taking many minutes to direct its attention away
from the blank wall and back on to the now-cold toast.
The reactions to depression in people around me ranged from awkward and angry to brave and selfless. I have
so many horrible memories of being in excruciating psychic pain, pain so bad that I was ready to give it all up,
but knowing that I have so many people who loved me – without whom I wouldn’t have stayed in vet school and
likely wouldn’t have survived – turns some of those memories bittersweet. One friend called me every morning
for several months to make sure I was getting out of the house, after they had come to visit me one day and
found that I had been hiding in bed for most of a weekend (that was also the first of many days that I got snot on
their sweatshirt from bawling on their shoulder). Other friends encouraged me to study and shared their notes
from classes that I had to miss for visits with doctors and therapists.
Some Advice:
Eventually, every feeling comes to an end, and that is both the curse of the manic and the savior of the depressed. There are a
plethora of therapists and psychiatrists of all different schools of thought available, but I will venture my unprofessional opinion
that THE most important thing is to never stoop your shoulders, turn your back, and admit defeat to the dragon. I had to accept
that the dragon was there, and that it might take a long time for him to go away, and that he is likely to visit again, but the only
way for the dragon of depression to truly win is to make you put your sword away and go home. Trust me, it has been exhausting,
heart-wrenching, and above all painful, and you have to take care of yourself and not expect the impossible, but it only feeds the
dragon when you pretend it doesn’t exist, stop working at therapy, stop pushing to get the medical care you need, stop reaching
out for help. Depression lives on isolation and feeds on acceptance of hopelessness, and it shrinks from being connected and
drawing on your strengths (mine is lousy humor) to get LIFE done regardless of what it tries. Getting through depression may well
be one of the hardest, longest slogs of your life, but it is also the most important.
Since Lane is about to slap my wrists for writing too much, I’ll leave you with a common Internet quip: “I’m not crazy – my mother
had me tested.”
- Annie Non-Mouse
Who escapes the Dragon’s Den every day
Breakfast in... lecture?
Like a lawn mower through grass,
And all at once you're not sure
Forced down your throat
It assaults the senses,
If you are tasting or smelling it.
Like Willy Wonka gum, only not as pleasant.
Mowing them down.
It stings the nostrils, eyes, and throat.
You can almost feel it being
Garlic.
-a poem by Anonymous
Life in Vet School
Page 6
Continued from page 4:
What Did You Do Last Summer?
Patricia explained how my time would be spent, I began to feel overwhelmed.
The hospital was open every day for appointments and all night for
emergencies. We would spend half of our time on premises, performing sterilization surgeries as well as
other potentially life-saving treatments. The other half of our time was distributed in the poorer areas of
the country, where we would assist in blitzes. A blitz is an all-day event where eight surgeons, one
anesthetist, and a handful of assistants get together to try to spay and neuter as many animals as
possible in one day. This requires a 4AM wake-up call to travel to a predetermined location, usually
somewhere in the sweltering heat and humidity, with little to no shelter from the sun, where we would
set up induction, surgery, and post-op tables. Together, we would spay over 300 animals in one day.
Then, with blistered feet and sorry hands, we would pack up and start anew the following day.
My anatomy skills helped me spay and neuter over 30 animals. Memorizing all those drugs the night
before an exam means I can say, with some semblance of confidence, that yes I would treat that acute
uveitis with a corticosteroid like prednisone. I of course, I did have some slip-ups. Notably when I
palpated a female dog and mistook her small fetuses for some very compact feces. Ayala vida!
But it really was an amazing trip. Beating the humidity, the gnats and the frizzy hair, we spayed and neutered over 600 animals. We treated hit-by-cars, did amputations and treated multiple cases of jaundice
and tick-borne diseases. By the end of it, we were sweaty, had sores on our feet and were mosquito bitten. It was so worth it. It is easy to get overwhelmed during school and lose sight of my goals when I am
drowning in lectures, discussions, and exams; but volunteering in Panama reminded me of why I got into
veterinary medicine in the first place.
- Anonymous
Community
Life outside of Vet School DOES exist!
I know, I know… when do we have TIME for these
things? I don’t know, and neither does anyone who does
them. But they do exist, and they are all that keeps us
sane sometimes
Are You Vino-Curious?
There was a time when I would only drink beer with the
occasional venture into spirits when the mood struck
me. I had tried wine before but honestly could not understand the appeal. What I didn’t know was that I didn’t
appreciate wine because I wasn’t drinking the right wine.
Drinking “two buck chuck” is just as effective as any
other wine at causing you to be schnockered but if your
experience with wine is limited to “chuck” it’s easy to
see why the idea of a day spent wine tasting isn’t all that
appealing. Once I started drinking better wine and learning about how it’s made the game changed. In beerterms it can be likened to the experience of drinking a
PBR vs. a delicious IPA from University of Beer. Granted,
playing beer pong is out of the question with a quality
IPA due to it being prohibitively expensive and prohibitively filling. Yet this speaks to a larger point: there is a
time and a place for two-buck chuck and natty ice. While
college years are a great time to swim in cheap alcohol,
consider the fact that you current live in an area that has
some of the best wines worldwide within a short drive
away. Now is a great time to develop your palate and
“It is well to remember
there are 5 reasons to
drink wine: the arrival of a
friend, one’s present or
future thirst, the excellence
of the wine, or any other
reason”
-Latin Proverb
explore the world of wine. Trust me, your future self will
thank your past self for taking this foray. Whether you’re picking out wine for your wedding, a gift, or to pair with a nice
dinner, it’s nice to have a little base knowledge to help you
make your selections.
Trader Joe’s is a great place to get ideas and develop a taste
for wine. Even wine snobs can find great bottles at great prices
at TJ’s. The first question that inevitably comes up is: do you
prefer Reds or Whites? Personally I dig red wine much more
than white wine. So do a little “research” after your next exam
is over and try a bottle of each with
Continued on Page 7
Community
Page 7
dinner. If you like red wine, try a bottle of Nosedive, Hangtown Red or Los
Alamos; these wines are under $10 per bottle and can be found at Trader Joe’s
and most other grocery stores. Or try buying two bottles made from different grapes and see if you and a friend can notice a
difference in flavor. You can also throw a wine and cheese party with your small group or do a blind tasting, which involves
several bottles placed in numbered brown bags and the participants have to guess each wine.
Vino-Curious Continued...
When you’re ready to move beyond TJ’s consider planning a day trip to any of the four nearby wine regions. Napa is only
about an hour away and is home to some of the world’s best-known wineries, most of which are known for their Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, and Merlots. Sonoma is a little further west from Napa and the wineries there have a more relaxed feel, and are lauded for their Sauvignon Blancs and Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels. Even if you don’t drink or are
the designated driver, the trip is certainly worth taking, if only for the beautiful scenery: rolling hills of grape vines and quaint
downtown areas abound. Most wineries in both regions have well decorated patios where you can relax in the sunshine and
enjoy a view while sipping your wine. I recommend asking a friend or doing some research in advance for advice for places to
visit, as many wineries require appointments and some can charge steep tasting fees.
Another alternative to consider is visiting the Old Sugar Mill, also known as the
Clarksburg Wine Region, which is located about 30 minutes from Davis. Here
you’ll find a much more relaxed vibe and wine tasting experience. The Old
Sugar Mill is an historic former sugar mill that now houses several wineries
under one roof. Similar to an indoor wine shopping mall, you can bounce from
place to place sampling a variety of wines without ever having to leave the
building. Other perks: it’s dog friendly and most wineries either don’t charge a
tasting fee, or charge a nominal fee ($5 or less). The wine here is quality and
priced well enough so that fellow students should be able to purchase a bottle
to enjoy at home. One thing to note is that there aren’t any food options
nearby, so make a picnic lunch to bring along.
Finally, consider a trip to the El Dorado Hills about an hour East of Sacramento. In the foothills of the Sierras there are some
hidden winery gems to be discovered. Many of the wineries here are family owned and operated, which means that often
you can taste wine with the winemakers and owners themselves. This may sound intimidating but keep in mind that winemakers love to talk about their craft and often offer an educational experience; they may even pour you a little extra if you
find a wine you like. There are a few tiny mountain towns such as Placerville, El Dorado and Coloma, to grab lunch at on your
way to enjoy on your wine expedition. Since these wineries are laid-back than most Napa wineries, you will find that most
places were dog friendly and some even had nice patio areas to let the kids (furry or human) romp around.
The next time you feel the need to take a day off or de-stress I recommend a day-trip to one of these nearby wine regions. It’s
also not a bad way to beat the central valley heat to head to Napa or the Hills for a day. Perhaps the next time your parents
come for a visit, try to convince them to go wine tasting or surprise them for their birthday. Take advantage: people travel
long distances to experience the wine in these areas, which for us are a short drive away. Now is as good a time as any to
increase your wine knowledge, develop your palate, and get out of Davis for the day.
-Matt Wooddall: Encouraging you to drink some (good) wine!
Are you a Runner?
Do you enjoy Outings?
Do you Eat?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can help us! The Waggie
is looking to put together some specific articles for next issue. In
Community, we would love to have a comprehensive running map with
suggestions by classmates, a section on places to eat and enjoy in Davis,
and things to do outside of Davis when you JUST CAN’T TAKE THIS TOWN
ANYMORE.
Ahem.
So send us your ideas, or articles to [email protected]!
SCAVMA News
SCAVMA News
This is Your SCAVMA: Changing the Way You
Think about SCAVMA
With the start of another school year comes a
dreaded realization: something that was empty all summer long has suddenly filled to the brim. No, I’m not
talking about your wallet after financial aid finally came
through— I’m referring to your email inbox. And as you
may have noticed, quite a few of them have included the
acronym ‘SCAVMA’ in their titles.
For many of you, SCAVMA might seem like a far
off entity that you don’t interact with much. After paying
your dues freshman year, you haven’t thought about it
much. Perhaps your idea of SCAVMA involves certain
active board members or maybe you think of an event or
two SCAVMA puts on. Since my term as President began
in March, I have noticed this mentality towards SCAVMA
throughout the student population, and it has become
one of the greatest changes I would like to initiate.
Because in reality, YOU make up SCAVMA and SCAVMA
acts to serve the student population. The SCAVMA board
members are merely the facilitators of the programs that
enhance your educational experience.
When you were first introduced to SCAVMA,
many of the benefits described were things you would get
post-graduation. First six months of AVMA membership
free, access to the AVMA Veterinary Career Center, first
AVMA National Convention free. Some perks were available now but may not have made a big impact: reduced
journal subscriptions, PLIT insurance, free access to the
Vet Gazette. But honestly while many of these benefits
are valuable and will someday help you (and are worth
more than you paid for your initial membership), they’re
primarily in the abstract. As a generation focused on instant gratification and perhaps even more importantly as
vet students leading busy lives, we need to see how our
membership benefits us right now in order to see its
merit. And given how much SCAVMA does do, these
current benefits should be made obvious to you.
So what does SCAVMA do for you now while
you’re in school? First off, SCAVMA provides huge
amounts of funding to individual students and clubs. For
students pursuing unpaid educational opportunities and
externships, SCAVMA has set aside $20,000 (up from
$12,000 two years ago) to help reimburse your expenses.
For most students, one reimbursement actually makes up
the cost of their entire four-year membership, and
SCAVMA is happy to provide this service to promote
learning and hands-on experience off campus. Look for
our VP Nina Akana’s quarterly emails announcing deadlines in order to benefit. Furthermore, SCAVMA has set
aside an additional $20,000 to directly support club
activities. While in previous years this money could also
Page 8
support company lunchtalks, starting this year these funds
will be used exclusively for your club events. With
SCAVMA’s financial help, many of your favorite wetlabs,
lunchtalks, dinners, and field trips which may otherwise
have been too expensive to put on are now accessible to
you. Each year SCAVMA also provides $3000 worth of
scholarships to recognize student leaders within our school.
But SCAVMA does far more than just funding. The
SCAVMA Calendar of Events has an updated list of all club
and school activities. Download the google calendar from
the SCAVMA website to make sure you don’t miss out on
any events! SCAVMA hosts Career Night, which will be held
this year on March 7th at the UC Davis Conference Center.
This annual event provides you with access to dozens of
practices to network with for externships, internships, and
even jobs post-graduation, as well as to a vast number of
health care companies you would not get exposure to otherwise. The event is expanding tremendously and will be
preceded by numerous career preparation events including
networking lunchtalks and resume printing and reviews.
SCAVMA also oversees the Faculty Mentor Program which
begins for all freshmen in January and allows students to
get to know faculty on a more individual basis (mind the
ridiculously competitive nature that seems to emanate
from some mentee groups during Mentor Trivia, which
again SCAVMA pays for). As many of you have heard,
SCAVMA is also co-hosting the first annual fall formal
Asclepian Ball this November 23rd with the Classes of 2015,
2016, and 2017, and we look forward to seeing you there!
Sadly due to space restraints, I can’t expand on
every other benefit you receive as part of SCAVMA but I’ll
do my best to summarize. SCAVMA officers act as liaisons
with organizations such as the AVMA, CVMA, and the Josh
Project, providing you with events and updates. SCAVMA
funds the Club TG as well as the Waggie (see, you’re
already benefiting just by reading this!). We’ve worked
hard all summer to resurrect the Vet Med Store, which will
be opening this November. Proceeds to SCAVMA from the
store will directly benefit the many programs described
above so it is essential that you help support the store in
order to ensure SCAVMA can continue funding your
programs. Similarly, proceeds from the Pet Food Program
directly go back to you and your clubs. Finally behind the
scenes, our officers help put on events like Alumni
Weekend and help interpret the Health Care Vendor Policy
to make sure students and companies alike avoid trouble
with the UC Regents.
Hopefully by this point, you’ve come to realize
that SCAVMA indeed serves you. But I want to take my
promise one step further by continuing to show you
throughout my term that SCAVMA is here to support you.
Over the next year, you will see increased publicity of what
SCAVMA is supporting financially so you can realize how
your dues are benefiting your participation in different activities. Our website-- http:// www.vetmed.ucdavis. edu/
clubs/scavma/index.cfm -- is an excellent resource for the
majority of the benefits described
Continued on Page 8
SCAVMA News
Page 9
above. If you have any questions or concerns at all, I welcome you to email me
personally, or if you so choose you can write anonymously through the ‘Student
Concerns’ tab on the SCAVMA webpage.
I also welcome you to get more involved with SCAVMA. If you are
interested in a board position, look for emails about elections starting in December. But there are so many ways to help without being on the board. Our many ad
hoc committees which support the events above are open to anyone and our
board always appreciates and welcomes new perspectives—it’s also a great way to
get additional positions on your resume! Come to our monthly board meetings to
see firsthand what our board is addressing and visit the SCAVMA website regularly
for our most recent meetings and budget.
I look forward to a fantastic school year ahead with SCAVMA continuing to
work to better your educational experience. As always, please feel free to contact
me with any questions (or if you just have a joke to share) and wishing you a great
semester!
-Emily Isaacs
Emily Isaacs is your current SCAVMA
President! Any inquiries should be
directed to her at:
[email protected]
Next SCAVMA meeting dates are:
October 8th, 6 pm
November 7th, 5:30 pm
Essay Contest Winners!
Some of our Essay Entries elected for anonymity, a request The Waggie ALWAYS
respects. These winners have received an email about their prize.
Continued from Page 1
Winner of Job Deficits in Veterinary Medicine…
Job deficits in veterinary medicine? Well, what
about job deficits just about everywhere? After
all, we are all trying to get along, get by, and
survive in the economy and society that we live
in. We may not all agree on the way things
work, but there is one thing in this profession
that is certain. There is absolutely no deficit in the amount
of work that veterinarians need to do.
Animals, like humans, go through the same natural progression of life: birth, suffering, and death. Regardless of breed,
socioeconomic status, and geographic location, this is inevitable and unavoidable. Where do we, as veterinary professionals, come in? Well, we did take the oath to try to free
and alleviate animal suffering. I believe that happened in
week 1 of veterinary school.
So going back to the job situation. A better way to word the
problem is: where is the money to pay for all this work that
we signed up for? The majority (and by majority I mean almost all) of animals can't afford to pay for their healthcare.
After all, their social structures don't work the same way
ours do. It is not governed by the watches we wear, the cars
we drive, and the number of friends we have on webpages.
If these critters can't pay for their healthcare, what do we
do?
Here's an idea. What if we played things their way? What if
we provide healthcare to the critters of the world, not for
monetary compensation, but rather, for a healthier ecosystem, healthier environment, and a better world? Would you
pay with a little bit of your time, a little bit of your resources, and a little bit of your effort for that? I know I
would.
- Tracy Huang
Winner of Corporate Medicine in the Future of
Veterinary Medicine…
A controversial, but relevant topic: How will
corporate medicine fit into the future of veterinary medicine?
I believe this can be explored from two angles:
the Banfield angle, and the VCA angle. Both represent corporate medicine, but in different ways with different implications
in the future of our profession.
Banfield is a corporate chain of hospitals—standardized layouts, standardized protocols, and brand recognition. We’ve all
seen them. When clients decide where to take their pet, many
factors go into their decision, and the Banfield brand may or
may not be desirable to them. For that reason, I think Banfield’s growth has a limit set by client demand.
VCA is a corporate operator of hundreds of hospitals
nationwide. Every hospital looks different, because many of them
were once privately-owned, before being sold to VCA. Fifteen
years from now, when some of us will be looking to purchase
practices, our budgets will be limited as a result of our disproportionate debts and salaries. VCA will not have that limit on
their purchasing power.
So then, where will they fit into our profession? I believe the
quick and dirty answer is that Banfield will remain where it is
now and VCA will play a significant role in practice ownership.
I’ll finish by saying that Banfield and VCA both have standards
of medicine that they hold their individual practices to. So regardless of their role in the profession, we can rest assured
that companion animals of the future will receive quality
care.
- Anonymous by Request
Upcoming Events
Page 10
Essay Contest
Page 11
Winner of A Day in the Life of a Vet Student…
Winner of Funniest Experience in Vet School…
The night before an exam I was studying in Panera,
cramming the “big picture” concepts. I gulped a
large coffee in a weak attempt to combat mental
exhaustion, when in walked Miss Undergrad. You
know who I am talking about. The one with the
makeup, hair meticulously styled, the tiny note
book.
The funniest part of vet school so far has to be
the crazy things we did during Prologue. For example, the group skits. This year’s theme was
famous movies (Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Star
Wars, and Lord of the Rings). The Jurassic
Park skit included classmates pretending to be raptors by
hiding their arms in their tee shirts and just sticking their
hands out. The Harry Potter skit involved classmates pretending to be Buckbeak and using a trust lift to simulate
flying, as well as classmates pretending to be screaming
mandrakes when they were ripped out of the “ground” by
their ponytails. The Star Wars skit involved classmates fighting with invisible light sabers while someone made “pew
pew pew” and light saber sound effects in the microphone.
But the funniest skit (I’m not biased, I swear) was the “Lord
of the Ringworm”. After the fellowship ROARed to determine who would carry the ringworm infected puppy, Frodo
was trust lifted over a group of attacking orcs by the elves.
Once on the other side in Mordor, Frodo shouted that he
would, “Cast the puppy down into the fires of Mount
Doom!” and the room exploded in laughter.
On this particular night, I overheard Miss Undergrad telling
her friends how stressed she was about her exam the next
day. I think to myself, “I can relate to that!” That is, until she
followed it up with “Oh, but check out this cute dress I got
for the party tonight!” Insert face palm. I thought, “How can
she possibly be that worried if she’s going out later?” I rolled
my eyes in disgust.
I was considering my bitterness when it hit me, a “what
have I become?” moment. I was that girl in undergrad!
Okay, definitely not with the mini dress, but I had nights
where I blew off studying to have fun. At one point I was
“The Fun Police”. Who am I to judge?
That was when I decided that I would not be that grumpy
vet student. I would not begrudge her those experiences
just because my program is tough. We all worked hard to be
here. And yes, school tests our limits, but I would not trade
it for anything. I am working towards a career that I love and
thinking about that makes it easy to never be envious of
“Miss Undergrad” again.
- Anonymous by Request
Has anyone asked you if you’d had an SOB moment yet?
Seriously? You can’t just reinvent what SOB stands for. No
one’s first thought is ever going to be “stepping out of
boundaries.” Nowhere but veterinary school will you hear
your professors talking about SOBs.
-Elizabeth Rosalia
A big thank you to our winners and everyone else who sent in an essay!
Overheards
Shhhhhhh… We’re Eavesdropping!
"I don't know what's going on except that we're
here."
- Dr. Tannenbaum
"He was the best cat I ever had after that brain damage."
- Dr. Mellema
"Central to this issue is humane end of life. That's what
we're shooting for… no pun intended." - Dr. Davis
"I don't know why we did this. We kept radiographing and
saying Man, that looks bad! Oh wow, this looks
worse! Hey, it's even worse now!" - Dr. Wisner
"Look at these ulnas. They're just minding their own business and then this happens." - Dr. Wisner
On heat stroke: "We should just have a sign at the Vacaville
outlet malls. VET HOSPITAL THIS WAY." - Dr. Mellema
"Nephroblastoma is an awesome tumor, it happens in
young children" -Dr. Murphy
"There's no sucking and pulling in physiology."- unknown
"What do NSAIDS do? They block COX"- Dr. Murphy
"I'm a radiologist. I've practiced imagining things all my
life."
- Dr. Wisner
Look for more Overheards later in this issue!
Vet Talk
Vet Talk
Page 12
Things you care about, actually being talked about
Let’s face it… it’s hard to keep up with things happening in the
veterinary school, much less the community at large. Oh wait… no
it’s not! That’s why we have VET TALK!
Ink or No Ink? A Study on the Reality of
Tattoos in the Veterinary Industry
A Study by Matt Wooddall
Hi! I’m Vinnie, the Vet
Talk Caduceus. No
relation to the Jersey
Shore Guy. First we will be
talking about tattoos!
One of the first issues we tackle in our VET 400 course on doctoring, is the role that our appearance plays in the
minds of those we work with in the professional arena. Age, style of dress, and white coat (or not) are often considered important pieces of the equation when clients or employers initially assess a medical professional. However, as in most matters of opinion, many shades of grey exist between black tie and white socks making, the issue of professional appearance
highly individualized. Beyond the issues raised by style of dress or coat-less-ness is another potential professional divider:
visible tattoos and piercings. If something as minor as jean slacks versus khakis can make a difference, do visible tattoos
banish some vets to working at record stores or as baristas?
According to a 2006 report in the Journal of the American Academy of
Dermatology, 24 percent of Americans ages 18 to 50 have at least one
tattoo, and 14 percent have at least one body piercing. Researchers
questioned 253 women and 247 men via random telephone survey.
According to the Pew Research Center, one-third of those born
between 1981 and 1988 (Gen Nexters) have at least one tattoo.
In an article posted in Veterinary Practice News called “Bucking the
Fashion Police”, Patty Khuly, VMD, makes the point that a lack of
professionalism (imagined or real) is less of a problem for the average
practice than employee turnover.
“Sure, it’s obvious that dressing professionally encourages client
compliance, boosts profits and fosters a professional manner among
all personnel. Nothing, however, does so much for your bottom line
as actually doing good work and building trust on a foundation of
actual merit. I have no quarrel with practice management gurus who
recommend we adopt greater professionalism in how we present
ourselves. I do, however, take issue with the contention that slavish
Maureen and Athena proudly sporting their body
adherence to dress codes will accomplish this. Ultimately, sourcing the
art in lab
best and brightest employees is the greatest boon to professionalism
any practice could ever hope for. Creating artificially restrictive standards puts up needless barriers to this endeavor. It’s
my experience that vets, and staff, are far more satisfied when managers focus their employee development efforts (and
dollars) on continuing education, teambuilding and customer satisfaction training. When it comes to dress, simple safety
and cleanliness should reign supreme. After all, if it takes a mirror image of a client’s appearance to establish trust and reflect professionalism, or if a hospital requires the appearance of uniformity to encourage teamsmanship, I’d be suspicious,
indeed, of what basic deficits in character, care and culture might underlie the need for such superficial demands.”
Dr. Steven Rowell,
Well, that’s what one person says! What about everyone
else you will be applying to jobs with?
Continued on Page 13
Vet Talk
Page 13
Hospital Director at Tufts University School of Veterinary
Medicine and Associate
Ink or No Ink? Continued...
Dean for Clinical Programs, disagrees. He has even turned students away due to improper dress. In an interview with DVM360, Dr. Rowell rebukes the superficiality of appearance: “When you talk, people want to
hear what you have to say; they don't want to be distracted by that bobble on your tongue." Rowell says, "Students can say they
have the right to dress the way they want, but I have to disagree. This is a place of business; our tradition is professionalism. I think
the way you look does a lot to make people determine whether or not they want to continue having you treat their animals."
Professors at Texas State University looked into the issue and talked to people with and without body art. Their survey suggests
that most people do not want coworkers with visible body art in jobs requiring face-to-face communication. Even those with body
art would prefer that coworkers cover it up. As for piercings, the professors cited a survey by an employment site, Vault.com, that
found forty-two percent of managers surveyed said they would lower their opinion of someone based on his or her tattoos and/or
body piercings. Ten percent said they have disciplined workers as a result of tattoos or piercings. And a surprising 58 percent said
they would be less likely to offer a job to a tattooed or pierced applicant. Ouch! As for our own inked-up DVMs-to-be, there seems
to be a fairly uniform consensus. Second year Adam Davis, who sports a red and black Sanskrit tattoo from his bicep to his wrist,
decided to wait until being admitted into vet school before getting his tattoo. He even sought the advice of professionalism guru
Dr. Jim Clark.
“He told me that my passion and dedication would be more visible than my tattoo.
Plus I’m going to be amazing doctor and I am charming,” Davis proclaimed in an
interview (real life quote).
Second Year Christine Miller, who is decorated with a beautiful floral nature design that is rich in color extending from shoulder to just above elbow. She considered the visibility of her tattoo prior to getting it and plans on covering it up in
most professional settings. She does not personally feel that her tattoos would put
her at a disadvantage in the professional arena, however she covers them up to be
on the safe side.
“I would imagine that the type and placement of the tattoo makes a big difference,” said Miller. “Skulls, racist symbols, or neck tats probably won’t get you hired”.
Adam shows a common situation where
lower arm tattoos might show
A valid point to be sure. While showing off your new Mike Tyson face tat might intimidate would be “haters”, it may also scare off the grandma in the exam room.
It is also difficult to ignore the stark differences in preferences that exist based on where you decide to practice. A nice forearm
piece will earn you more compliments than silent judgment in Berkeley versus the “Bible belt”. Even within more culturally liberal
states, like California, a large tattoo enthusiasm gap can exist in even the smallest counties. The average age of client base, political
tendencies, and socio-economic conditions can drastically change how well your newest artful alteration is received. More and
more vet students are finding themselves accepting jobs at clinics in areas where they never planned on being, due to the need to
“go where the jobs are”. However, with the ever-increasing popularity of piercing and tattoos amongst the younger generation,
those potential hurdles to employment may largely fade from areas, aside from conservative cultural strongholds (Yes, red states,
I’m looking at you.)
Dr. Neal Sivula, a practice owner in Ohio, weighed in on the issue in response to my VIN post regarding personal experience from a
visibly tattooed practitioner. He is confident that times have changed.
“I have never had any blow back from clients or other colleagues about my
tattoos,” Said Dr. Sivula. “Even though I have a holistic practice, and I think
that may give me more leeway, we are not in what I would consider a liberal
area of the state. I honestly don’t feel like I would have a problem even in a traditional practice.”
But… what about DVMs that
have tattoos themselves?
Dr. Sivula raises another valid point. Maybe the type of practice matters as much as where. Are large animal clients
likely to respond the same way that small animal clients or alternative medicine clients do? “I have a lot of senior
clients that love to see everyone’s work,” said Dr. Sivula. I should note that half of
Continued on Page 14
Vet Talk
Page 14
Tattoos continued...
Dr. Sivula’s staff are tattooed or pierced. Dr. Sivula did add the
caveat that none of the tattoos worn by himself or his staff, are
of a controversial or vulgar nature.
All of the students interviewed for this story agreed with the
notion that the general populaces’ attitude toward visible tattoos has experienced a sea change in the last decade, and that
largely any negative connotations associated with tattoos or
piercings are more likely to be related to generational differences. Second year Athena Gianopoulos, who showed off her
tattoo this summer while interning with Australian vets, concluded that her tattoo (a Henna style bird mural on her left
arm) were “more of an ice breaker than a deal breaker with
clients and colleagues alike.” She added that some tattoo artists, including her own, will have a “professionalism talk” with
kids who seek visible tats that are looking to become doctors.
Surprisingly some artists have even begun to refuse to do any
tattoos that cannot be easily concealed, in an apparent effort
to sleep better at night.
In a rare truthful statement from second year Davis, he makes
the point that “if an employer wants to discriminate against me
because of my tattoo chances are I wouldn’t want to work
there anyway”. While this may be a risky approach in the current job market, the case could be made that working for an
employer whom you clash with over personal appearance
choices, may also be setting yourself up for failure.
-For references or further question, email Matt Wooddall
[email protected]
Pet Therapy - Letting Diamond Shine
If there’s anything vet students understand
well it’s the therapeutic value of contact
with our favorite animals. Whether petting
your lab partner’s dog in passing or
snuggling with our furry friends before bed,
animal contact can be just what the doctor
ordered. The applications of pet-centered
therapy are gaining more acceptance among
medical professionals and pet enthusiasts
alike, and the need for volunteers for such
programs is growing. Second year Tara
Urbano had the opportunity to witness the
Did you know, several students
at the vet school thought I was
so awesome, they tattooed me
on themselves?! True story!
More Overheards
Shhhhhhh… We’re Eavesdropping!
"What are these? These are big boy nipples!" - Dr. Johnson
"Would you die if you had right bundle of His block? No. Are
you likely to win the Boston marathon? No. But you're not
Kenyan anyway, you weren't going to win"- Dr. Mellema
"You don't get to call everything idiopathic just because
YOU have no idea whats going on." - Dr. Mellema
“He’ s a specialist in cow-cow trauma” - Unknown
Looks like Dr. Mellema
wins this issue of
Overheards!
Send us your awkward
Overheards for next issue,
and we can see if somebody else holds the new
record.
power of healing that pets can provide first hand.
Urbano, recognizing the talents of her boxer Diamond,
wanted to get involved with an organization that focused on pet therapy. She found the Sacramento
based organization “Lend a Heart, Lend a Hand”. The
all-volunteer non-profit organization arranges therapy
pet visits to hospitals, rest homes, libraries, and
mental health facilities across the greater Sacramento
area. The organization sets up as many as fifty to
seventy visits where volunteer pets (and humans) use
their innate gifts to brighten the day of those with
whom they come into contact. They even have
Dr. Diamond will
events where young children can read to dogs at the
see you now
library to practice their reading
Continued on Page 15
Vet Talk
Page 15
Pet Therapy continued...
skills to a supportive audience of dogs.
Hey, what about snakes?
We’re great listeners…
well… sorta...
The program welcomes dogs, cats, and rabbits to be a part of the program, once
training and behavior guidelines are met. The process Tara and Diamond went through involved an orientation
meeting and a visit simulation in which volunteers mock an actual visit to assess potential therapy pets for their behavior.
“The process was really easy and took a little over a month; they really want you to be able to pass through the program,” said
Urbano. Owners must have owned their animal for a minimum of six months prior to participating in the program.
Tara and Diamond go on the required bi-monthly visits but often end up going on three visits a month. “The dedication of the
volunteers in the organization is amazing. One lady even planned the birth of her baby around a visit so she wouldn’t have to
miss it.” Speaking of dedication, Urbano and Diamond will be attending a visit the night before her first cardiology exam.
“It just feels good to make someone’s day. I really enjoy it and Diamond loves it!” At the conclusion of her last visit the pets and
their handlers were leaving a rest home when one resident seemed particularly upset. For this resident these visits were the
highlight of her month and all too short. Without any instructions Diamond sat next to the elderly resident and refused to leave.
After several more minutes of petting Diamond the resident was content with an ear to ear smile.
“Dogs know their jobs,” said Urbano.
To get involved with Lend a Heart, Lend a Hand visit their website at: www.lendaheart.org or email Tara Urbano at
[email protected].
- Matt Wooddall
The Classic Client Column
Web MD - Now, Web DVM
We’ve all see it by now - heck, plenty of us have done it to our own vets.
A client comes in armed with their pet (who is probably armed as well)
and a sheaf of print-outs. And on those print-outs is the collective
knowledge of the internet about their pet’s symptoms, diagnosis, and
heaven help you… anecdotes of how much you will suck at your job.
The advent of the internet has brought many amazing things (online
Merck, no more having to actually remember what all those terms are in
neurology, cat memes), but it has also brought with it something else.
If half of the population is less
intelligent than average, I’ve become entirely convinced that
lower half lives exclusively on the
medical message boards.
I mean… we’ve all been there.
You wonder if that really is what
sunburn is supposed to look like
the day after. Are those lumps on your cat cancer?! To the internet!
And while Vinnie is somewhat off - you can’t get an online DVM yet! -
Online vet degrees? That
sounds fishy to me...
he is also partially correct. Many owners now
come to us as ‘online DVMs’ with strong opinions
and their own treatment plans that they want us
to endorse, or at least pull out the prescription
pad and initial on the drug of their choice.
A pain in our collective ass, right?
But honestly… I would rather have the Internet
DVM than some of the other ‘Classic Clients’ (for
instance, next issue you will meet ‘Neighbor
Nelly’ and ‘Just-Noticed Joffrey’). These clients
usually genuinely care about their pet, and given
enough evidence in the form of articles and
books, can be brought around to a more accurate
belief system. And it’s not uncommon for them to
even be on the right track, if slightly side-lined by
the trolls under the message boards bridge.
Classic Clients is an ongoing column written by Emily
Lane. Have a Classic Client of your own? Let us know!
Upcoming Events
Page 16
Vet Talk
Page 17
Have you heard? Mercer Clinic not only has a
new class (welcome Class of 2017!), but also a
new trailer!
Mercer Clinic
New Trailer, New Staff,
Same Awesome
time is a great opportunity to experience what
it’s like to build a hospital from the ground up”.
Not only do students have the opportunity to
learn various aspects of clinic rounds such as
inventory management and financing, but Zarin
added: “it’s great practical experience getting to
do real-life lab tests and learning practical applications of common drugs”. Second year Weihow
Hsue shared his appreciation for the opportunity
to learn about practice management: “Mercer is
a great opportunity for students to practice being a veterinarian in a judgment-free place
where the care you provide matters, not the
appearance of your hospital”.
In the decades that Mercer Clinic has
been in operation, they have done an
incredible job providing care to
countless pets and desperate owners,
all while re-defining what it means to
practice “austere medicine”.
Recently, Mercer Clinic was given a
couple months to find a new home.
For years, “home” had been an
abandoned warehouse. But as of
July, “home” now means a beautiful,
freshly built trailer that includes five
exam rooms, several more treatment
tables, and a planned surgical suite.
Liz Lee and her feline client at
Mercer Clinic has been about affecting the
Many practitioners today would conMercer Clinic
greatest amounts of good for the greatest
sider the lack of in-house chemistries
amounts of pets under fairly tough circumstances.
and digital radiographs and at least one coffee machine to
Now in its new home, Mercer Clinic’s potential to connect
be austere conditions. But for Mercer Clinic these are luxuthose in need with student volunteers who are eager to
ries that in no way prevent needy pets from receiving the
provide care seems limitless. Sure, digital radiographs and
basic care they require. Never was that more apparent
an on-site cafeteria would be great, but make no mistake:
than when I spoke with Dr. Tom Kendall, a long time
Mercer Clinic’s volunteers will continue to get the job
board member and Mercer weekend warrior. When I
done no matter the circumstances.
asked: “how will this new trailer change Mercer Clinic and
New trailer aside, the strength of any non-profit or chariimpact its mission?” he playfully smirked and offered the
table organization lies with the dedication and hard work of
most obvious and uncomplicated answer. “Well for startits volunteers. Without the tireless efforts of numerous
ers we will have electricity, running water, and sinks.”
volunteers, Mercer Clinic’s mission would not be possible.
Thousands of animals have been treated and for the first
This simple fact is why Mercer Clinic has been able to pertime, Mercer Clinic is enjoying the luxury of running water.
sist through austere conditions and fundraising shortfalls.
Anyone who has volunteered at a Mercer Clinic underThe heart of Mercer Clinic beats on, not because of fancy
stands the challenge of performing an exam in a dark
things such as running water or electricity. It continues to
warehouse or spending a Saturday either sweating (or
thrive on the blood, sweat, and tears of its volunteer staff,
freezing) their butt off providing care for these pets. But
who are dedicated to giving these animals the care they
now, equipped with five oxygen lines, the new trailer will
need. Come check out the new digs and see for yourself
have the capability to provide many services in-house that
the exciting new future of Mercer Clinic.
were previously impossible at the loaves and fishes site in
In addition to volunteering your time at Saturday clinics,
Sacramento. Over the summer, students volunteered their
Mercer looks forward to
time to unpack, organize, and set up Mercer Clinic’s new
Continued on Page 18
energizing fundraising
home. Although it is not yet complete, the new trailer offers a potential that is electrifying.
While unpacking pharmacy boxes, second year student
Joseph Zarin explained: “being a part of Mercer at this
This year, Mercer has been running for
20 years. That’s only a little less than
most of you have been alive!
Vet Talk
Page 18
Mercer continued..
efforts this year. Volunteers will be needed, so be sure to “Like’ Mercer Clinic
on Facebook, and watch for upcoming Mercer events. Contact a Mercer Clinic
volunteer coordinator to get involved. Viva la Mercer!
If this sounds like something you
are interested in, contact the volunteer coordinators! They can always
use extra hands on Mercer days!
-Matt Wooddall
Volunteer Coordinators:
Athena Gianopoulos: [email protected]
Someday when they
need scales, I can help
too...
Molly Langston- Liepnieks: [email protected]
Becky Lee: [email protected]
Adam Schawel: [email protected]
Lauren Colby: [email protected]
Wag your tongue (and keyboard) and tell us
what you think!
That’s all for Vet Talk
this issue. But please
submit articles for
next issue!
The Opinion section is where you can submit your… well…
opinions. Have something you feel strongly about, but aren’t
really sure where it fits? It’s probably an Opinion!
This issue, we only have ONE opinion piece… I know many of you (including us editors!) have some strong opinions. So
for next issue, lets hear them!
Let Parrots Be Parrots
It makes me uncomfortable to discuss the
ethics of owning parrots and that is exactly why I must
start the conversation. I accept my own cognitive dissonance, as I am and have been for many years, a parrot
owner. Luckily for me (and my Jenday conure Moxie),
my guilty conscience can rest a little easier because I
acquired Moxie from a family who was no longer able
to keep her. Still, almost everyday I look at her and
think that this is not her place. As much as I tend to her
needs, encourage natural behavior and give her the
most liberated captive life possible, it still isn’t good
enough.
After spending a week at a macaw sanctuary in Costa
Rica and over a month in Australia where there are
dozens of native parrot species flying free in their
natural habitats, I cannot imagine any captive life
equivalent. There is nothing comparable to the wonderfully complex social networks established in a flock
environment or the level of engagement and stimulation that only natural foraging can offer; the freedom
and autonomy of being able to choose their playground, their mates, their life. Some would argue that
keeping parrots as pets benefits them by sheltering
them from predators and natural threats and providing
an abundance of food. But the reality is that we are
doing parrots no favors by keeping them confined to a
home. The captive life presents an infinite amount of
novel dangers that serve as etiologies for mortalities
and illness. Where these parrots have evolved and
adapted to in the wild is where they are meant to be.
Thinking of parrots as companion pets is really more of
a convenient way to justify their current state of ownership rather than recognizing what is in their best interest. If we are honest with ourselves we must acknowledge two things about ownership of parrots as a companion species; first, that they are wild animals and
secondly, they can (and often will) outlive their owners.
These are two unique features of owning parrots that
are distinct from owning other small animals and serve
as additional challenges that parrot owners and caretakers must seriously consider before deciding to acquire (hopefully by adopting) a bird.
As wild animals, parrots are inherently inappropriate
for a captive companion-animal life. They do not adjust
well to being caged, solitary creatures. Birds bred in
captivity are only a few generations at most removed
from the wild. Their behaviors, instincts, and motivations are still suited for the wild and not as someone’s
pet. We can tame parrots, but they will never be domesticated animals. As beings that can live up to 80
years, they are a responsibility beyond an individual’s
means, no matter how well
Continued on Page 19
Opinion
Page 19
Parrots continued..
intentioned a parrot owner may be. It’s not uncommon to see parrots end
up in sanctuaries and rescue organizations after being handed off or given
away numerous times. This is no way for a parrot to live.
Moreover, we must acknowledge that parrots are exquisitely intelligent
creatures. Cognitively speaking, parrots’ numerical and conceptual
processing is similar to that of a human toddler. This is both their blessing
and their curse. It is what attracts and appeals to most owners, but also
what leads to their downfall as owned pets. Would you own a perpetual
four-year-old child, cage them for most (if not all) of the day, and expect
them to be happy? As sentient, perceptive, and sensitive creatures, parrots know enough to rebel and resist their captive lives, unfortunately
oftentimes taking it out on themselves in the form of self-mutilation. Not
every parrot is a self-mutilator, and not every parrot owner is oblivious to
the demanding nature of these animals. But despite even the most
elaborate cages, enrichment, and lifestyle, at the end of the day the bird is
still living in captivity.. The fact that self-mutilation runs rampant among
captive parrots should not only tell us something about their incredibly
complex psyche, but it should serve as a wake-up call for us to acknowledge that parrots are not suited for captive life. The environmental, social,
cognitive, and emotional requirements of parrots simply cannot be met
as a companion pet.
Clinically speaking, the majority of the problems that parrots present are almost entirely related to the fact that
they are owned as pets. This is apparent even from my novice experience with avian medicine. Whether it be behavioral issues
(read: aggression) from inadequate socialization, hepatic lipidosis from overnutrition, self-mutilation from psychological stress
(technically ‘feather-damaging behavior’), inappropriate encouragement of reproductive and nesting behaviors leading to
severe medical issues; the list goes on. When I see these cases in the clinic, the clinician in me wants to advance avian
medicine and be able to do more for these birds. But the conservationist in me thinks these birds should have never been born
in captivity in the first place.
It would be foolish of me to make a blanket statement that absolutely no parrots should be in captivity, especially given the
threatened or endangered status of many avian species. I fully support conservation efforts, especially well-maintained breeding programs in native habitats. However, I fear that no matter how much avian conservation is bolstered, there is not enough
stable environment to sustain these populations— but this is a discussion for another day.
As future veterinarians we must critically reevaluate what quality of life is possible for parrots as companions. We have the
opportunity and privilege to influence the attitudes and regard to which our society views these incredible creatures. Although I do not believe a captive life is the best life for a parrot, I acknowledge the current existence of parrots as pets and
their need for high-quality husbandry and veterinary attention so that they may live the best life possible. However owning a
parrot should be a commitment taken as seriously as deciding to have a child. I don’t advocate owning birds but should that
decision be made, the thoughtful deliberation and best interests of the bird should be paramount.
While I have made a commitment to give Moxie the best life possible for the rest of her years and study avian medicine so I
may be the best clinician possible, I have also made the commitment to promote the adoption of homeless parrots and discourage non-conservationist captive breeding which only adds parrots to the captive market and adds to the problem. Let us
take care of the parrots that already exist as pets, treat their ailments, encourage better caretaking and husbandry, and let us
remember that these are sentient, wild animals who are better off in the wild than in our homes.
-Athena Gianopoulos
We want your Opinions for The Waggie!
It can be about anything. Think Top Ramen is terrible? (Lane might fight you
on that one) Want to tell the world about how you REALLY feel about hockey?
Do you Think sometimes?
Feel like nobody listens?
They can be long! They can be short! They can be cunning! They can be funny!
They can even be ILLUSTRATED.
Do you have Opinions?
Upcoming Events
Page 20
Upcoming Events in Vet School
Sibling Rivalry/Debauchery
When: September 27th
This is “A magical night, a proud few, some drinks, and lots of hand-holding.
Sibling Rivalry There will be many games involving your little/big sib so make
sure he/she goes or you will miss out on many games/7 minutes in heaven.”
It’s a Facebook invite-only event, so if your litte/big can’t make it, hurry up
and invite your surrogate to join you in dressing as famous historical or fictional pairings. (i.e. Batman/Robin, Lincoln/Booth, Harry/Voldemort, etc.)
Halloween Party
When: October 26th
What's better than costumes, candy, drinks, and an unforgettable night? Not much. The 2016 VP's
are so excited to be hosting this year's Halloween Party! The event will be held on October 26th at
the Davis Graduate starting at 9pm. Attendee's can look forward to drink specials, photo-op's, a costume contest, and of course, fun! Pre-sale tickets will go on sale soon and tickets will also be sold at
the door. Start thinking of costume ideas now...there may be prizes involved. Ready, set, go!
Vet School Formal
When: November 23rd
SCAVMA is putting on the first annual Black Tie Event formal on November 23rd at Freeborn Hall
on main campus. Not much else is known yet, except that there will be food, and presumably,
black ties!
And in Other News...
The AVMA and other exciting
events will soon have flyers
throughout the school! Keep an eye
on your email for more awesome
things to do IN vet school
Bit and Bobs
Jacob’s
Kitchen
Fig Sauce:
Page 21
Hey all, and welcome back to another year in vet school! For those of you that haven’t met me, I’m Jacob Tupper,
one of the Class of 2016. As an attempt at something new this year, I’ll be including a new seasonal recipe in each
edition of the Waggie. I’ll do my best to include different types and styles of food, so if there’s anything you’d like
to request, feel free to let me know! As for this month’s recipe, it’s September now, and fall is on the way, so a lot
of you are probably thinking of thing like apples, right? Normally I’d agree with you, but in this case, my inspiration
came from an entirely different sweet fruit: figs. Figs are incredibly common in Italian cooking, and this recipe
serves as a wonderfully Mediterranean take on the classic “pork with sweet fruit” so common in many European
cultures. If you’re looking for something familiar but slightly exotic to serve guests, give this dish a try.
Pork Loin:
2 cups of ruby port (or, feel free to use any fruity red
2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
wine you have on hand – just make sure it’s
2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary
something you’d actually drink, since “cooking
1 Tablespoon of salt, plus more to taste
wine” is an abomination)
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus
1 ¼ cups of low-sodium chicken broth
more to taste
8-10 dried black mission figs, coarsely chopped
1 3.5-4.5 pound boneless pork loin
2 whole sprigs of fresh rosemary, each about 3-5 inches
1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth
long
2 cinnamon sticks
Equipment:
1 Tablespoon of honey
2 Tablespoons of butter, cut into pieces
Kitchen blender or immersion blender
¼ teaspoon of salt, plus more to taste
Roasting pan
¼ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, plus more to
Meat thermometer
taste
For the Fig Sauce:
Combine the port, broth, figs, rosemary, cinnamon and honey in a
medium saucepan. Boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally,
until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs and the cinnamon sticks.
Don’t worry if a couple rosemary leaves stay in the mixture –
that’s perfectly normal.
Transfer the mixture to a blender, and puree until smooth (note:
please be very careful when you do this – boiling hot mixtures
can sometimes release large air bubbles when blended, which
can pop the top off if you aren’t careful. Try pulsing the blender
for a few seconds a couple times first, then slowly turning up the
speed, or use an immersion blender if you have one).
Blend in the butter, salt and pepper. (Note that the sauce can be
made a day in advance, if desired; just cover and refrigerate it,
then rewarm it over medium heat before serving)
For the Pork Loin:
Cook’s Note: Many of you may end up buying fresh
rosemary in order to make this dish (please don’t
pick the stuff in the planter boxes; it’s sprayed with
nasty chemicals). Instead of throwing any out when
you’re done, try infusing it into some olive oil. Just
clean and dry three to four 5-inch stalks of leftover
rosemary, then lightly bruise them before placing
them in a small saucepan with ½ cup of oil. Heat
the up to 180 degrees F / 83 degrees C on low heat,
about 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the
oil cool down to room temperature. Place the
sprigs in a container for the oil, then pour the
cooled oil in over them. Seal the lid, and store in
the fridge for up to one month. This makes a great
topping for breads and salads, and for those that
like to pop kernel popcorn themselves, be sure to
try it as an alternative to butter sometime.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F / 218 degrees C
Stir the oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl to blend.
Place the pork loin in a heavy, flame-proof roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork, turning to ensure complete coverage.
Roast the pork, turning every 15-20 minutes to ensure even browning, until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads 150 degrees F / 66 degrees C, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Transfer the pork to a plate or cutting board (preferably one with a lip around the edge) and let it rest for 15 minutes,
tenting it with foil to keep it warm. This will allow the juices in the pork to seep back into the meat, so they don’t
run out when it’s cut and leave the meat dry.
While the meat rests, add the cup of broth to the liquid remaining in the roasting pan and simmer it over medium heat
while scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits. Season this mixture (called a jus) with additional
salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Slice the pork loin into ¼ inch thick medallions, and pour the jus over them. Serve with the fig sauce.
Waggie Crossword
Page 22
The Waggie Crossword
In honor of the second years, this issue we have a Cardio Crossword. Just read the clues, fill the
boxes, and in a week a key will be sent out.
Third years, this is your chance to do some review! I promise, nothing too hard is on there…
- The Crossword Guru
Waggie Crossword
Page 23
The Waggie
Page 24
Enjoyed this issue of your neighborhood, mostly-friendly-to-parents, school newsletter?
We are always looking for new columns and material - and that doesn’t just mean writing an essay. You can turn in
Overheards, you can draw us pictures or cartoons, and you can take pictures. You can also send us ideas of things
YOU would like to see in The Waggie (note that next issue, we will be having Medical Mysteries: Vet Student Pets
starting as a regular column thanks to the suggestion of a classmate). What do YOU want to see in YOUR newsletter?
All this and more… and all you have to do is email one of your friendly editors, or ambush us at lunch. Which should
be easy, we are both BIG believers in lunch.
Many, many thanks to those who submitted this issue - your contributions prevent us from having to write an entire
of issue of content, which would not only be boring for you guys to read, it would also be boring for us to edit!
Your Waggie Editors
Matt Wooddall and Emily Lane
Congratulations to STAR
Project participants.
The Waggie is proud of
you!