Where Do Babies Come From?

Posted July 28, 2016

Where do babies come from? Just kidding – I know that answer already and I’m sure you do too! But do you know how newborn calves fight off disease in their first few days of life? In the first few feedings that a calf takes, there is a substance called colostrum which is loaded with immunoglobulins that act as the building blocks for the calf’s immune system imparting maternal antibodies for protection.

Who owns who?

Posted July 26, 2016

An important part of veterinary medicine from a more legal aspect is ownership of a pet. Who owns those dairy cows? Well the farmer of course. Who owns those horses? Well it might be a group of owners in the case of racehorses. Who owns a dog, normally a whole family. Who owns a cat… no one, the cat owns you.

The case of ownership can sometimes be more difficult to discern though. What about the stray cats that frequent multiple households? In the country it can be...

Deadly Dirt: Fighting biological warfare on the frontlines

Posted July 22, 2016

A middle-aged small breed dog is rushed to the veterinary clinic unable to breathe with mucous pouring from his nose. When he arrives, the vet discovers that the dog also has a high fever, has been vomiting for the last 24 hours, and has lost ten pounds in the last six months. Across town at the local hospital, a sixty year old man is handed a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. Six months to live. Heartbroken, he returns home to his wife and delivers the bad news.

Exploring NEW Skills: Bovine Reproductive Ultrasound in dairy Cows

Posted July 22, 2016

I can’t believe that it’s July and I’m already through one week of my externship at Prescott Animal Hospital. It’s been a busy week and I’m learning so much! I have been spending my time on the road with the large animal vets, mainly treating horses and dairy cows (with a few alpacas, goats and Highland calves in the mix).   

What does it mean to be a swine practitioner?

Posted July 22, 2016

It’s a bad day at the office for a swine veterinarian to see sickness in a pig farm that might have been prevented. Often, one sick animal can put hundreds of animals at risk. Given today’s swine health standards, if everything is working according to plan, we hope to see minimal disease in pig barns.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

Posted July 20, 2016

“Fake it ‘til you make it” is a saying common in many different walks of life. I have heard it during my experiences in school, in the horse industry, and with past jobs but never has it been more relevant than in these early days of our veterinary careers where we are transitioning from the classroom to the “real world”.

What Do We Do Now? Wound Management 101

Posted July 20, 2016

Whether it’s a dog or a cow, a big nasty wound on an animal needs immediate attention to be able to save as much tissue as possible! A fight amongst bitches (female intact dogs) in heat lead me to my first true experience with wound management and my first thought? What do we do now?

Transitioning to coveralls and steel toe boots

Posted July 15, 2016

I have transitioned from the world of business casual small animal to the coveralls and steel toe boots of large animal. With the small animal staff I discussed seeing them later at the community center for zumba, with the large animal veterinarians I practice my karaoke as we belt tunes between calls (suggestions for duets appreciated). One of the major differences between this past week and last is the amount of time we spend seeing each patient versus how much time we spend getting to each patient.....

Isn’t that why you’re here?

Posted July 12, 2016

“Isn’t that why you’re here?” A simple question to most people, but as I bustled through my second day of my externship at Paris Veterinary Clinic I realized I wasn’t 100 per cent sure why I was there until that moment. Yes, the externship is a course required by OVC for me to graduate as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and...

Cystotomy surgery an interesting learning experience

Posted July 8, 2016

Another successful week in small animal practice. Thankfully we have slowed down a bit, although one thing I have learned is to not say the ‘B’ word – Busy – until the day is done. Saying the words “it’s not that busy” guarantees that all of the next appointments will...