wildcatveterinarian Vol. 1 | No. 1
spring2018
Exceptional teaching. Impactful research. Outstanding service. Extraordinary graduates.
ourmission Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine is dedicated to the advancement of health and welfare of animals, people, the environment, and the veterinary profession through excellence in teaching, research, service and outreach. We are committed to a professional degree program with broad training opportunities across a comprehensive range of companion and exotic animals, and livestock species. Our focus is on initiatives that address important societal needs at a local, national and global level.
ourvision Exceptional teaching. Impactful research. Outstanding service. Extraordinary graduates.
getsocial Like us, tweet us and watch us @KSUCVM.
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Interim Dean Dr. Bonnie Rush Associate Dean for Research Dr. Frank Blecha Associate Dean for Admissions and Diversity Dr. Ronnie Elmore Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Affairs Dr. Peggy Schmidt
wildcatveterinarian is produced by the Department of Marketing and Communications
editor
Joe Montgomery
designer Shelby Mettlen Dean’s Office College of Veterinary Medicine Kansas State University 101 Trotter Hall Manhattan, KS 66506-5601 785-532-5660 vet.k-state.edu
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No. 3
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Skill Building
Third-floor lab is renovated, dedicated in honor of alumni. CVM extends clinical skills training to first and second years of curriculum.
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Finding Shelter Shelter Medicine team welcomes faculty.
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Rodeo Style Equine field service provides popular rotation for fourth-year students.
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Where’s the Beef? Nutrition course brings home the beef for third-year students.
outstandingservice 28
Dude’s Dilemma Therapy service dog faces a health hurdle of his own.
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Saving Odin
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Frisco’s HistoStory
Dogs may not have nine lives, but Odin had an extra. Feline’s rare illness presents challenges and unexpected opportunities.
impactfulresearch 40
Disease Detective Professor studies zoonotic diseases in the Gobi Desert.
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Unlikely Allies Taking the pain out of summer research.
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Mobile Data Pregnancy analytics? There’s an app for that.
extraordinarygraduates 50
Gone Country
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Northern Exposure
Fourth-year students go back to their roots. The unusual career and adventures of Dr. Earl Graves.
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50
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everyissue
Administration Teaching Success College News Alumni Class News Alumni Fellows In Memoriam Annual Conference Awards Alumni Recognition Awards
Above: Fourth-year veterinary student Chase Reed performs a surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Mobile Surgery Unit during the shelter medicine rotation. Chase is a student in the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas. Left: Small animal internal medicine resident Dr. Olga Norris exams Dude, a therapy dog fighting Addison’s disease. wildcatveterinarian | 5
teachingsuccess College pushes forward with strategic success. From the perspective of Dr. Bonnie Rush, interim dean
Exceptional teaching, impactful research, outstanding service, extraordinary graduates. The vision of Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine speaks for itself. Developed as part of the college’s strategic plan in 2016, the vision was accompanied by seven priorities to develop a future of success for students, staff and faculty. Two years into the college’s planning process and one year into the implementation phase, change is evident, as the college remains invested in achieving its goals.
Student focus Since implementation of the strategic plan, the college has focused on the student experience, student opportunities and curricular enhancements. The goal of the strategic plan is to strengthen new-graduate confidence through development of practice-ready graduates. The strategic plan aims to reduce the cost of education to DVM students. Last year and this year, the college took a significant step toward achieving that goal by freezing tuition for the first time in more than 20 years. The college identified and eliminated hidden costs from required books, supplies, graduation fees, laptop fees and board preparation, resulting in a savings of $2,500 per student over the course of four years. Student scholarships remain the college’s No. 1 fundraising focus, with a goal of raising $10 million by June 2020, nearly doubling the current scholarship endowment. The college received more funds through matching in 2017 than any other college on K-State’s campus, and is ahead of pace toward the $10 million goal with pledged funds and planned gifts.
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Health means happiness We were one of the first veterinary colleges to focus on student wellness, and we continue to make student wellness a priority. The college has expanded health-promoting and wellness-focused activities, and is committed to renovation projects that improve student spaces. Construction will begin this summer on a student workout center providing ready access to exercise equipment and promoting a healthy lifestyle. In the fall, there will be expanded opportunities for students, staff and faculty to participate in activities that promote physical and emotional well-being.
Steps toward shelter The college’s Shelter Medicine program added two faculty members this year: Dr. Brad Crauer and Dr. Alyssa Comroe. It’s exciting news for both faculty and students, given that the shelter medicine rotation remains the college’s most popular rotation. Dr. Crauer returns to K-State as clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine after nine months as medical director for the Wenatchee (Washington) Humane Society. Dr. Comroe joins in the same capacity after serving as a veterinarian for Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services in Jacksonville, Florida. With two full-time faculty members, the program will achieve its goal of expanding the number of students served by the rotation. Other goals include adding shelter medicine scholarships, expanding our service reach, and measuring outcomes for students and shelter animals. Currently, the shelter medicine rotation accommodates 72 students each year to perform spay/neuter surgeries on shelter animals across the region. Read more about the program and rotation on page 16.
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Serving rural communities in Kansas Since 2006, the state of Kansas has offered the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas (VTPRK) to veterinary students. The program awards five students from each class with an $80,000 loan to be forgiven if they remain employed full-time as a veterinarian in a Kansas county of fewer than 35,000 people for four years following graduation. The college was able to fund six students in the class of 2021. The VTPRK program changes students’ lives, providing affordable opportunities for veterinary graduates to stay in Kansas and build careers in rural practice. The VTPRK program not only improves the lives of graduates,
but also the lives of rural communities across the state. Read more about the VTPRK program on page 50. Our college was recently recognized as the No. 4 veterinary college in the country by collegemagazine.com. This ranking was determined using a variety of parameters including student performance data, student interviews and media activity — a testament to the strength of our students and faculty. The best and brightest minds in veterinary medicine work and study at K-State. Our students, staff, and faculty have a responsibility beyond teaching and caring for patients — they have the responsibility of generating new knowledge that changes standards of medical care and our understanding of disease.
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collegenews Veterinary researchers awarded more than $1.7 million in grants from USDA-NIFA Toward the end of 2017, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced 39 new research awards totaling $14.3 million to help maintain healthy agricultural animals. Among those awards were five for researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine, totaling more than $1.7 million. Funding is provided through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The awards are: $500,000 for “Optimizing an Immunocastration Vaccine Ear Implant to Prevent Pain Associated with Bovine Castration,” No. 2017-67015-27124 to Dr. Hans Coetzee.
$460,000 for “A Broadly Protective Vaccine Against Porcine Post-Weaning Diarrhea (PWD),” No. 2017-6701526632 to Dr. Weiping Zhang. $495,000 for “Improved Vaccine Platforms for Safe and Effective Control of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV),” No. 2017-67015-26802 to Dr. Waithaka Mwangi. $331,450 for “Preventing Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Through Modifications in the Virus Receptor, Cd163” No. 2017-67015-26774 to Dr. Bob Rowland, which was in the October Lifelines. $15,000 for “The XIVth International Nidovirus Symposium” No. 2017-67015-26805 to Dr. Ying Fang. The Symposium was held in Kansas City, Missouri, in June 2017, which was reported in the July Lifelines.
World Veterinary Association recognizes Dr. Hans Coetzee for animal welfare work A Kansas State University veterinarian has earned global recognition for his commitment to animal welfare. Dr. Hans Coetzee, professor and head of the anatomy and physiology department in the College of Veterinary Medicine, is one of six recipients of the World Veterinary Association’s Global Animal Welfare Awards. Co-founded and supported by Ceva Santé Animale, a global veterinary health company, the awards were presented to an outstanding veterinarian in each of the six regions of the World Veterinary Association for providing outstanding and exemplary welfare-related services to animal owners, hostels, fellow veterinarians and the public. Dr. Coetzee was recognized for his work with livestock animal welfare, particularly for his research on ways of advancing methods to alleviate pain in livestock.
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Dr. Coetzee is internationally recognized for his work in developing objective assessments of pain experienced by livestock animals during routine management procedures. He has secured more than $9 million in research funding from federal, nonprofit and industry sources, and his expertise is sought by academic researchers and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. He holds one U.S. patent for alleviating pain and improving performance during dehorning and castration, with two additional patents pending. Dr. Coetzee is a co-founder of the biannual International Symposium on Beef Cattle Welfare. The awards were presented at a ceremony Aug. 29 at the World Veterinary Association’s 33rd World Veterinary Congress in South Korea.
Dr. Raelene Wouda
K-State chosen as No. 4 in ‘Top 10 Veterinary School’ rankings A national publication produced by students for students recently placed the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine in the upper half of a list of the top 10 veterinary colleges in the United States. College Magazine listed several factors to support a No. 4 ranking for K-State among U.S. veterinary colleges, including a high standard of excellence in patient care and scientific discovery in the area of infectious diseases. Further
emphasis was placed on K-State’s large animal expertise, impact on the cattle industry, learning objectives, student proficiency, and the ability to identify and treat diseases. College Magazine specifically named the CVM’s Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases, the Rabies Laboratory, and the Center for Epithelial Research, as standouts in the program.
Anatomy laboratory undergoes major renovation The CVM welcomed back its first-year veterinary students at the start of the spring semester with a special treat — a completely renovated laboratory with a fresh, modern look. “The goal of this project was to renovate the original first-year space into a state-of-the-art facility for anatomy instruction and collaborative study,” said Dr. Bonnie Rush, interim dean. “We now have a contemporary learning environment to allow students to focus on mastery of the material.” With the new lab, students are able to perform dissection work on canine specimens using a dedicated down draft ventilation table. The tables provide a built-in ventilation system to remove formalin vapors from the breathing zone of
the dissection team, allow constant air movement away from personnel working with specimens and provide a pathway to safely remove formalin fumes from the laboratory space. The attached vertical chase houses a monitor for display of course material and student laptop connection. A rolling cart will provide technology to microanatomy and gross anatomy, allowing each group of students access to a monitor for display of microanatomy or radiology images. The lab’s student success center will provide areas for quiet study as well as dedicated space for collaborative group study. Kitchen amenities allow students to bring healthy meals and maximize study time. wildcatveterinarian | 9
collegenews ACVM selects Dr. Michael Dryden as 2017 Microbiologist of the Year Dr. Michael W. Dryden, University Distinguished Professor of veterinary parasitology, has been named the 2017 Microbiologist of the Year by the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists (ACVM). The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor a veterinary microbiologist who has distinguished themselves by a career that has made important contributions to the field of veterinary microbiology in the areas of research, teaching, and/or service. “Dr. Kevin Kazacos, who has known Dr. Dryden since he began his research with fleas as a grad student at Purdue University, remarked that Dr. Dryden’s ‘research not only revolutionized our entire knowledge on this common urban pest, but laid the groundwork for a wealth of new information on the species, ranging from basic biology to practical aspects of treatment and control,’” explained Dr. Becky Wilkes, ACVM secretary and assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia.
DeLong wins scholarship from KLA and Merck Animal Health A Kansas State University veterinary student has been chosen as the recipient of a $1,500 scholarship presented by the Kansas Livestock Foundation and its partners. The scholarship, for the 2017-18 school year, was announced Nov. 29 at the annual Kansas Livestock Association Convention in Wichita. Haley DeLong, Emporia, third-year veterinary medicine student has received the Ralgro Wheels for Bucks Scholarship from Merck Animal Health and the Kansas Livestock Foundation. This award recognizes Kansas State University veterinary students who want to be large animal veterinarians. “I was very honored to be selected for this award out of so many other applicants,” Haley said. “Any scholarship helps to relieve just a little bit of the financial burden that we accumulate throughout our educational careers. After graduation, I plan on joining a mixed animal practice somewhere in rural Kansas where I would primarily be working with beef cattle. Also I would like to buy into a practice at some point in my future.”
Dr. Michael Dryden
Haley DeLong
Grand opening for Equine Performance Testing Center The Veterinary Health Center held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony March 29, 2017, for a new $2.8 million state-of-the-art facility called the Equine Performance Testing Center. The center offers an indoor riding arena with hard and soft footing to optimally evaluate and diagnose lameness or performance limiting issues affecting equine patients. 10 | wildcatveterinarian
Also included in the facility are an indoor examination area, radiology suite, farrier space and consultation room. Nearly 50 percent of the roughly 2,500 services provided annually by the Veterinary Health Center equine clinicians involve performance-related disorders. The Equine Performance Testing Center provides safe, year-round access to consistent footing and shelter for patients, clients, students and clinicians.
CVM establishes Center of Excellence for Translational and Comparative Oncology Research A new research center will focus on improving the and/or licensure of novel or improved medical interventions diagnosis, management and treatment of both human (drugs, immunotherapeutics and medical devices) for the and animal cancer. The Kansas State University Center of treatment, diagnosis, and monitoring of both human and Excellence for Translational and Comparative Oncology animal cancers,” said Dr. Raelene Wouda, assistant professor Research (CETCOR) was first established in late 2017, of oncology. having received generous start-up funding from Kansas State Dr. Wouda explained how a unique aspect of CETCOR University’s Johnson Cancer Research Center and support is that, unlike many centers of excellence, it does not possess from the College of Veterinary Medicine. a solitary research emphasis. CETCOR does not focus on a “The overriding objective of CETCOR is to expedite single type of cancer, nor the development of a single novel the pre-clinical and clinical development, production drug or technology.
Patented vaccine technology offers options for cattle care CVM researchers are hoping to lead cattle producers to a path of least resistance. Their latest work points to new options for controlling beef cattle liver infections through vaccine-based technology in order to circumvent antibiotic use and potential public health concerns associated with antibiotic resistance. Drs. T.G. Nagaraja, M.M. Chengappa, Sanjeev Narayanan and Amit Kumar recently received a new divisional patent for “Composition and Methods for Detecting, Treating, and Protecting Against Fusobacterium Infection.” Fusobacterium causes liver abscesses in cattle and sheep, which is of significant economic concern to the feedlot industry.
“We have improved on a previous patent based on a novel approach for preventing fusobacterial infections,” said Dr. Nagaraja, university distinguished professor of microbiology. “We have identified a protein and learned the mechanisms of how the protein attaches to cells, so we created compositions and methods to use the protein to prevent the attachment of Fusobacterium to the cells in the rumen (first compartment of cow stomach) and liver. If bacteria do not attach to cells, they are highly unlikely to cause infection.”
(From left) Drs. Sanjeev Narayanan, T.G. Nagaraja and M.M. Chengappa display their divisional patent for “Composition and Methods for Detecting, Treating and Protecting Against Fusobacterium Infection.”
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No.3 Third-floor anatomy lab is renovated, dedicated in honor of alumni. Story and photo by Shelby Mettlen Private donations by the families of distinguished alumni played a significant role in the 2017 renovation of the third-floor anatomy lab. To honor these families and individuals, the floor was renamed the Dr. James and Inez Boyd Family Floor after Dr. James Boyd, and the anatomy laboratory for the late Dr. Walter “Wally” C. Cash. Dr. Boyd earned his DVM from K-State in 1957 and owned Bellevue (Nebraska) Animal Hospital for 40 years. He was the posthumous recipient of the 2005 Alumni Recognition Award. “I think he would be amazed by the facilities available to the first-year student and be pleased that his hard work and success made it possible to provide a world-class lab and space for students to gather and study,” said daughter Vicki Boyd-Kennedy. “Education was important to my dad and he would be thrilled that first-year veterinary medicine students have access to excellent facilities to make the most of their education.” Dr. Cash earned his DVM from K-State in 1971 and his Ph.D. in anatomy/physiology/pathology in 1982. He served the college as a professor of anatomy and physiology for 39 years. Dr. Cash was the posthumous recipient of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Association’s 2016 Distinguished Service Award. 12 | exceptionalteaching
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SKILL BUILDING CVM extends clinical skills training to first and second years of curriculum. Story and photo by Joe Montgomery
While computers and electronics have changed the modern classroom and certain aspects of veterinary medicine, real world, hands-on training is enjoying a renewed emphasis at the CVM. During the 2017-2018 school year, the college launched a new initiative to fundamentally transform the traditional curriculum. “We looked at survey data from the college’s new Strategic Plan that was started in 2016,” recalls Dr. Elizabeth Davis, head of the Department of Clinical Sciences. “We looked at employer data as well as new graduate data. We were able to identify clinical skills training as an area we needed to enhance for a variety of different reasons. We formed a task force to identify the skills that would be most important for our students and then to help us identify an individual we could incorporate into our faculty to lead this program.”
A new instructor joins the college In May 2017, the college hired Dr. Ryane Englar as the clinical educator for a new clinical skills program. Susan Rose, a longtime CVM veterinary technician, was assigned to help Dr. Englar with the clinical skills program beginning in the summer of 2017. “They worked incredibly hard to organize a clinical skills course,” Dr. Davis says. “In order to do that, we had to have course proposals approved. It’s actually a series composed
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of four different courses for the first four semesters of the K-State CVM curriculum. In the first two years of veterinary education, our students will now have clinical skills training.” “We were thrilled to be able to start providing clinical skills training within the very first week of veterinary school, back in August,” says Dr. Bonnie Rush, interim dean. “Dr. Englar’s experience and expertise allowed us to implement clinical skills training more quickly than anticipated. We are also fortunate to have received special help from Susan Rose, who is tremendously talented. She designed models that facilitate proficient hand-skills and procedural familiarity in low stakes environment.” Before her appointment as an assistant professor at Kansas State University, Dr. Englar was on the faculty at Midwestern University’s Glendale, Arizona, campus, which opened its door to its inaugural class of veterinary students in 2014. She was responsible for establishing the pre-clinical communications curriculum for Midwestern. “Everything I do, it’s always for the students,” Dr. Englar says. “They are my heart and soul, and they are why I do what I do. Veterinary students are my greatest passion, so it is very exciting to help provide new opportunities for students to develop the skills they will need as practicing veterinarians.”
Space for clinical skills training Dr. Davis emphasizes that in addition to hiring an instructor, learning space needed to be provided. “We had an existing area in Mosier Hall with approximately 1,700 square feet available that we remodeled in late 2016 to prepare for the clinical skills course work that was going to start in 2017,” Dr. Davis says. “In 2017 and 2018, that’s where the first-year students are working, and it’s a really effective use of space, but we have additional needs that will involve a total of four courses of clinical skills through each semester.” For the second year of clinical skills training, starting in 2018, Dr. Davis says students will be in a different location. “We have some space that is available in Trotter Hall that we plan to repurpose,” Dr. Davis says. “We have two different areas — one of those is approximately 2,500 square
feet, which is going to be sectioned off for the primary purpose of providing a training space for small animal clinical skills.” The area will be designed to hold some animals for a few hours, such as when veterinary students or volunteers might bring their own animals in to help with clinical skills laboratories. The newly renovated clinical skills laboratory was made possible by a generous donation from Cheryl Mellenthin, a friend of the college and champion of animal welfare. “In another portion of Trotter Hall, we also plan to have a space that will be dedicated for student success — an area for study or even relaxation in between class time,” Dr. Davis says. “We’re repurposing these areas so they are best utilized for our students so that they can be as successful as possible.”
the clinical skills training program, will all look at how our students are performing in these skills courses.” Ultimately students will be assessed for how they are performing by the third and fourth year of the program, so the college can make changes as needed so to continue to improve how well students perform. “It’s critical to get a sense of their confidence and their competence — as they are moving through their clinical training,” Dr. Davis says. “Our end goal continues to be the same. We want to have a graduate who can be extremely successful immediately after graduation, regardless of their chosen area or discipline. We truly believe this clinical skills training will have a direct impact on how they move through the program and how they feel about themselves as clinicians.”
Baseline for success To determine the effectiveness of the new clinical skills training course work, baseline data will be collected. “Some of the information we have from students that have been in our traditional curriculum, as well as collecting information from students that are moving through the newer curriculum, includes the clinical skills training,” Dr. Davis says. “It is our intent to continue to assess the program, so collectively, Dr. Englar and others from the task force, as well as faculty members that are involved with
Above: Dr. Ryane Englar works with first-year veterinary students to develop clinical skills as part of the college’s redesigned curriculum.
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finding
shelter Shelter Medicine team welcomes faculty. Story and photos by Shelby Mettlen The College of Veterinary Medicine’s Shelter Medicine program doesn’t only improve the lives of shelter animals — it improves the learning opportunities and skill building of veterinary students. Developed and implemented in 2015, the program — which remains the most popular rotation within the college — offers 72 students per year the opportunity to travel across the area in the college’s mobile surgery unit completing spay, neuter and other procedures to homeless animals in shelters. The rotation currently serves as an elective rotation, meaning not all students have the opportunity to enroll in the course, explains Dr. Beth Davis, head of the Department of Clinical Sciences. “We would ideally like to offer the rotation to all students with an interest in this field.” In April, the college welcomed Dr. Brad Crauer and Dr. Alyssa Comroe to its Shelter Medicine program as full-time clinical assistant professors. With two faculty members, the college aims to expand the rotation and provide the experience to all DVM students who want to participate.
Home again
Dr. Brad Crauer, clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine, mentors Sohaila Jafarian, a fourth-year veterinary student on the shelter medicine rotation, inside the college’s Mobile Surgery Unit.
It’s not Dr. Crauer’s first time joining the K-State family. The Iowa native helped get the college’s shelter medicine program up and running. After more than two years with K-State, he moved to the Seattle, Washington, area, where he served the Wenatchee Humane Society as medical director for nine months. The pull of purple was just too great. “I really missed teaching,” Dr. Crauer says. “I loved the opportunity at K-State; I loved the job and the impact. It became clear that I really needed to get back and help produce more shelter veterinarians.” The college’s Shelter Medicine program partners with 16 organizations across the area, including both nonprofit shelters and municipal shelters. wildcatveterinarian | 17
Because the mission of the program is service-based, Dr. Crauer enjoys working with shelter partners to help them “raise the bar” for care and provide new services. “I think Kansas State is poised to be a leader in this area, and my goal is to develop this program so the college becomes known as the university that produces the most-skilled, knowledgeable and practice-ready shelter veterinarians,” he says. “Dr. Crauer’s passion and enthusiasm are the driving forces for everything that makes him such a unique and special person,” Dr. Davis says. “He is a very talented veterinarian who is extremely dedicated to the shelter medicine program and that energy translates to everyone who works with him.” Dr. Davis describes Dr. Crauer as “well-informed” on the needs of this industry, and “an excellent communicator.” “It is a personal relationship he forms with each of the partner organizations, and I think that is what enables us to have a significant impact,” she says.
From sunshine to sunflowers Dr. Comroe moved from her home in New Jersey to attend veterinary college in Florida. In addition to her DVM degree, she earned a Master of Public Health degree from
the University of Florida. She’ll serve as a clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine alongside Dr. Crauer. A born teacher, Dr. Comroe developed an externship program during her time with Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services. She found herself always looking forward to the next extern, she explains, and knew a teaching position was right for her. “I’m really excited to continue to grow the Shelter Medicine program at K-State to help prepare students to be shelter veterinarians,” she says. “The field needs more qualified shelter veterinarians and I think K-State can provide that training.” “Dr. Comroe is gifted and dedicated,” Dr. Davis says. “She has tremendous experience through her pre-veterinary and post-veterinary education. She’s extremely dedicated to shelter medicine, and that is evidenced by everything she does.” Her work in a highly populated area provided experience in forensics and animal cruelty cases, a unique skill set that will benefit K-State’s team.
New field Shelter medicine has been recognized as an area of specialization by the American Board of Veterinary
Shelter from the Storm It really started with Hurricane Katrina. From disaster sometimes comes good. Dr. Brad Crauer served as a first responder following the wreckage of the devastating storm in 2005 and found himself at a turning point in his career. “Basically, since that experience, I’ve been involved in one way or another with animal shelters,” the Iowa native says. In private veterinary practice for more than 20 years, Dr. Crauer took off for New Orleans with hopes of saving lives. That he certainly did, but he also changed his own. “Participating in a truly philanthropic environment, giving my time and giving back and using a unique skill set for animals that had no advocates, animals that were truly in need — I came back changed,” he says. “It made it clear that shelter medicine was much more consistent with why I got into veterinary medicine in the first place. It wasn’t to make a lot of money. It wasn’t to generate revenue and have a bottom line. It was, ‘How do I make a difference with that animal sitting across the table from me?’ In shelter medicine, that’s what it’s about.” The limited resources present during the catastrophic event introduced Dr. Crauer to the need existing within the practice of shelter medicine. “It was truly career-altering and perspective-altering,” he says. “I was, up to that point, content being a small-animal practitioner. I came back going, ‘Wow, there’s so much more I can do given my skill set.’ That’s pretty amazing.”
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Practitioners (ABVP) and has offered board certification for just two years. Not only is the specialization young, it is unique in several ways from general veterinary practice. During her time in Florida, Dr. Comroe was part of a team that provided population management, medical and surgical treatment (including spay and neuter), and forensic knowledge for 12,000 dogs and cats per year — in one shelter. “Population management is one of the biggest differences,” she says. “You’re not just looking at that animal in front of you and knowing it’s going back to its owner’s home. You’re looking at that animal and knowing if it has an infectious disease it could potentially infect the other 500 animals in your shelter.” One of the most challenging differences between shelter medicine and traditional veterinary practice is the limited resources. “We teach gold standard in veterinary medicine,” Dr. Crauer says. “We teach how, ideally, we solve a problem. But the first day in practice, we’re going to be standing across from someone who’s saying, ‘Those recommendations are great, but I can’t afford that. I can’t afford an MRI or all of that bloodwork. I can’t do all of that.’ We as veterinarians
have to be able to advocate for that pet, and that’s what we do every day in shelter medicine. We have to get to an answer in the most effective and efficient way possible.” Both Drs. Crauer and Comroe agree the most rewarding aspect of practicing shelter medicine is changing the lives of animals with no advocates. “It’s the best part of it,” Dr. Comroe says. “It’s incredibly fulfilling. When these animals come into the shelter, you are their only advocate. You have the opportunity to treat any illness or injury and get them adoption-ready. Then, being able to find that animal a loving forever home is really incredible.
The Shelter Medicine program has been made possible through a combination of generous private gifts, PetSmart Charities Inc., corporate support and the Pet Friendly license plate program.
Drs. Alyssa Comroe and Brad Crauer
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RODEOSTYLE Equine field service provides popular rotation for fourth-year students. Story by Joe Montgomery Photos courtesy of equine field service One of the more popular clinical rotations for fourth-year veterinary students at Kansas State University is the equine field service rotation, where students get a chance to work in a live, high-pressure environment at events in Kansas such as the Dodge City Rodeo.
On-site learning “The learning opportunity is two-fold –– one is how veterinary medicine is related to these events and how important it is,” explains Dr. Chris Blevins, associate professor with the equine field service. “No. 2 is the public relations aspect –– interacting with multiple types of people (based on livestock knowledge, including the media.) We make sure the students experience broad aspects of the profession. A goal is to give them different interactions. We do treat animals and how we would treat them in these scenarios isn’t the same as in a hospital, so it’s making them think outside the box a little bit.” “My time at the Dodge City Rodeo with Dr. Blevins has been one of the highlights of my clinical year,” says fourthyear student Mem Dailey. “We were given the opportunity to practice our on-site triage. I think it is very beneficial to be able to practice our skills in more of a ‘real world’ setting apart from the teaching hospital since many of us will be going into practice without all of the amenities the hospital has to offer.”
Rodeo and more Other rotations and events include the Kaw Valley Rodeo in Manhattan, the Flint Hills Rodeo in Strong City, Kansas, and the K-State Rodeo (in Weber Arena on campus). “We take the equine ambulatory truck and trailer, which is specifically made for emergency response, and park close 20 | exceptionalteaching
to the arena, so if we have to go into the arena, we can drive it right in,” Dr. Blevins explains. “We are the EMTs for the animals. The PRCA-sanctioned rodeos have to have a veterinarian there for the performance. It’s part of their rules.” “I wanted to participate in the Dodge City Rodeo for the opportunity to represent K-State at a national sporting event and for the variety of unique experiences,” said fourth-year student William Poland. “We were able to participate in triage of performance horses and rodeo livestock, manage infectious disease, provide wound management, and evaluate colic. I enjoyed our time Dodge City and appreciated the great learning opportunity.”
A close call “After a horse was severely injured the first night of the rodeo, we took part in his care from emergency stabilization efforts to continuing wound care and case management throughout the week,” Mem says. “Having the opportunity to do this in a setting outside of the hospital was very beneficial and we all learned a lot from it. The horse ended up doing very well despite its catastrophic injury from an accidental bull horn injury to his groin.” While the students are in Dodge City, Dr. Blevins says extra activities are scheduled during breaks. Dr. David Ripple, DVM class of 1972, helps host and work with the students during the rodeo. “We line up tours at National Beef processing plant, and there’s a tour of the Winter feedyard and sale barn, where the students can watch cattle sale and palpate heifers in the afternoon for the Ripple-Liebl clinic,” Dr. Blevins adds. Students have to sign up for the rodeo rotations during their third year of studies. Since Dodge City is four hours from
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“ The most rewarding part of these rotations are when the students start to get excited and have great questions at events on how veterinarians are involved. It’s very rewarding to hear they’re progressing in their confidence and skills.
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Dr. Chris Blevins associate professor, equine field service
K-State, the students in that rotation are provided a hotel in Dodge City and stay there for a week. The other events allow more groups of students to rotate in and out on a day-by-day basis. Fourth-year student Megan Kingrey says, “The Kaw Valley rodeo was a great experience to see how one would prepare for emergencies in a field setting. Thankfully there wasn’t any injuries that we needed to attend to, but it was a lot of fun watching the event as part of the veterinary staff.” “I signed up for the Kaw Valley rodeo experience because I want to pursue equine sports medicine as my career,” says fourth-year student Christine Bartley. “As a future veterinarian, I think it is important to be familiar with the many different equine events as this will help gain credibility with clients. As an added benefit, the rodeo was entertaining and working with Dr. Blevins is always a great time.”
For the kids Another aspect of the rodeo experience allows the veterinary students to meet with children. “We interact and do things indirectly with kids at rodeos,” Dr. Blevins says. “We’ll talk to them –– some want to put on the stethoscopes, or just ask questions while we’re there. Some of the questions are answered by the veterinary students about their education. At EquiFest, we interact with a lot of young people who are definitely interested in horses and might want to want to be veterinarians themselves, so 22 | exceptionalteaching
it’s great for our students to tell them what veterinary college is like.” Dr. Blevins says they hope to add extra events in the future. The requests come to the Veterinary Health Center (VHC) of other outreach equine/livestock events, and the VHC tries hard to accommodate these great opportunities for our students and the college. “For me, the most rewarding part of these rotations are when the students start to get real excited and have great questions at events on how veterinarians are involved,” Dr. Blevins says. “As we start the week, it’s interesting how much they rely on me, but by the end of the week, they are the ones who are taking initiative in different cases. It’s very rewarding to see this progression in their confidence and skills in veterinary school at Kansas State University.”
Above: Fourth-year veterinary students (from left) Bayli Endicott, William Poland, Dr. Chris Blevins, associate professor in equine field services, and Mem Dailey and Smoke, the horse treated by the team, pose with Josh Edwards, Dodge City official pickup man, at the Dodge City Rodeo in Dodge City, Kansas. Left: Dr. Katie Delph, assistant professor of equine internal medicine, chats with visitors at EquiFest in Topeka, Kansas.
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Where’s The BEEF? Thanks to the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, veterinary students with an interest in bovine practice now have an opportunity to take a course specializing in this field. “We go through the basics of rumen nutrition, forage quality and sampling forages, and then spend the rest of the time building and evaluating rations for calves and cows,” says Dr. Gregg Hanzlicek, interim associate director of the KSVDL. In addition, Dr. Hanzlicek has served as KSVDL’s director of Production Animal Field Investigations, and is the course coordinator and primary instructor for Cow-Calf Health Systems (DMP611).
Notable investment The course is a voluntary, year-long class/wet-lab offered to third-year AABP club member students interested in cowcalf practice.
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“The class size is limited to 10 students and meets on a weekly basis, so this is a notable investment of time for veterinary students.” Dr. Hanzlicek says. “These are dedicated students who are taking responsibility for furthering their education.” “Time is limited for students, and this is not a class we take for credit in our DVM degree, so I think the motivation to participate in this class is something that would be similar to all of us,” says Mark Spare, a third-year student from Ashland, Kansas. “The things we each give up to participate is a consideration — for some of us, it’s family time, and we all give up study time — but, the ability to contribute to the sustainability of the beef industry is paramount for all of us.” “There is never enough time in classroom lecture to learn all you need to know to be a great veterinarian after graduation,” says Taylor Young, a third-year student from Harleysville, Pennsylvania. “The extra time I have spent
NUTRITION COURSE BRINGS HOME THE BEEF FOR THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS. STORY BY JOE MONTGOMERY PHOTOS COURTESY OF DR. GREGG HANZLICEK learning how to build rations using the Beef Ratio and Nutrition Decisions Software (BRaNDS) has easily doubled my practical knowledge of bovine nutrition.”
Good nutrition Taylor says her career goal is aimed at dairy cow medicine, and she now has a better appreciation for the importance of nutrition. “In that industry, nutrition is heavily managed to maximize milk production,” Taylor explains. “It is essential I develop a working understanding of nutrition to help producers troubleshoot any problems they may have on their farms. This class has helped me to develop a skill that will allow me to stand out when I search for jobs next year and to better serve my future clients.” Mark notes how nutrition generally comprises between 50 and 80 percent of the annual costs of a cow-calf operation.
“This area presents a great opportunity for nutritionists to leverage their expertise to help cattlemen and cattlewomen meet the nutritional needs of cows and calves throughout the production cycle as well as maintain a high level of cost efficiency during high-cost times of the year,” Mark says. “In my career aspirations, taking this class will help provide the tools to break down the nutritional components of a diet. Formulating diets for cattle in various stages of production will help me set my services apart and better meet the needs of future clientele.”
Adding value to the profession One of the main focuses of the class is teaching the students how to be good consultants for producers and how to enhance their own skill sets as veterinarians. Callie Wiebert, a third-year student from Lindsborg, Kansas, shares her thoughts, “I have a high interest in cattle, and this meeting outside of my regular class time provides
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essential information about an important aspect of animal health, nutrition and practical ways of providing that to cattle. I feel this is vital for my career to be able to advise my clients on how to produce healthier cattle at a higher profit.” “My ultimate goal as a future food animal veterinarian is to help farmers and ranchers efficiently produce a safe and nutritious protein for the United States food supply,” Taylor said. “I know margins are usually tight and veterinary bills are a significant expense. Good nutrition is critical to produce the end product of milk or meat. I want to make sure I am thoroughly prepared to help my clients do their best.” “By offering nutrition services, a veterinarian is able to enhance their health services for clientele and ultimately remove the burdens of over and underfeeding their cattle to aid in the overall management and production of their cow herds,” Mark added.
Experience and insight One of the original inspirations for offering the nutrition class came from understanding the unique need and opportunities for a bovine practice. “We provided nutrition services to our ranch clients when I was in practice,” Dr. Hanzlicek says. “That 60 percent plus of the total expenses for a ranch are winter feed costs.
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Body condition of the cows and heifers at calving is a key to calving, optimal production and reproductive success, so we wanted to offer services that were different and entirely preventative. I absolutely believe veterinarians are the perfect professionals to be involved in cow-calf (and dairy) nutrition at the ranch level.” “Even if we sat down with a text book for the same amount of hours, we would not have the years of practical experience that allow Dr. Hanzlicek to give us valuable insight,” Taylor says. “There is not another opportunity to learn this information, at this level, in our formal veterinary education. Taking a break from studying once a week in order to become a well-rounded veterinarian is totally worth it.” In all, Dr. Hanzlicek says the time spent with this class allows students to talk about “listening to the cows,” which he believes is very important to understanding cattle health. “One can learn a lot about what is going on in the rumen and elsewhere by looking at the cows and believe it or not evaluating manure,” Dr. Hanzlicek says. “I like to pass onto these students what I was taught in veterinary school, which is that a good practitioner needs to be a ‘manure connoisseur.’”
Students visit a herd with reproductive health concerns. Students (from left) are Joyce Wick, Jessie Schulties, Elizabeth Minnix, Haley DeLong, Taylor Young, Isabelle Withrock, Jestina Miles, Kotie White, Callie Weibert and Mark Spare.
A main focus of Cow-Calf Nutrition Systems is teaching students to be consultants for cattle producers. Jessie Shulties (top left), Callie Weibert (bottom left) and Elizabeth Minnix (bottom right) present their recommendations for heifer feed rations to the class. (Photos by Joe Montgomery.) Page 24-25: Students polish their palpation skills during a portion of the cow-calf nutrition class.
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dude’s DILEMMA
Therapy service dog faces a health hurdle of his own. Story by Joe Montgomery Photos by Shelby Mettlen Addisonian crisis: it sounds like a geopolitical or historical event. Instead this was simply the most accurate way Linda Norling could describe the condition of her beloved yellow labrador/therapy dog named Dude. Linda and Dude regularly visit senior citizen residential facilities, schools and hopsitals. At 6 years of age, Dude was already quite busy. Linda said he didn’t require a lot of training, and noted how much he likes to shake hands and likes to hold hands. But last summer, Dude’s health took an unexpected turn.
Meatball mystery “Dude got sick last summer, vomiting,” Linda recalls. “It turns out he was regurgitating food and water. At first, things were random, he would be sick a couple of days and then there’d be nothing for a couple of weeks.” Linda took Dude to see their local Omaha veterinarian, Dr. Peter Bashara, at the Gentle Doctor clinic, where they ran some tests. Dude was diagnosed with Megaesophagus, and by managing what, when and how he ate, he seemed to get back to normal. Since he couldn’t eat his kibble, Linda made small “meatballs” out of his ground kibble and Dude loved them. But in January something had changed. “Dude hadn’t regurgitated since early September, but in feeding him his seven meatballs, by the fifth one, he turned up his nose,” Linda says. “This was at noon, and then he didn’t want anything for his evening meal. We even tried to feed him pieces of bacon, and he still wouldn’t eat.” Dude continued to refuse to eat every day that week. Before Linda had to go to Minneapolis, Minnesota, wildcatveterinarian | 29
Fourth-year veterinary student Keely Penna (left) and small animal resident Dr. Olga Norris (right) check Dude’s vitals during a recheck appointment at K-State’s Veterinary Health Center.
for a meeting, she took him back to Gentle Doctor on Wednesday. Dude was very dehydrated, so they put him on an IV and decided to test for cancer. “They didn’t see anything abnormal with the ultrasound,” Linda says. “They gave him a steroid shot on Friday and then on Saturday the gave him a Percorten V shot and steroid pills, but he just wasn’t himself when we got him back home.” Linda says Dude still wouldn’t eat and on Sunday morning, she thought he looked like he was acting out of sorts and said he wouldn’t drink any water. “We took him to the ER vet that Sunday morning, and it turns out Dude was in shock,” Linda says. “It was touch and go. His electrolytes were all out of whack. His sodium level was high, which it shouldn’t be. That was a tough day not 30 | outstandingservice
knowing if we were going to lose this special dog. We awoke in the middle of night, and in talking to the ER veterinarian, he said to take Dude to K-State.”
Trip to Manhattan Linda and Dude arrived in Manhattan Monday at 11 a.m. “Right away they put him on IVs, because his electrolytes were all crazy,” Linda says. “They had received the reports from the ER and Gentle Doctor. We stayed overnight in Manhattan, and came back to the VHC on Tuesday. Our clinician, Dr. Olga Norris took him off the IV, because he had self-corrected.” “Dude was seen by us on the Veterinary Health Center’s internal medicine service for lethargy and severe electrolyte abnormalities,” says Dr. Norris, who is a small animal
Tiffany’s Fund supports disease research Another Addisonian crisis along with a stroke in a beloved pet led to a generous gift to support clinical research at the CVM. Diana Yearsley, of Lincoln, Nebraska, chose to honor her toy poodle, Tiffany, with a $250,000 commitment to establish the “Tiffany Yearsley Research Fund.” Tiffany was originally diagnosed with Addison’s disease eight years ago. “With her monthly injection of Percorten, and a prednisone pill every other day, Tiffany is active and youthful at nearly 13 years old!” Yearsley says. “There needs to be more research in finding causes for this and other diseases in our furry companions; to extend their lives longer as ours have been with so many advancements in technology and science.” Dr. Thomas Schermerhorn, professor of small animal internal medicine, performs such research. “We have several projects examining the effects of sodium, which is abnormal in the blood of dogs with Addison’s disease, on canine red blood cells and the role of sodium in fluid balance in dogs,” Dr. Schermerhorn says. After Tiffany’s stroke, her local veterinarian, Dr. Lynnn Kolterman, a 2007 alumna, referred Tiffany to K-State for treatment. “My gift for Tiffany’s Fund was inspired because of all the care Tiffany received after her stroke,” Yearsley says. “They saved her life. I didn’t realize how many doggies had Addison’s out there until I started communicating a little bit. That’s one area that really demands attention.” “Gifts like this one that support research provide us with the means to make discoveries that may ultimately improve our patients’ lives,” Dr. Schermerhorn says. Diana said Tiffany has been an inspiration in her life. “Tiffany has been there when my dad died and she was a caregiver for my mother who recently passed away,” Yearsley says. “She’s my little rock. I can’t have anything happen to Tiffany. She’s my kid that I never had.”
resident. “During his visit with us, Dude was diagnosed with Addison’s disease and hypothyroidism in addition to his previous diagnosis of megaesophagus. Once these diseases were recognized and treated appropriately, he began to improve and continues to do so.” Dude had lost about 15 pounds, but upon returning home, Linda noted that his appetite slowly built back up. Each day, she could tell he was starting to feel better. “Dude will need lifelong treatment for these diseases, but he has a great team — the Norling family, Dr. Bashara, and the VHC’s internal medicine service — to ensure that he gets the care he needs,” Dr. Norris says. “We enjoyed meeting Dude and Mrs. Norling and are thrilled that he can continue to perform his important job of being a therapy dog.”
Mystery solved “Dude was one of the sweetest dogs I’ve had the opportunity to work with in my clinical year,” says fourthyear student Keely Penna. “When he was presented to the VHC, he was very lethargic, but his tail-wags never seemed to falter. His case was a great reminder of what makes Internal Medicine so enjoyable and rewarding — it was a difficult puzzle to piece together, but in the end it was solved.” “The cool thing about Kansas State is that they have two people dedicated to your dog till they know what’s going on,” Linda says. “He was going to get the care and attention, and they knew how to fix him. They truly saved Dude’s life.”
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Kelsey Gooden’s rescue dog Odin is named after the one-eyed, sword-wielding Greek god of war, strength and wisdom.
SavingOdin Dogs may not have nine lives, but Odin had an extra. Story and photos by Shelby Mettlen “It was a labor of love to get him through it,” Dr. Morgan Murphy says of Odin, a kind-hearted young Labrador mix. An anesthesiology resident at the Veterinary Health Center, Dr. Murphy met Odin after he was hit by a car and rushed to the emergency room last August. The dog’s diagnostic tests “did not paint a pretty picture,” Dr. Murphy says. “He was in respiratory failure. His lungs had pretty much said, ‘We’re down for the count.’” That day, Odin gave his mom, Kelsey Gooden, a senior in life sciences at K-State, quite a scare.
Odin, god of strength and wisdom Malnourished and abused, Odin made his way into a foster program for dogs moved from kill shelters when he was just 6 months old. That’s when he met Kelsey. “When I first got him, it was a trial; I was thinking about fostering him. But then the very first day, he was following me around and waiting for me outside of doors, so I decided to keep him,” she laughs. In Germanic mythology and Marvel Comics, as Kelsey explains, the god Odin is revered for his strength and endurance. Odin traded one of his eyes for wisdom. Kelsey didn’t know much about her new puppy, except that he’d been a fighter, and, like Odin, was missing his left eye. The name just fit.
No time to waste Two and a half years of strong loyalty have left Odin glued to Kelsey’s side. The pair had just moved into a new home in Manhattan on busy Claflin Avenue, both previously accustomed to quiet residential streets. Kelsey no more than turned her head, and Odin — without his left eye — wandered onto the right side of the street. “I can still hear the ‘thunk,’” she says. “He was totally blind-sided.”
With help, Kelsey rushed Odin to the emergency room at the VHC. Odin’s most apparent injury was a fractured scapula. Dr. Kate KuKanich, associate professor of small animal internal medicine, was the first clinician to see Odin when he was admitted around noon. She explains he was unable to walk due to his shoulder fracture, but could sit up on his own and was breathing stably. Nevertheless, Dr. KuKanich could hear abnormal lung sounds. Immediate chest radiographs confirmed suspected progressive pulmonary contusions. Her concerns proved valid: Within a few hours, Odin was in bad shape. He struggled to breathe on his own, and blood-gas analysis confirmed a ventilator was his only shot at survival. Despite receiving oxygen and pain management, Odin’s condition wasn’t improving, explains Dr. Tara Mauro, resident in small animal internal medicine and clinician responsible for Odin’s care. “Given that his condition was secondary to being hit by a car, we maintained hope his lungs could improve,” she says. “With pulmonary contusions, we know they will worsen before they improve — therefore, we knew if we wanted to try [further treatment options], he needed to be on a ventilator for a few days.” The fracture to his shoulder, the bumps and scrapes and outward trauma, “Those would heal on their own,” she says. Internally, Odin was a wreck. “We didn’t know what the outcome was going to be,” Dr. Mauro recalls thinking, “but if you’re going to try a ventilator case, I think he was the one.”
Lifesaving care Access to the hospital’s critical care monitor was vital to Odin’s survival, explains Dr. David Hodgson, professor of anesthesiology. The critical-care ventilator provides what wildcatveterinarian | 33
Dr. Hodgson calls diagnostic loops — pressure volume and veterinary student came in to take care of Odin. They turned flow volume curves to evaluate response to treatment. The him over to avoid sores on his tissues. They kept his eyes ventilator can communicate changes depending on how the lubricated because he couldn’t blink, they kept him warm lung responds, he explains. The ventilator’s advanced mode but not too warm, they made sure he was hydrated, they of ventilatory support and information transmission saved made sure his bladder was empty, and they made sure he Odin’s life. was comfortable.” Odin had also sustained extensive orthopedic injury to She said every half hour to every hour the team checked his ribcage and severe trauma to other organs in his body. Odin’s blood to see if his saturation looked better — if his Together, Dr. Mauro and Dr. Hodgson monitored and lungs had started to heal — and slowly, over those two days, assessed Odin’s status moment-by-moment during his entire he began to improve.Two days later, Odin was taken off the time on the ventilator. ventilator and continued to saturate well with oxygen alone. “I suspect all of us, in dealing with Odin, had times we Dr. Mauro and the rest of the team had their “He’s going to thought, ‘This is hopeless,’” Dr. Hodgson admits. Through make it!” moment. teamwork and Dr. Mauro’s communication with her client, A personal connection Odin hung on. “Dr. Mauro has to be communicating with After several days and nearly 48 hours straight at Odin’s the client all the time. We can’t do things on behalf of Odin, side, Dr. Mauro and fourth-year student John Brandsma or to Odin, or for Odin without the owner being fully on grew “very attached” to both Odin board. This all required constant and Kelsey. attention and medical decisions “It still gives me goosebumps to think depending on Odin’s Every student that about,” she says. “Thankfully, the owners ongoing needs.” came into the ICU were invested and we were able to Tough decision provide the care that was needed. Odin would say, ‘I thought “It’s a difficult situation for the and his owner shared a beautiful bond he wasn’t going client, because they have to make and it was wonderful to be able to know to make it.’ It was a pretty big decision right away,” that their story wasn’t over and that he kind of a miracle, Dr. Murphy says. “Putting a pet on was able to go home.” honestly. a ventilator is not inexpensive; it His life hanging in the balance just a requires a lot of different people and few hours earlier, Odin was bounding a lot of supplies. And while you’re down the sidewalk, dragging Dr. Mauro making that decision, your pet’s not with him after being cleared breathing very well.” for discharge. Dr. Morgan Murphy anesthesiology resident It wasn’t a difficult decision for “I still laugh at Dr. Mauro’s final Kelsey, but she knew there were no text to me on Odin going home,” guarantees. The hospital’s team told Kelsey to prepare for the Dr. Hodgson says. “It was pretty emotional to see Odin worst. The last time she saw Odin before he was taken back. come back in and for his recheck — to think where he was “He couldn’t really breathe at all,” she says. “I just said not very long before. There are a lot of special things in goodbye. I told him, ‘Please, fight.’” everybody’s life, but from a professional standpoint, that was With Odin heavily sedated and hooked up to numerous one of the most gratifying.” pumps and gadgets, the VHC team called in backup “There were so many people who were integral in helping from equine medicine to bring in an X-ray machine. His this dog pull through and essentially willing the dog to radiographs and bloodwork had everyone asking, “Can he survive, and he did just that,” Dr. Kukanich adds. “It was an make it?” outstanding case.” Severe pulmonary contusions are survivable, Teamwork and progress Dr. KuKanich points out, “but only with the expertise and “What was really amazing about it was just the teamwork the commitment and the true compassion our team had. of the group,” Dr. Murphy says. “Every two hours, a senior
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Thanks to the VHC’s dedication, Kelsey Gooden and Odin are safe and happy back at home.
Everyone pulled through to help this dog survive and it was just wonderful.”
Home again After days of waiting, Kelsey says, “They called me at like 7 or 8 in the morning, so at first I thought it was going to be bad because it was so early, but they were like, ‘He’s doing great! He went outside and he can go home.’” Kelsey set up a bed for Odin in the living room so he could complete his eight-week bed rest. “Even for several days after that, when he would be sleeping here, I would just watch him sleep so I could be sure he was breathing,” she says. Odin was a big hit with the K-State team. “Everyone knew him,” Kelsey says. “Everyone cared so much. That was really great.”
All she can think to say to the team is thank you, over and over. “Just, thank you,” she says. “They gave me my best friend back.” Dr. Hodgson describes Odin’s case as something he’ll remember for the rest of his life. “This was a heroic effort,” Dr. Hodgson says. “It was just a tremendous amount of focus and medical judgement to make the decisions that led to a positive outcome. There’s a lot of difference in trying, saying you can try, and actually dedicating yourself to a patient and the outcome and effort you’re going to put into it — and that’s why Odin’s alive.”
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Before his diagnosis with histoplasmosis, Frisco dropped to just 6 pounds. Thanks to the care he received at the Veterinary Health Center, he’s healthy again. 36 | outstandingservice
frisco’s
histostory Feline’s rare illness presents challenges and unexpected opportunities. Story by Joe Montgomery Photos courtesy of Harry and Mona Furst
It is said the eyes are a window to the soul, but sometimes they can be a sign of trouble — especially for a pet that isn't feeling well. Such was the case for Harry and Mona Furst, who noticed their cat, Frisco, was behaving with less than his usual friskiness. “This situation started in the summer of 2016,” Harry recalls. “Frisco wasn't himself. We took him to Indian Hills Veterinary Clinic in Wichita, where we live. We had thought he lost weight, and it turns out he did.” The Furst’s veterinarian, Dr. Vanessa Emming, who is a 2011 DVM graduate, examined Furst and decided a consultation was warranted. She contacted Dr. Kate KuKanich at the Veterinary Health Center about Frisco’s case and then recommended the Fursts and Frisco take a trip to her alma mater, K-State.
But what was ‘it?’ Upon receiving a physical examination, it was determined Frisco had inflammation in the back of both of the eyes called multifocal chorioretinitis. Chorioretinitis (inflammation of the choroid and retina) can be caused by numerous infectious organisms, immune-mediated diseases, as well as neoplasia. Fungal disease was high on the differential list due to the severity of the chorioretinitis, nonregenerative anemia and weight loss. In addition, they took chest (thoracic) radiographs [X-ray films] and performed abdominal ultrasound. Dr. KuKanich says, “Frisco had a structured interstitial pattern consistent with fungal disease as well as an enlarged liver and spleen. Ideally we like to confirm an infection by seeing Histoplasma organisms on a blood smear or from an
aspirated sample of infected liver, spleen or lung. However, despite Frisco’s disseminated disease, we saw inflammation but no organisms on his blood smear and cytology samples of his liver and spleen." In those situations, clinicians rely on an antigen test offered by MiraVista Diagnostics that is very sensitive at identifying cats and dogs with histoplasmosis. With this test, they were able to confirm Frisco was positive for histoplasmosis. While the suspicion for fungal disease may have been there from the start, Dr. KuKanich says confirmation can often be challenging, and it can take a team effort. “In Frisco’s case, we had great collaboration with our KSU VHC internal medicine, ophthalmology, radiology and clinical pathology teams, as well as with Dr. Emming and our colleagues at MiraVista,” Dr. KuKanich says. “It is with this collaboration and expertise that we were able to make the diagnosis and provide the excellent care and service, same as we do with each and every patient at the Veterinary Health Center.” “K-State happens to be best place in the universe to get treated for the condition that Frisco had,” Harry remarks. “For a while, it looked really grim. But Dr. KuKanich was confident Frisco would survive. We returned Dec. 1, 2016 and Jan. 23, 2017. Frisco had been down to 6 pounds, but then with treatment, he was back up to 8 pounds. Between January and June 16, he's up to almost 9 pounds. At that point, he was Frisco again. It’s all because of K-State.” Throughout therapy, Dr. KuKanich and Dr. Emming were in close contact, with recheck exams occurring mostly in Wichita with several follow-up visits to Manhattan. Frisco fully recovered and went into remission in June 2017. wildcatveterinarian | 37
“Frisco today is not only well, he’s a Wildcat,” says owner Harry Furst. Frisco was treated for histoplasmosis by Dr. Kate KuKanich, after referral by local veterinarian Dr. Vanessa Emming (DVM 2011).
Facts about histoplasmosis “Dogs and people can get histoplasmosis too, but it's not contagious,” Dr. KuKanich says. “It does not spread from a dog to cat or to a person, they get it from a common source in the environment. It is a fungal infection that comes from the soil. However, we can also see histoplasmosis in strictly indoor cats, and we are investigating possible routes of exposure for these indoor kitties. We’ve seen more than one individual in a family have it — and unfortunately some families with two or three cats become infected over time.” Treatment for histoplasmosis is with an oral antifungal medication, usually for six or more months. During therapy, clinicians recommend routine rechecks to be sure pets are safely on the road to recovery. “The majority of cats will survive this infection, but relapse can occur after stopping the medication, so we monitor them long-term,” Dr. KuKanich says.
A case for research Dr. KuKanich and colleagues from K-State have been involved in numerous research studies investigating histoplasmosis in cats and dogs. “We are trying to better understand who is at risk for acquiring the disease, better ways to diagnose the infection and how we can best target our therapy for these patients.” Because histoplasmosis is a relatively rare disease, Dr. KuKanich has joined forces and collaborated with colleagues at nearby veterinary schools to help provide
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enough clinical cases to improve knowledge about this frustrating disease. “The Fursts kindly consented to allow Frisco to participate in two of these research studies,” Dr. KuKanich says. “The first is a written survey looking at environmental exposure and how cats might be exposed to Histoplasma.” The second study involves the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole, which also involves Dr. KuKanich’s husband, Dr. Butch KuKanich, a professor and assistant department head for the Department of Anatomy and Physiology. He evaluates and designs rational drug dosage recommendations through the use of pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic studies. The study also involves Dr. Amy Rankin as well as collaborators from Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M, Iowa State University and Wisconsin. “Our goal with this study is trying to determine the best way to dose fluconazole for individual patients, taking into account patient variability such as breed, size, concurrent drugs and organ function and how those may influence fluconazole absorption and excretion,” Dr. KuKanich says. When Frisco returned for rechecks in January and June, he had bloodwork performed to be sure his anemia was resolving and to make sure he was tolerating the fluconazole well, as fluconazole can rarely cause liver damage. Frisco also had early chronic kidney disease (unrelated to his histoplasmosis) that the doctors were monitoring.
Above: Harry Furst admits he wasn’t a cat person before Frisco, but he bonded with the feline right away.
A portion of his blood samples were then saved to measure Frisco’s fluconazole blood concentrations for the research study. “This will allow us to compare the amount of fluconazole that reached his bloodstream to that of a cat without kidney disease, so that we can make decisions on whether we need to dose these cats differently in the future,” Dr. KuKanich says. “On his recheck examinations the areas of inflammation in the back of the eyes (chorioretinitis) had resolved and he has areas of chorioretinal scarring. As of his last recheck he was visual and comfortable in both eyes.”
and veterinary colleagues to help diagnose, treat and watch the recovery of cats like Frisco, and of course it’s also fun to meet great dedicated cat owners like Mona and Harry Furst along the way.”
Final thoughts “Altogether, we made four trips to Manhattan for Frisco’s check-ups, although it is a fun drive,” Harry recollects. “The doctors at K-State were awesome — plus all the veterinary students — each one had a good rapport with Dr. KuKanich. I could tell how she instills a sense of dedication to the animals, to the profession and to the people who the animal belongs to — you don't see that a lot. Frisco today is not only well, but now he’s a Wildcat.” “Cats commonly are presented to veterinarians with vague symptoms, and it can be tricky to narrow it down to a specific cause,” Dr. KuKanich emphasizes. “The specialists at K-State are always available for phone consults with veterinarians to brainstorm about complicated or frustrating cases. Or a pet can be referred up to see us whenever is deemed necessary. We love collaborating with our alumni
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detective Story by Bill Felber Photos by Mark Cox
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DR. JUERGEN RICHT CONDUCTS ZOONOTIC DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN THE GOBI DESERT. The search for zoonotic diseases can take researchers from the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD) to some exotic locales. Few, however, are likely to be more exotic, or more challenging, than the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Dr. Juergen Richt, director of CEEZAD, spent several days there in September as part of a team of veterinary scientists researching the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Rift Valley Fever and various swine diseases. Working with a group that also included Mongolian scientists, their mission was to track the spread of those diseases through the indigenous camel population as well as the wild and domestic pig populations. The researchers spent most of their time at a site six hours south of Ulaanbator, the nation’s capital city, close to the Gobi Desert, where daytime summer temperatures can exceed 120 degrees. There they collected blood samples from about 50 bactrian camels and about 40 head of cattle in an 42 | impactfulresearch
effort to ascertain the presence of MERS in camels or Rift Valley Fever in camels and cattle. “The challenge is to find and catch the camels,” Dr. Richt says. “They belong to nomadic farmers.” He says the local veterinarians are able to guide them to the camels. The second challenge is keeping the samples cool in the hot desert environment before returning to the laboratory. MERS, a viral respiratory disease, was discovered in Saudi Arabia about six years ago and has since spread to several other countries. It can cause serious complications in humans, and in some cases death. The disease appears to be spread to humans by contact with infected camels. In Mongolia, the research team collected samples from about 50 camels. Those samples suggested the presence of MERS antibodies among the camels, although that suggestion is still being confirmed by additional laboratory testing. Tests for Rift Valley Fever in camels and cattle were negative.
Additionally, the team spent a day working in a farming area north of Ulaanbator in an effort to ascertain whether either Classical Swine Fever (CSFV), Swine Influenza Virus (SIV) or African Swine Fever (ASF) had spread to that region’s pig populations. The potential spread of ASF is of particular concern because the disease, which is often fatal to swine, has spread in recent months from the European portion of Russia into the Asian portion of Russia. Geographically, Mongolia is directly between Russia and
China, which has one of the largest populations of pigs in the world. If ASF were to infect the Mongolian population of pigs and then spread through Mongolia to China, the consequences for the world’s food supply could be significant. The testing is still ongoing, although testing for Swine Influenza Virus was negative. In addition to Dr. Richt, the research team was led by Dr. Batsukh Zayat, of the Institute of Veterinary Medicine in Ulan Bator.
Above: Dr. Juergen Richt, director of CEEZAD, investigated Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Rift Valley Fever and swine diseases with a team of Mongolian scientists in camels and cattle in Asia’s Gobi Desert.
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unlikelyALLIES Taking the pain out of summer research. Story and photos by Joe Montgomery
Research from a student’s summer project has produced some fascinating results — both in terms of science and in terms of the educational process. Kelsey Madden, who has now completed her third year, spent the summer of 2016 in the CVM’s Veterinary Research Scholars Program (VRSP), where students are paired with faculty mentors who introduce them to research activities and methodologies involved in design and execution of laboratory experiments and multicenter clinical trials. Ultimately, Kelsey’s project would entail working with not just one, but with two faculty members, each who had a different research approach and area of expertise.
Childhood inspiration “One of the first illnesses I saw in an animal happened when I was a little girl,” Kelsey recounts. “There was a horse at the stable where I rode that required chronic NSAID treatment for osteoarthritis and eventually began to develop adverse effects. I was very curious about how that process happened, so this has always been a pet topic of mine since I was young, probably 7 or 8 years old.” As an undergraduate student, Kelsey had picked up experience working in plant pathology, wheat genomics and bacteriology. After she finished her first year of veterinary school, she saw an interesting opportunity develop through participation in the VRSP.
Combining different approaches “I had been interested in the effects of NSAIDs on gastric ulceration in horses, so I deliberately sought out Dr. Jim Lillich,” Kelsey recalls. Dr. Lillich is a board-certified equine surgeon who studies the effect of NSAIDs on wound healing, using the gastrointestinal mucosa as the model system. He worked in the CVM’s Department of Anatomy and Physiology, but recently took a new position in the state of Washington. “One day, we were chatting with Dr. Bruce Schultz, and discovered he had a similar research project, not in horses or gastric cells, but on the male reproductive tract.” “The question we asked was whether the effects Jim sees in intestinal cells are also in the male reproductive tract,” says Dr. Schultz, who is also a professor in anatomy and physiology. He holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology. “The reason this is important is because it might suggest repercussions on the reproductive system when taking these drugs. In her project, Kelsey showed that cells derived from the reproductive tract, which make and secrete large quantities of prostaglandins, indeed are profoundly affected by NSAIDs, drugs that are often given to treat pain. In these cells from the reproductive tract, NSAIDs reduced cells migration and wound healing.” Dr. Schultz explains that in physiology, the body makes prostaglandins, which are associated with pain and inflammation. wildcatveterinarian | 455
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Kelsey is a good example of what the program can do when you have the right student with the right mentor and project.
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Dr. Bruce Schultz professor, anatomy and physiology
He says they are usually at high levels in normal physiology in the male reproductive tract, but low elsewhere unless there is inflammation. When a person takes drugs to alleviate pain, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, the drugs are thought to work by blocking the body’s manufacture of prostaglandins. But, this class of drugs may actually cause unwanted harm while helping to alleviate pain. “We generally think of these drugs as being relatively safe,” Dr. Lillich says. “Celebrex, for example, slows cell migration in the GI tract. Other NSAIDs that have similarities to Celebrex came off the market because they were associated with strokes and heart attacks. The risk was small, but some people were about 10 times more likely of having heart attack or stroke with some NSAID medications.” Kelsey’s research was focused specifically on cell migration and the rate of healing when comparing cells treated with NSAIDs versus a control. “We had Kelsey grow cells on a filter,” Dr. Schultz says. “She ‘wounded’ the cells on the filter and used electrophysiology to measure the rate of healing. Every so many hours — 12, 24 — to more than 60 hours — she used a tiny voltage to measure whether or not the cells had healed themselves to form a barrier again. NSAIDs didn’t necessarily affect only how well cells move across the dish, but also how well they form a barrier.”
An unexpected finding Despite helping to alleviate pain, the NSAIDS had a counterproductive effect and were found to slow the healing process when compared to control cells. So while this was a surprising and significant discovery to make as a student
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researcher, Kelsey was profoundly impacted by being able to work with her two mentors. “It was definitely a challenge to learn new skills and get them right the first time to get the project done in a 10week time frame,” Kelsey says. “Dr. Schultz and Dr. Lillich worked well together, but looked at the research from different angles and provided different perspectives. From Dr. Schultz, I learned about being really detail-oriented, and from Dr. Lillich, I probably learned more in terms of critical thinking types of things: ‘Why are we seeing this response?’ ‘What are the other players?’ ‘What are the other things that could be happening inside these cells right now?’” While Kelsey is moving forward with her veterinary education, Drs. Schultz and Lillich are continuing with their collaborative research project. They are building on the results that Kelsey generated and are planning to present new results, with Kelsey as a co-author, at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction. “We’d like every student to do something as successful as Kelsey did,” Dr. Schultz says. “She’s a good example of what the program can do when you have the right student with the right mentor and project. It can be very successful.”
Page 44: Kelsey Madden worked with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) through the CVM’s Veterinary Research Scholars Program (VRSP). Above: (From left) Kelsey Madden, Dr. Bruce Schultz and Dr. James Lillich.
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Mobile Data
Pregnancy analytics? There’s an app for that. Story by Shelby Mettlen Photo by Audrey Hambright
“Reproduction is critical to cow-calf profitability,” says Dr. Bob Larson, professor of production medicine and associate with the Beef Cattle Institute (BCI) at K-State. “It’s what really drives our clients’ profitability.” The BCI’s Pregnancy Analytics platform offers what veterinarians and cattle producers want to see first: An assessment of the herd’s reproductive success.
The app The beauty of the BCI’s Pregnancy Analytics app is chuteside data, Dr. Larson says. The app creates customized charts with information including the number of cows that became pregnant within the first 21 days of the breeding season based on age, body condition score (BCS) and a custom category determined by the client. It’s all available as soon as the sleeve comes off. “It tells you who and when cows did not become pregnant,” Dr. Larson says. “It gives me more information than simply, ‘Twelve percent of my cows didn’t get pregnant. I know when cows didn’t get pregnant, and I know which cows, when, didn’t get pregnant.’”
Enriching the practice The Pregnancy Analytics platform adds value to pregnancy diagnosis by using the additional information provided by the platform to both problem solve and plan for the future.” “I can look at the app and easily determine that, ‘Oh, [my cows] didn’t breed well in the last two weeks of June.’ That guides me to ask ‘What happened in the last two weeks of June?’ This type of information helps to ask better questions and to provide better answers.” Veterinarians can opt out of sharing their data with BCI and the app will maintain complete functionality, except for the ability to compare to benchmarks.
Real-world data BCI uses the data collected from ranches and veterinarians using the app to create benchmarks that compare the current herd to herds in the top one-third. “We think that comparing to the top one-third of herds provides a better goal than comparing to the average herd,” Dr. Larson says.
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Chase Reed, Winfield, Kansas, is a fourth-year veterinary student in the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas (VTPRK).
GONE COUNTRY Fourth-year students go back to their roots. Story and photos by Shelby Mettlen
Each year, the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas (VTPRK) makes serving small communities possible for five DVM graduates. Passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2006 and producing its first class of graduates in 2010, the program provides up to $20,000 per year in loans to five veterinary students per class. Each year a VTPRK graduate practices in a rural county of 35,000 residents or fewer, $20,000 in loans are forgiven by the state, resulting in as much as $80,000 in loan waivers over the course of four years.
Serving rural Kansas The program is intended to provide an incentive to veterinarians to return to underserved rural communities. “In rural areas, we have a defined need for more veterinary graduates,” says Dr. Brad White, professor of production medicine and director of the Beef Cattle Institute, adding that he hopes for an expansion of the program. “The number of students graduating from veterinary schools has increased nationally over the last several years; however, there’s still a
need for rural practitioners. As we discuss with practitioners and producers in the field, we see needs in specific areas for new veterinarians to come in to those communities. We see a need in some rural communities, but it is not across the board.” Dr. Peggy Schmidt, associate dean for academic programs and student affairs, hopes for the legislature to eventually approve increasing the value and number of VTPRK scholarships. “At our CVM job fair last fall, we had many Kansas practitioners from qualified areas –– a county of less than 35,000 –– that were unable to hire one of our 2018 graduating students,” she explains, “their debt can prevent them from going to a community where they may not get the same salary they would in a large city.”
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beyond that. Money talks, but it’s really about returning to Only a handful of veterinarians serve the entire area, your roots. with one on the verge of retiring. Chase has worked with “I always wanted to be a rural practitioner in Kansas,” lawmakers to amend the program to better serve areas like says Curtis Concannon, a fourth-year VTPRK student from Winfield, just outside the requirements for the VTPRK, Beloit, Kansas. “As soon as I decided I wanted to become a but he’ll first take an internship in Texas before returning to veterinarian in Kansas, that was my target demographic and Kansas to complete his four years. region. It’s great to have an avenue that facilitated that with “I’m a cow person,” Chase says, adding that unlike some of requirements that were already fitting my goals.” his classmates who will specialize in small-animal medicine, The program focuses on externships, tours and other he won’t need access to the same equipment and clientele. educational experiences, including classes like Rural Practice “I like chasing cows around. The program aligns with my Management, that takes a closer look at running a veterinary interests.” practice in a rural area. The Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas Those involved with the VTPRK are working on State University will host the students this summer for a continued improvement of the program, Dr. White says. variety of industry tours and workshops covering topics Legislation has been proposed to potentially expand the ranging from regulatory medicine, program, given its success. leadership, communication skills, Graduates of the program have and financial practice management. done very well, Dr. White says. “The You get pretty The goal of the program is to program has set them up for success augment the veterinary curriculum which has been our goal.” sentimental, wanting with information that will help Dr. Garrett Stewart, a 2011 to go back and help graduates be successful in practice. graduate of the College of Veterinary people who derive their “This is the only program in Medicine and the VTPRK program living from livestock. the country where we develop our returned to his hometown in There are economic students ahead of time to prepare Washington, Kansas thanks to limitations, but that’s them for that role as a leader in the program. how I grew up. their community,” “As a recipient of VTPRK, I Dr. Schmidt says. was able to stay in my local rural community and provide them with Challenges and continued veterinary services,” opportunities he says. Dr. Stewart purchased Chase Reed Taylor McCluskey, a fourth-year Washington Veterinary Clinic in fourth-year veterinary student VTPRK student from Sabetha, 2012 from Dr. Tom Dragastin and Kansas, recognizes the difficulty Dr. Pete Sherlock, “both of whom rural practitioners face in recruiting still reside in Washington and give young veterinarians to their practices. continued support,” he says. “Just looking at the job book we have for vet school, there “The program not only aids in retaining young veterinary are a ton of openings that, even this year, people are trying to talent in our rural Kansas communities, it also aids in fill,” she says. “It’s hard to get people into those small towns, teaching them how to be successful business and veterinary especially if they’re not from there.” practice leaders with a wide view of what veterinary medicine Cowley County, Chase Reed’s home, falls just above the has to offer,” Dr. Stewart says. VTPRK threshold at about 35,700 residents. He hopes a Always improving few changes might eventually allow him to finish out his Dr. Stewart says he believes the program is “very requirements in his hometown of Winfield, Kansas. positive” in its current format, but there is still room for “The entire area is essentially underserved,” Chase says. improvement. “The two counties east of Cowley are two of the least populated in the state.”
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Fourth-year veterinary student Taylor Crandall, a student of the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas (VTPRK) participates in the Rural Practice Management class offered to students seeking deeper knowledge of business in practice. The VTPRK program gives Taylor the opportunity to serve as a mentor to young people in a small town like the one where she grew up.
Another early graduate of the program, Dr. Kyle Berning, was also able to return to his hometown with help from the program, but sees opportunity for change as well. As the least populated area of the state, anything west of Great Bend isn’t for the faint of heart. Dr. Berning will tell you that. The Lakin, Kansas, native graduated with his DVM from K-State in 2010 as one of the first five students in the VTPRK. Thanks to the program, he was able to work for just a year in Scott City before moving home to Lakin where he purchased Western Plains Veterinary Clinic and made it his own. “I’ve benefitted greatly from the program,” he says. “I love the idea of the program. I love that the state recognizes the problem. Agriculture is a huge industry in our state and we need to make sure it’s safe.” In the past year, nine veterinarians in Dr. Berning’s area have left their practices –– with no replacements. Alone, he covers a 150-mile radius as a large-animal veterinarian, but it’s trickling down to the small-animal practice as well. “There’s not a lot of young people coming out here,” he says. He hopes the program will support interest in returning to western Kansas.
“It makes it more cost-effective to move back to those areas,” McCluskey says. “A lot of us enjoy the community aspect and see ourselves eventually raising families in small towns. That’s the kind of community we want. That’s what draws us back more than the money.” Taylor Crandall, a fourth-year VTPRK student from Concordia, Kansas, appreciates the opportunity to become a leader as a veterinarian in her community. “I grew up in ag and was involved in FFA,” explains Crandall. “This program is an opportunity to put me back and be a mentor to those kids in small towns.” Chase adds that the program can induce some feelings of nostalgia. “You get pretty sentimental, wanting to go back and help people who derive their living from livestock –– a commodity –– rather than pets, that are like family. There are economic limitations to that style of practice, but that’s how I grew up.”
Practice-ready graduates “Our goal is to produce graduates that are practice-ready when they come into the field and that understand the opportunities in those rural communities,” Dr. White says. The improved financial stability provided by the program “really helps give us a competitive advantage for good jobs in those areas,” Curtis says. wildcatveterinarian | 53
northern exposure The unusual career and adventures of Dr. Earl Graves. Story by Joe Montgomery Photos courtesy of Mary Graves Zahn
“There is nothing especially interesting about veterinary practice in Alaska. Most of the villages and towns up here are far too small to support a veterinarian. “The local practice is primarily small-animal practice. My own experience goes back many years, to the time when I first came up in 1927 as the first Territorial Veterinarian. “I get many letters from veterinarians who are interested in coming to Alaska, and they ask about the possibilities this region has to offer. It is my opinion that if these men are making a living at present, they should stay where they are.” These are the words of Dr. Earl F. Graves, who earned his DVM at Kansas State University in 1927. His remarks were written for the journal Modern Veterinary Practice and published Nov. 1, 1958. His career took several interesting turns, but being the first recognized veterinarian in Alaska territory gives him special distinction as a K-State alumnus.
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Early years Dr. Graves was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up in Leavenworth and Marysville, Kansas, the latter where he graduated from high school. He had enlisted in the Army during World War I, but lied about his age to get in because he was not yet 18. Dr. Graves was stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas, and learned to fly, but was not commissioned as a pilot. After the war, he left the army, and spent time in Texas and New Mexico to “punch” cattle. “He loved horses and horseback riding, but not the local food,” writes daughter Mary Graves Zahn. “It also gave him a permanent dislike of snakes, especially rattlesnakes.” Dr. Graves decided he wanted to attend college to become a veterinarian. He came to Manhattan where his parents were living at 1030 Fremont Street. His sister was attending K-State at that time, so he could save money by living
Left: Students attending the College of Veterinary Medicine’s anatomy lab in 1926. Students (from left) are Ramon Acevedo, Horace Mills, Albert Lauts, Jack Spurlock, Earl Graves, Louis Smith, Norman Howell, Clifford Conger, Robert Elsea and Glen Dunlap. Right: Dr. Earl Graves helped fur farmers in Alaska care for their animals. He found the industry to be “problematic,” however, and left the business in 1930 before going on to earn a master’s degree in 1933.
at home. As a way to earn money, he served as a student assistant in the pathology laboratory. Dr. Graves was blessed with natural artistic talent, so he ended up drawing a sizeable series of anatomical images for his professor’s lectures and publications.
North to Alaska After graduating, Dr. Graves began considering the job in Alaska to service the fox and mink farmers. Before leaving, the Biological Survey arranged for Dr. Graves to visit upstate New York where he would train for a month at the National Experimental Fur Farm in Saratoga Springs. “My duties then were to call upon the fur-farmers, and to help whenever I could, and to test the few head of cattle yearly,” Dr. Graves wrote in the 1958 article for Modern Veterinary Practice. “The only pioneering aspect of my practice consisted in sewing up a few cows which had been clawed up by bears, but, since the bears have been killed off, that type of problem no longer arises.” His daughter Mary penned a biography about her father. She writes, “The position in Alaska paid $4,000 plus expenses, a salary we cannot relate to today. The job consisted of travelling all over southeastern Alaska, the edge of the mainland, Kodiak Island, and up the center of the mainland to Fairbanks.
“Earl briefly returned to Manhattan and married his fiancée [Katherine “Kitty” Faulconer],” Mary writes. “She was a Kansas State graduate in home economics and assistant to the dean of the home economics department. Their honeymoon was the long trip from Manhattan to Seattle and from Seattle to Juneau by steamship. They had no permanent abode although they lived in southeastern Alaska most of the time. They always travelled together. Earl published a great deal on the raising of fox and mink in local publications and national fur raising publications.”
Caring for fur farms Stories about Dr. Graves’ work were included in a book published in 2012 called, “The Fur Farms of Alaska: Two Centuries of History and a Forgotten Stampede” by Sarah Crawford Isto [The University of Alaska Press]. “Graves worked six days a week in conditions that ranged from pleasant to arduous to hair-raising. For example, in July 1929, he enjoyed three nights in the luxury railroad hotel at Curry performing a newly assigned duty — TB (tuberculosis) tests for the cows that supplied milk for the dining room. The following day he traveled to the whistle stop of Caswell, where he walked nine miles to inspect two mink farms. In December, he traveled to a fox farm on Eleanor Island in Prince William Sound. He waited for four days to get wildcatveterinarian | 55
“ I get many letters from veterinarians who are interested in coming to Alaska, and they ask about the possibilities this region has to offer. It is my opinion that if these men are making a living, they should stay where they are.
“ Dr. Earl Graves on relocating to Alaska
a boat to the island. Then after working for more than a week alongside the farmer to demonstrate trapping and pelting techniques, he waited three days for weather before attempting to return to Cordova.” Dr. Graves found the fox farming industry to be problematic, and not just in terms of animal welfare. “Alcohol, specifically moonshine, was a problem on island fur farms, not just according to Graves, but according to others acquainted with fur farmers,” write Isto. “Earl Graves was not a teetotaler,” she notes, but that “… Graves had no patience for men who concentrated on their stills and neglected their animals.”
Moving on In 1930, Dr. Graves had had enough, so he resigned his position in Alaska and briefly went into fur farming in Spokane Bride, Washington. Dr. Graves then decided to work on a master’s degree, which he earned at the University of Wisconsin in 1933. Wisconsin did not have a veterinary college at the time, but did offer several veterinary courses. He wrote a thesis on “Diseases of Furbearing Animals.” He then took a job as the veterinarian at the Wisconsin Game and Experiment Farm in Poynette, Wisconsin, for the Wisconsin Conservation Department.
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A sudden illness took Kitty’s life, but Dr. Graves would later remarry and start a family. He bounced between jobs in Colorado and Wisconsin, and was then contacted in 1940 by the governor of Alaska to see if he would return. The new focus of his job would be on helping dairy farmers of the Matanuska Valley Cooperative.
Final chapter After several years, Dr. Graves grew tired of “many nights, in below zero temperatures, stripping down in no heat barns to deliver a calf.” In 1952, he moved to Anchorage and started a small animal practice, but also saw birds and a few wild animals. “Because of his love for animals, he kept his fees reasonable, did some for free, or allowed poor owners to pay their veterinary bills weekly or monthly,” Mary writes. “He remained there until his early death of a rather rare disease at age 63.” Dr. Graves is buried in Manhattan with both of his wives. Later his son would be buried there after being killed in the service. Dr. Graves is survived by two daughters: Mary, and Victoria Ault.
Dr. Earl Graves the artist
Anatomical drawings from Dr. Earl Graves’ 1925 and 1926 histology notebooks.
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alumninews Dr. Wayne Banning, DVM 1972 In June 2016, the West Virginia Veterinary Medical Association announced Dr. John “Wayne” Banning at the 2016 Veterinarian of the Year. Dr. Banning who lives in Scott Depot, West Virginia, was surprised by more than 50 clients, family and friends at his practice in Dunbar, West Virginia, on the weekend the award was announced. “Dr. Banning was chosen for this award for many reasons,” said Dr. Shawn Sette, past-president of the WVVMA. “Both myself and my wife worked for Dr. Banning in the 1990s and had firsthand knowledge of his calm, caring manner, the loyalty of his clientele, and of his 25 years of donated time and service to managing the Kanawha Valley Animal Emergency Service. He has been a real blessing to the pets, clients and other veterinary hospitals in our area.”
Dr. Terry Wollen, DVM 1972 What does Dr. Terry Wollen have in common with a brigadier general and a lawyer? These were the occupations of two other Ottawa (Kansas) High School alumni who joined Dr. Wollen in being selected for its Wall of Honor on Oct. 6, 2016. Nominees must have graduated at least 10 years prior to nomination and have demonstrated excellence in their careers and/ or community. Dr. Wollen says his family has always had strong ties to Franklin and Anderson counties. His grandfather was a carpenter and built more than 50 houses and barns in the area, and he spent most of his first 18 years of life in Ottawa after his parents moved to the town. “Ottawa is a strong hometown status for me,” Dr. Wollen said. “I like Ottawa. It’s the right size, and there’s a lot memories from there.”
Dr. Wayne Banning
Dr. Terry Wollen
Dr. M. Gatz Riddell (second from right)
Dr. Zach Mills
Dr. Eugene Nemechek, DVM 1976 The American Association of Swine Veterinarians presented Dr. Eugene Nemechek with its Technical Services and Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year award March 5, 2018, during an annual meeting in San Diego. He currently works as a pork technical services veterinarian for Zoetis. Dr. Nemechek has served on the AASV Board of Directors, the North Carolina Pork Council board and the National Pork Board, where he was president in 2010-11.
Dr. M. Gatz Riddell, DVM 1977 Dr. M. Gatz Riddell of Auburn, Alabama, received the Amstutz-Williams Award in 2016. This is the AABP’s highest honor, is only bestowed when a highly qualified individual is nominated and selected for outstanding service to the veterinary profession. The last recipient of this award was back in 2008. Dr. Riddell served as AABP executive vice president from 2005-2016. 58 | wildcatveterinarian
Dr. David Rethorst, DVM 1978 On a seemingly typical drive to work one morning in late January, Dr. David Rethorst ran into an unexpected traffic jam. A cargo trailer carrying three dogs had caught on fire north of Herington, Kansas. Dr. Rethorst learned there were dogs in the trailer, so he made his way to where the dogs were to check them and transport them to the Tri-County Veterinary Center where he practices. It happens that these dogs were rescued in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and were returning to their owners in the US after being quarantined in New Jersey. The dogs were bathed and treated while new transportation was being arranged. By 5:30 p.m. that same day, the dogs were back on the road to be reunited with their owners.
Drs. Rebecca Wilsey and Russell Brewer, DVM 1996 Congratulations to Drs. Rebecca Wilsey and Russell Brewer, who just opened a new facility for their practice, Care Animal Hospital in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, in December 2017. Their hospital was originally opened in 2000 in a leased facility, but in more recent years, they decided they had outgrown the space. Their new location is three times as large as the previous facility. The design was inspired by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, utilizing his prairie style on the exterior and featuring an open interior with lots of large windows for natural lighting. Dr. Brewer told the Kenosha News Brewer their new building is “so comfortable that some clients say they don’t have time to soak in the decor before heading to an exam room for their appointment.” The hospital was recently selected by DVM360 as a National Hospital Design Merit Award winner in the general category. Care Animal Hospital will be featured in the organization’s magazine in July.
Dr. Rory Meyer, DVM 1996 In October, Dr. Rory Meyer was named the assistant service director for Certified Semen Services and the National Association of Animal Breeders’ assistant technical director in Madison, Wisconsin. He will work closely with the CSS service director in auditing programs and services as well as the technical aspects of the NAAB. Dr. Meyer will evaluate and engage in new opportunities to expand the CSS services to A.I. companies both domestically and internationally. Dr. Meyer works for Alta Genetics as its staff veterinarian.
Dr. Rafael A. Charneco, DVM 1997 This special thank-you message was shared by Dr. Rafael A. Charneco, who lives in Puerto Rico and was affected by Hurricane Maria, which hit the island on Sept. 20, 2017. “Because of poor sanitary conditions due to the absence of clean water, zoonotic infections between animals and people did increase,” Dr. Charneco says. “In response to this situation, various veterinary organizations in Puerto Rico joined hands to vaccinate pets and to educate the population about zoonotic diseases. The vaccination clinics were sponsored by the CMVPR (PRAVMA), Veterinarians for Puerto Rico, VetCoop and Banfield Pet Hospital. I personally would like to thank the class of KSU VetMed 1997 for their donation and contribution to the pet vaccination clinics and to Dr. Scott MacGee for organizing the donations that were given to ‘Veterinarians for Puerto Rico.’”
Dr. Zach Mills, DVM 1999 Upon the expansion of the companion and large animal teams at Merial in late 2016, Dr. Zach Mills was appointed the company’s head of Pet Veterinary Professional Services. In his role, Dr. Mills is responsible for leading various technical departments and strengthening Merial’s relationships within the veterinarian community. Dr. Mills had most recently worked as the associate director of external innovation and research alliances for Zoetis’ veterinary medicine research and development division, one of several roles he held with the company. Prior to that, he spent six years in small animal private practice.
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alumninews Dr. Eric Moore, DVM 2004 In April, the National Institute for Animal Agriculture recognized Dr. Eric Moore with its 2016 President’s Award, which goes annually to an NIAA committee or council chair or co-chair for exemplary leadership and dedication to the organization. Dr. Moore is the co-chair of the NIAA Special Issues Committee on Antibiotics. The award was presented at the annual conference in Kansas City. Dr. Moore is director of technical services - North America for Norbrook Laboratories in Topeka, Kansas. Dr. Moore was recently selected to the 2016 NIAA Board of Directors.
Capt. Emily Bingham, DVM 2011 U.S. Army Capt. Emily R. Bingham, force veterinarian with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, was awarded the 2016 U.S. Army Veterinary Corps Exceptional Officer Service Award during a ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, July 29. She said she always wanted to work with animals and since serving the country was on the agenda as well, what better way was there to follow through with her passion other than to join the Army as a Veterinarian. “I volunteered at animal clinics prior to going to veterinary school, and I was commissioned upon graduation,” Capt. Bingham said. “I graduated veterinary school in 2011 so the last five years I have been practicing veterinary medicine. I have always been involved with animals though, becoming a veterinarian was always my end goal.”
Capt. Emily Bingham
Dr. Eric Tempel, DVM 2013 The veterinary team at Harbor Point Animal Hospital in Mooresville, North Carolina, added Dr. Eric Tempel to their staff last November. A native of Kansas, he earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Kansas, and attending veterinary college at K-State. Following a year of private practice, Dr. Tempel returned to the academic setting to acquire additional training and elevate his level of patient care. In 2015, he completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Virginia Tech’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where he remained for two more years, recently completing the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners residency in canine and feline medicine.
Dr. Phillip Allen, DVM 2013 An unusual substance led to an emergency surgery that saved a Rottweiler puppy named Lucy. Dr. Philip Allen, who practices at Mission Veterinary Emergency & Specialty in Mission, Kansas, learned that Lucy ate a bottle of Gorilla Glue and developed a large mass in her stomach. The story about this sticky situation and Lucy’s survival appeared on the local television news in Kansas City.
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Drs. Art Charles and Bailey Gage, DVM 2014 Medomak Veterinary Services in Waldoboro, Maine, now has new owners: Drs. Art Charles and Bailey Gage. The husband-and-wife team purchased the practice in December from Dr. Laurie Howarth, who will continue to practice at the facility on a part-time basis. Dr. Charles is originally from Belgrade, Maine, and Dr. Gage is originally from Kansas City, Kansas. Previously they were practicing in Aroostook County, Maine.
Drs. Amy and Aaron Schaffer, DVM 2015 Apogee Animal Health Inc. in Morrill, Kansas, operated by Drs. Amy and Aaron Schaffer, were recently awarded a $5,000 grant from the Washburn University (Topeka, Kansas) School of Business and the Kansas Department of Commerce. The Schaffers serve clients within a 100-mile radius and work exclusive with large animals while making farm calls. They have two offices: one in Morrill and another at the Glacial Hills Resource Center in Sabetha.
alumnifellows 2017
Dr. Jerry Jaax, DVM 1972 Dr. Jerry P. Jaax, Manhattan, Kansas, retired from K-State in 2016 as the associate vice president for research compliance. In this position he built the university’s multifaceted research compliance program. Additionally, he has published and lectured nationally on bioterrorism, agroterrorism, emerging infectious disease issues, emergency response and research compliance. He also was heavily involved in the successful effort to build K-State’s Biosecurity Research Institute and bring the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility to Manhattan. Dr. Jaax earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from K-State in 1972. Prior to his position at K-State, Dr. Jaax served for 26 years in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. His military career highlights include serving as director of the veterinary medicine divisions at the Army’s Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense and Medical Research Institute for Infectious Disease, and as director of the Biological Arms Control Treaty Office. He received numerous awards and honors to include induction into the prestigious Army Medical Department’s Order of Military Medical Merit and Consultant to the Surgeon General. He and his wife, Dr. Nancy Jaax, have two adult children.
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alumnifellows 2016
Dr. Bob Smith, DVM 1976 Dr. Bob Smith, DVM, is a veterinarian with Veterinary Research and Consulting Services, LLC, a seven-veterinarian practice group that provides service to feedlot clients in nine states. The practice oversees health care for feedlots that have a combined one-time capacity for over 1 million cattle. His responsibilities include training of animal caregivers, designing disease prevention programs, pharmaceutical management, diagnostic and health monitoring programs, and overseeing quality assurance and animal well-being. Dr. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and industry in 1968, a master’s degree in animal science in 1970 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1976, all from K-State. He is board certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. For 25 years, he was on clinical faculty at Oklahoma State University, where he held the McCasland Chair in Beef Health and Production. Dr. Smith has served as president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, the Academy of Veterinary Consultants and the Western Veterinary Conference, and has edited both the Bovine Practitioner and the Veterinary Clinics of North America Food Animal Practice since 1999. He and his wife, Gerri, have four children and 10 grandchildren.
inmemoriam 1942
Dr. Robert B. Lank Baton Rouge, Louisiana April 16, 2017
1943
Dr. Paul W. Gatzoulis Overland Park, Kansas March 20, 2017
1944
Dr. Max Grandfield San Carlos, California July 10, 2017
1946
Dr. Albert Van Walleghen Jerseyville, Illinois Jan. 15, 2017 62 | wildcatveterinarian
Dr. Werner H. Weiseth Ashland, Nebraska Jan. 29, 2017
Dr. John T. Peterson Washington, D.C. Oct. 10, 2007
Dr. Donald Frank Hodgson Branson, Missouri Aug. 12, 2017
1951
Dr. Patrick G. Leonard Rockford, Illinois May 3, 2015
Dr. Robert Bruce Miller Columbia, Missouri Oct. 4, 2016
1955
1956
Dr. Danforth Dale Taylor Madison, South Dakota June 22, 2017
Dr. Theodore Vera Manhattan, Kansas Oct. 3, 2017
Dr. Oren Kelsey Many, Louisiana May 10, 2017
1954
Dr. Donald L. Nickerson Ottawa, Illinois Aug. 1, 2017 Dr. Earl Cope Wood Marion, Kansas Sept. 13, 2008
Dr. Byron Denholm Moreno Valley, California Sept. 6, 2016
Dr. David A. Schoneweis Manhattan, Kansas Nov. 9, 2017
1957
Dr. Dean Aaron Price Billings, Montana Jan. 13, 2017
1960
Dr. Gill Wright Alma, Nebraska Aug. 9, 2016
Dr. Gerald Joseph Miller Fort Smith, Arkansas May 20, 2017
Dr. James K. Isom Jupiter, Florida Jan. 1, 2017
Dr. Jerry Lynn Schrader Great Bend, Kansas Feb. 11, 2017
1962
Dr. Philip D. Moorhead Tucson, Arizona Dec. 15, 2016
1958
Dr. John Roger Osterheld Colts Neck, New Jersey April 5, 2012 Dr. Kenneth Huffman Cincinati, Ohio March 29, 2017 Dr. George William Olson Prairie Village, Kansas Nov. 23, 2016
1959
Dr. Ernest Alvin Money Phoenix, Arizona Sept. 9, 2016 Dr. Frank Norman Dost Freeland, Washington Oct. 9, 2016 Dr. John Robert Mats Des Moines, Iowa Sept. 23, 2017 Dr. Paul Kiger West Plains, Missouri Aug. 16, 2016 William W. Neer Tulsa, Oklahoma Jan. 7, 2017
Dr. Jerry Breuel Taylorville, Illinois Aug. 29, 2016 Dr. Robert Crawford Kearney, Nebraska April 2, 2017
1964
Dr. Frank R. Jordan Abilene, Kansas Oct. 3, 2016 Dr. Jon Clark Dover, Delaware March 17, 2016
1965
Dr. Doyle Frank Blairstown, New Jersey May 6, 2016 Dr. Harry F. Moberly Olney, Texas Oct. 19, 2017 Dr. Kenneth L. Thompson Guide Rock, Nebraska Oct. 22, 2016
1967
Dr. Michael A. Lanning Madill, Oklahoma Oct. 16, 2017
1969
Dr. James R. McCoy Clearwater, Kansas Oct. 6, 2016
Dr. Dennis W. Smith Overland, Kansas Sept. 12, 2017 Dr. Robert Curtis Hartley Carrollton, Texas March 2, 2017
1971
Dr. Danny Wolfe Westerville, Ohio June 18, 2016
1972
Dr. James Louise Viergever Fort Scott, Kansas Oct. 4, 2016 Dr. Richard Norton Lincoln, Nebraska Sept. 18, 2016
1983
Dr. Clell Jeffrey Solomon Wichita, Kansas Aug. 26, 2017
1985
Dr. Russell Smith Glasgow, Montana Sept. 29, 2015
2000
r. Mariah (Berry) D Soderlund Goodland, Kansas Dec. 3, 2017
2003
r. Kathryn Morton D Krista Bluemont, Virginia Jan. 5, 2018
1975
Dr. Charles Stinchcomb Russell, Kansas Aug. 15, 2016 Dr. Louis Wayne Cronin Dwight, Illinois Nov. 23, 2016
1977
Dr. Rodney Melchert Absarokee, Montana Nov. 17, 2014 Dr. W. Luke Fry Merriam, Kansas April 30, 2017
1979
Dr. Brian Loyd Patterson Carlsbad, New Mexico Oct. 14, 2017 Dr. Stephen L. Baar Turon, Kansas Aug. 30, 2017
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79th Annual
Conference for Veterinarians awards
2017 Distinguished Alumnus Award Dr. Marty Vanier, DVM 1981 Dr. Marty Vanier, Manhattan, Kansas, earned her DVM from K-State in 1981. She moved to the Washington, D.C., area and worked in veterinary pharmaceutical and food safety policy for several years. Dr. Vanier returned to K-State in 1989 in the Food Safety Consortium in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. She served as executive director of the Kansas Agricultural Alliance for seven years. In 2003, Dr. Vanier moved to K-State’s National Agricultural Biosecurity Center as director of operations. She became the director of strategic partnership development for the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility Program Executive Office in 2015.
Dr. Nels N. Lindberg, DVM 2001 Dr. Nels N. Lindberg, Great Bend, Kansas, graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. He started his career in Great Bend that year and moved to Dodge City in 2003. Two years later, an opportunity to purchase Animal Medical Center brought Dr. Lindberg back to Great Bend. Dr. Lindberg focuses on feedlot consultation, while still enjoying all aspects of veterinary medicine. He is a partner in Production Animal Consultation, an independent consulting group focused and actively engaged in feedlot consultation, data collection and analysis, animal care and welfare, technologies development, and research for the beef industry.
2017 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award Dr. Chris Payton, DVM 2007 Dr. Chris Payton, Niles, Michigan, earned a bachelor’s degree in 2001 and his DVM in 2007, both from K-State. Dr. Payton also graduated from Options for Animals Chiropractic School and is certified nationally and internationally in chiropractic medicine for large and small animals. Dr. Payton is a certified veterinary acupuncturist for large and small animals endorsed by the Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine and the China National Society of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. He earned his Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner from University of Tennessee in 2016.
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2017 Distinguished Service Award Dr. Jane Westfall, Professor Emeritus Dr. Jane Westfall, Manhattan, Kansas, earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Pacific in 1950. She completed a master’s degree in zoology from Mills College in 1952. Dr. Westfall was a research assistant at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She then earned a doctorate at the University of California at Berkeley in 1965. Dr. Westfall came to K-State as an assistant professor in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology in 1967. She was promoted to associate professor in 1970 and full professor in 1976. She retired in 1999 after 32 years on the faculty.
2017 E.R. Frank Award Dr. Kenneth Harkin, Professor Dr. Kenneth Harkin, Manhattan, Kansas, earned his DVM from Iowa State University in 1989, and completed a residency at Michigan State University. He joined the faculty at K-State in 1997 as a clinical instructor, becoming an associate professor in 1998, and was promoted to professor in 2010. Dr. Harkin currently serves as professor and section head for small animal internal medicine. He teaches Medicine I and Medicine II to third-year veterinary students and instructs fourth-year veterinary students in small animal internal medicine in clinical rotations. He is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
The awards on this and the next page were presented at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s 79th and 78th Annual Conference for Veterinarians in Manhattan, Kansas. The conference is designed to heighten the knowledge of K-State graduates in the areas most prominent in veterinary medicine.
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78th Annual
Conference for Veterinarians awards
2016 Distinguished Alumnus Award Dr. David R. Franz, DVM 1970 Dr. David R. Franz, Frederick, Maryland, earned his DVM from K-State in 1970 and a Ph.D. in physiology from the Baylor University in 1980. He was an associate a year at the Hutchinson (Kansas) Small Animal Hospital, and then commissioned as captain in the Army in 1971. His served at MEDDAC, Ft. Hood, Texas, as a general veterinary officer, and in the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts, as group veterinarian. He was in the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command for 23 of 27 years on active duty and retired as colonel. Dr. Franz was also Commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and Deputy Commander of the Medical Research and Materiel Command.
2016 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award Dr. Taylor Truitt, DVM 2006 Dr. Taylor Truitt, New York, New York, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, in 2001. She then earned her DVM at K-State in 2006 and became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist from the Chi Institute, Reddick, Florida, in 2008. In 2014, she earned her MBA from the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business. She is the founder and creator of a “concierge model” for veterinary medicine at The Vet Set in New York.
2016 E.R. Frank Award Dr. James W. Carpenter Dr. James W. Carpenter, Manhattan, Kansas, has taught at the KSUCVM since 1989, assisting in developing an internationally recognized program in zoological medicine. He earned a master’s degree in wildlife ecology in 1970 and DVM in 1974, both at Oklahoma State University, and then became a diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine in 1992. Before joining K-State, he headed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species Propagation Program at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland for 15 years. In 2013, a new veterinary facility at Manhattan’s Sunset Zoo was named the “James W. Carpenter Clinic at Sunset Zoo.”
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2015-16
Alumni recognition awards
American Association of Bovine Practitioners 2015 Dr. Michael Apley, DVM 1987 Dr. Mike Apley, Olsburg, Kansas, earned a bachelor’s degree in 1981, DVM in 1987 and Ph.D. in clinical pharmacology in 1992, all from K-State. After feedlot consulting/contract research practice in Colorado, he joined the faculty at Iowa State University. In 2015 he joined the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine as professor of veterinary clinical sciences. He teaches beef production medicine, large-animal medicine and clinical pharmacology courses and holds the E.J. Frick Professorship in Veterinary Medicine. In August 2015, the Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia M. Burwell appointed Dr. Apley to the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.
American Association of Equine Practitioners 2015 Dr. Brad Jackman, DVM 1987 Dr. Brad Jackman, Oakdale, California, was born in Lawrence, Kansas. The son of a veterinarian, Dr. Jackman was always around horses. He earned his DVM at K-State in 1987. He completed a one-year internship and three-year equine surgical residency at the University of Georgia. He then served as an instructor of surgery at both the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan and at Washington State University, where he became board certified in surgery during that time. He joined Pioneer Equine Hospital near Oakdale in 1995, became partner in 1996, and sole owner and CEO in 2007.
North American Veterinary Conference 2016 Dr. Sondra Brown, DVM 1993 Dr. Sondra Brown, Tallahassee, Florida, is from Larned, Kansas. She received a bachelor’s degree in 1989, a DVM in 1993, and a master’s degree in veterinary pathology in 1995, all at K-State. She and husband Greg moved to Montreal, Canada, in 1995 where he held a postdoctoral position at McGill University. In 1997, the Browns moved to Tallahassee where she was an associate veterinarian at Northwood Animal Hospital. In January 2000, she and two partners bought Northwood Animal Hospital. In 2005, they also bought Southwood Animal Hospital, which was moved and became The Animal Hospital and Pet Resort at Southwood.
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2015-16
Alumni recognition awards (cont.)
Western Veterinary Conference 2016 Dr. Ross Mosier, DVM 1952 The late Dr. Ross O. Mosier, Spalding, Nebraska, was born the fourth of 11 children on a farm near Hoxie, Kansas. Five of these children eventually became veterinarians and graduated from K-State. He earned his DVM at K-State in 1952. Dr. Mosier and his wife, Margaret, established a veterinary practice in Spalding. During the time he practiced, two of his brothers joined him (Larry and Don) before establishing their own veterinary practices in Nebraska. Ross practiced solo large animal until April 2001 when a leg injury convinced him to stop making calls. He passed away Oct. 3, 2015.
Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association 2016 Dr. David A. Swerczek, DVM 1969 Dr. David A. Swerczek, Kearney, Nebraska, was born in Cedar Rapids, Nebraska. He earned DVM at K State in 1969. Dr. Swerczek served in the United States Air Force and achieved the rank of captain. He was awarded an Air Force Commendation Medal in 1971. He then went into private practice in Auburn, Nebraska, from 1971 to 1972, in Hartington, Nebraska, from 1972 to 1973 and in Wayne, Nebraska, from 1973 to 2001. He was employed by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service from 2001 to 2014 as an inspector in charge and supervisory public health veterinarian.
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American Veterinary Medical Association 2016 Dr. Linda Kassebaum Johnson, DVM 1983 Dr. Linda Kassebaum Johnson, Denver, Colorado, earned a bachelor’s degree in 1979, a DVM in 1983 and a master’s degree in pathology in 1987, all from K-State. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship and a Master of Public Health degree in 1990 at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. She is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in anatomic pathology and has a specialty in comparative pathology and animal models of human disease. She is currently a professor in the pathology department in the School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado.
Central Veterinary Conference 2016 Dr. Judy and Randall Norton, 1989 Co-recipients Drs. Judy and Randall Norton, Utica, Kansas, were married in 1992 and opened Walnut Fork Veterinary Service in 1995. They also farm and run a beef cowherd. Randall is a native of Ness County and attended Fort Hays State University before transferring to K-State where he graduated with his DVM in 1989. He practiced in Albion, Nebraska, for a year before returning to the family farm. He opened a mobile veterinary practice while farming with his father. Dr. Judy (Harper) Norton grew up in Overland Park, Kansas. She earned her DVM at K-State in 1989, and practiced in Woodville, Washington, and Overland Park.
American Association of Bovine Practitioners 2016 Dr. Susan Keller, DVM 1985 Dr. Susan Keller, Mandan, North Dakota, was born and raised on a dairy, beef and crop farm near Corning, Kansas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and industry in 1981 and her DVM in 1985, both at Kansas State University. She has been serving as the North Dakota State Veterinarian in Bismarck, North Dakota, since 2004. She has served North Dakota as the designated state tuberculosis and brucellosis epidemiologist, foreign animal disease diagnostician and as a member of the North Dakota Veterinary Medical Examining Board.
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2016-17
Alumni recognition awards
American Association of Equine Practitioners 2016 Dr. K. Leann Kuelbeck, DVM 1991 Dr. K. Leann Kuebelbeck, Lithia, Florida, earned a bachelor’s degree in 1989 and a DVM in 1991, both from Kansas State University. She completed an internship and surgical residency at Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, Florida. She then moved to Brandon, Florida, to co-found Brandon Equine Medical Center, then known as Surgi-Care Center for Horses, in 1995. She became sole-owner of the practice in 2009. Dr. Kuebelbeck’s professional interests include orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. She received the Gold Star Award in 2010 and the Code of Ethics Awards in 2015 and 2016, all from the Florida VMA.
North American Veterinary Conference 2017 Dr. Jean Sonnenfield, DVM 2000 Dr. Jean Sonnenfield, Atlanta, Georgia, received a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1992 and her DVM in 2000, both summa cum laude at K-State. From 1997 to 2003, she earned a DPhil in clinical biochemistry at Oxford University in England. Dr. Sonnenfield completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Georgia, and then practiced as an associate veterinarian in Atlanta for three years. She joined Georgia Veterinary Specialists as an emergency clinician and became head of emergency services. She currently serves as vice president of development for BluePearl Veterinary Partners.
Western Veterinary Conference 2017 Dr. Marshall E. Scott, DVM 1978 Dr. Marshall E. Scott, Riverside, California, served in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1968, and attended Shasta Junior College from 1970 to 1972, and Chico State University from 1972-1974. He earned his DVM at K-State in 1978. Dr. Scott attended Church of Rock Bible College from 2006 to 2008 and graduated as valedictorian. As a veterinary clinical practitioner and consultant, Dr. Scott is currently the owner/operator of Pedley Square Veterinary Clinic and Lincoln Plaza Veterinary Clinic. He serves the city of Moreno Valley, California, as manager of the Animal Clinic as well as consultant to the city animal shelter.
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American Veterinary Medical Association 2017 Dr. Russell Hardin, DVM 1946 Dr. Russell Hardin, Lebanon, Indiana, was in the Army Specialized Training Program while stationed at Fort Riley in 1944. He attended K-State and was on the football team for two years and team captain in 1945. Dr. Hardin completed his DVM in January 1946 and moved to Lebanon, Indiana, where he established the Lebanon Veterinary Clinic in 1948. After 35 years of practice, Dr. Hardin retired and sold his practice to colleagues, Dr. Paul Nordman and Dr. David Hawkins. He continues to be active in farming on his large hog farm with 600 acres of beans and corn.
Central Veterinary Conference 2017 Dr. Kate Perkins, DVM 1993 Dr. Kate Perkins, Howard, Kansas, graduated from K-State with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and industries in 1991 and a DVM in 1993. After graduating, she was an associate in Midgeville, Georgia. In March 1994, she started as an associate in a four-doctor mixed animal practice in Pella, Iowa. In June 1997, she went to Wichita, Kansas, to assume ownership of Crestview Animal Clinic. This clinic was merged with Countryside Pet Clinic of Andover, Kansas, in December 2000. Dr. Perkins left Countryside Pet Clinic in the summer of 2012, and became an associate at Andover Veterinary Clinic.
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Future vets helping future pets The College of Veterinary Medicine’s Mobile Surgery Unit travels across the area providing spay and neuter surgeries, consultation and other medical procedures to animal shelters. The Shelter Medicine team welcomed two new faculty members this year: Drs. Alyssa Comroe and Brad Crauer.