Case Report- Belgium Draft Nurse Mare with Chronic Progressive Lymphedema

Entry, Case Study
Rachel Ruden, University of Pennsylvania

History:

Lewie presented with gross lesions on both front fetlocks and a small cluster of nodules on the dorsal surface of her left hind pastern. The affected area was clearly painful. Her fetlocks were so swollen with edema it was hard to separate individual lesions, and they readily bled when manipulated. The odor and fluid attracted flies, but upon further examination, the moist spaces were also supporting colony of maggots. Finally, movement was onerous. All of these signs indicated Lewie was suffering from Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL), commonly called Draft Horse Dermatitis. This is a skin disease that causes inflammation of the legs, most commonly affecting the fetlock region. Though the original insult may be a cut, the disease becomes escalated by secondary infections that produce edematous nodules that bleed and fester. Finally, ectoparasites complicate the issue, especially in mares that should not be treated with medications like Frontline while nursing. There is no cure for CPL, and due to its progressive and debilitating nature, this disease will put an early end to a horse’s career, and often, its life.

Click to read more ...

Prehydration Requirements of Working Dogs

Honorable Mention, Abstracts
Shannon Palermo, University of Pennsylvania

Prehydration Requirements of Working Dogs

Abstract:

Detection dogs work in adverse environments. In the field, dog handlers have used subcutaneous fluids and oral electrolyte solutions in addition to water to prevent dehydration; however, the efficacy of these strategies has not been studied. Our study aimed to determine the effects of 3 prehydration strategies on body weight, blood electrolytes and search performance in police canines working in hot environments.  This field study tested 3 prehydration strategies in each of 3 police detection canines using a cross over design. Each dog was randomly assigned to 10 ml/kg of water (W), subcutaneous balanced electrolyte solution (SQ), or chicken flavored oral electrolyte solution (OES) at the beginning of each work day. All dogs were offered water every thirty minutes; however, OES dogs were offered 10 ml/kg OES if they drank <3 ml/kg of water. At the beginning, middle, and end of each day, we measured body weight, serum electrolytes, lactate, and vital signs. A timed standardized search at the beginning and end of each day was conducted. Dogs in the W (n=3) and SQ (n=3) groups drank a combined mean of 5.0 ml/kg/hr, while the OES dogs (n=3) drank 18.6 ml/kg/hr. Only dogs in the OES group developed isosthenuria and gained weight. Hematocrit decreased by the end of the work day for dogs in the OES and SQ group. Regardless of the hydration strategy all dogs had a small but significant decrease in potassium, no hydration strategy resulted in a significant change in electrolyte values throughout the day. Only dogs in the OES group maintained blood bicarbonate concentrations and had significantly faster afternoon search times compared to the morning. In this study, police dogs performing light to moderate work in hot environments were able to maintain hydration. In addition to maintaining hydration, by then end of the work day dogs in the OES group had improved search times, a significantly decreased hematocrit, and were able to maintain a consistent level of bicarbonate.

Creative Corner- Tohalah at Sunset

By Sarah Lehman

Class of 2012

University of Pennsylvania

Taken while on a RAVS volunteer trip

IVSA UPenn Thailand Trip 2010

By: Steven Fernandez

Class of 2013, University of Pennsylvania

The International Veterinary Student Association (IVSA) University of Pennsylvania chapter took on the challenge this past year to organize a trip with a contact from a Thai veterinarian and practice owner of Vet4 Polyclinic in Bangkok, Thailand. Our IVSA UPenn chapter was unaware that this veterinary practice is a well-known and respected clinic in all of Thailand. Vet4 was the first clinic in Thailand to start hydrotherapy for dogs and third to do total hip replacements. Hundreds of emails later throughout the entire academic year, IVSA UPenn sent 14 veterinary students and one local veterinarian to Bangkok, Thailand to start their hands-on training 9,500 miles away.

The trip consisted of 5 clinic days where the students were able to do full spays and castrations from incision to closure at no cost to the owners. We held a series of wetlabs using cadavers weeks in advance to prepare for surgery thanks to the help of our IVSA faculty advisor and surgery residents. Throughout the year we fundraised as much as possible to reduce the cost of the trip and we received lots of donations to offer better medical care for our patients. We brought extra luggage filled with IDEXX Snap tests, injectable Metacam (courtesy of Boerhinger-Ingelheim) for pain management, sterile surgery gloves, lots of frontline (courtesy of Merial), and sterile drapes (courtesy of GEPCO). Students learned how to keep their patient under anesthesia using basic drugs that were available to us. One of the major challenges with outdoor surgery was the incredibly high temperatures dogs had while recovering. Nonetheless, animals did recover and were sent on their way once they were able to walk.

Click to read more ...

Sex Change Operation?

By: Jennifer Blewitt

University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2013

The bulk of my experience before applying to veterinary school was working as an emergency and critical care technician at a near-by specialty and referral hospital. Some of the roles of a CC/ER technician include acquiring radiographs, running various in-house laboratory tests, performing in-patient treatments, venipuncture, and assessing triages.

At my particular clinic, the number of technicians working on a shift are split into either in-patient or out-patient care. On one particular day I was assigned to out-patients which meant I handled the incoming triages. One triage I will never forget was a roughly six-year-old male neutered cat that presented for a gunshot wound. I assessed the patient fairly quickly to make sure it was stable before asking the owner too many questions. The cat’s vitals were WNL so I began to examine the patient for the wound. The owner mentioned that it was located in the cat’s “hind area” so I searched for a minute or so before I asked the owner to physically point out where he had seen the wound. At such time, the owner leaned in and pointed to a specific spot on the patient. I stood for a moment and tried my best not to laugh as I told him, “Um, sir, that is not a gunshot wound…that is your cat’s vagina, and ‘he’ is in fact a she.” We awkwardly starred at each other for a few seconds before I said, “would you still like your pet to be seen?” He picked up the cat and then walked out of the hospital.