Just An Island Bear

In all of her Newfoundland glory, Olive looks likes she was made for beach living. She lives in Grenada with her human, Ashley Bryant, who attends St. George's University. 

 

Check out our resources page

Both the JAVMA and Merck Veterinary Manual are now available as apps and are FREE!!!

Make sure to check out The Vet Gazette resources page for the links to download to your android or iphone device. You will also find a multitude of other apps that are very useful study tools.

Vet-Med United Day

On April 4th, 2018 a national movement known as #VetMedUnited took place and was recognized in various ways at local SAVMA chapters. The movement focuses on personal wellness, mental health and remembering victims of suicide in the veterinary field. Here are just some of the ways Colleges of Veterinary Medicine recognized this movement at their school.

University of Wisconsin strung a manner with words of encouragement for the students and faculty.

UC Davis held lunch talks about wellness after graduation, free food, and stood together.

St. George’s University made a banner where students wrote their “why” and “what makes you well” for all the students to see.

Purdue Vet Med stood together and signed a poster with their “why”.

University of Illinois did a “give a ribbon, take a ribbon” which students shared anxieties and a lunch lecture about wellness. They had a VIP faculty guest speaker who shared his personal stories about wellness and suicide.

Utah State University wore purple in support of the event and joined to show togetherness.

Atlantic Veterinary College wore ribbons to recognize this movement.

University of Tennessee had a poster board which provided a creative outlet and encouragement to students. They also provided ice cream sundaes!

Louisiana State University partnered with their wellness committee to host an outdoor picnic with games.

North Carolina State did wellness spotlights all over campus to promote wellness and share the may things they love.

St. Matthew’s University held a talk on the Secondary Traumatic Stress: Building Resilience and Finding Balance.

Ross University had a bulletins where students could share sticky notes with what keeps them well.

University of Georgia had a poster where student’s could share what makes them well.

Virginia-Maryland College of Vet Med had free coffee and doughnuts and a “take what you need, leave what you can” activity where students could support each other with sticky notes.

Washington State University's pressed their teal and purple-painted hands to a white banner

Michigan State University had events like tie-dye shirts, customizing your stethoscope, along with cool swag and talks featuring High Performance Vets.

Roses are Red

 Meet this hansome ladies man. Oliver obviously knows he is a good looking boy. Thank you Rochelle Camden from Purdue University for sharing this fella with us as well as your cute poem.

Before I Ate Mom's HomeworkThe Purrfect Nap

Roses Are Red,

My Eyes are Blue,

These flowers are Pretty,

Bet they'd taste good too!

Students in Research

Student research is important to the field of veterinary medicine; is provides students will the skills and experience to pursue careers in research medicine, help make advances in the profession and medicine, and practice their critical thinking skills. Kerry from the University of Minnesota shares her own abstract on the research she was involved in.

The efficacy of sorafenib in a mouse model of radiation-induced dermatitis

University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine

by Kerry Goldin

Radiation therapy (RT) is prescribed in approximately 50% of cancer patients in North America. Radiation-induced dermatitis (RID) is a common side effect of RT, affecting up to 95% of patients. The effects of RID range from mild to severe and can lead to pain, disfigurement and may impede completion of the treatment regimen. While the pathophysiology of RID is partially known, a complete understanding is lacking and there are no clear effective therapeutic strategies. The objectives of this study were to: 1) characterize the microscopic features of RID in a hairless mouse model and 2) determine the effect of sorafenib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on the clinical and microscopic progression of RID.  To define the dose-response effect in SKH1-hr1 mice following RT, a dose escalation (15 Gy, 20Gy, 25Gy, 30Gy) study was performed. To characterize the microscopic pathology of RID in SKH-hr1 mice and examine the efficacy of sorafenib, 2 groups (sorafenib+vehicle and vehicle only, n=5 / group) were irradiated. To evaluate the sequential effects of RT +/- treatment, biopsies were collected at 4 time points (2hr, 10d, 12d, 18d post RT). Mice were sacrificed at 24 days post RT. Tissues were collected for light microscopic and IHC analysis (VEGFR2, CD31, and TGF beta-1). Histopathologic evaluation revealed progressive epithelial thickening, and loss of sebaceous and follicular structures. The SKH1-hr1 mice appear to be an adequate model for RID. A single administration of topical sorafenib administered 24 hours prior to RT did not mitigate acute clinical RID but resulted in reduced VEGFR2 expression, reduced TGF beta-1 expression, and diminished epidermal hyperplasia with no effect on CD31 expression.