2020 World Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Awards

The call for nominations for the 2020 World Veterinary Association (WVA) Animal Welfare Awards, supported by Ceva Santé Animale, is now open! This award will recognize one VETERINARY STUDENT from around the world for his/her involvement and engagement in animal welfare. The winning student will be recognized  at a gala presentation on Monday, April 6, 2020, during the 36th WVA Congress in Auckland, New Zealand, with travel and accommodation expenses covered by the WVA.

Complete information on nomination procedures and requirements are available in the online WVA call for nominations. The application form for veterinary students can be accessed through this WVA online call for nominations.

Nominations require a letter of support from a WVA member association such as the AVMA—and the AVMA is happy to provide such letters for veterinary student nominees who are members of the SAVMA.

DEADLINE TO REQUEST AN AVMA LETTER OF SUPPORT IS NOVEMBER 1, 2019.

To request a letter of support, please email Dr. Beth Sabin, AVMA director of global outreach (esabin@avma.org) no later than 5 p.m. (Central) on Monday, November 1, 2019, which is earlier than the WVA deadline. This allows the AVMA sufficient time to credential the nominee and return the letter of support to the requester ahead of the WVA submission deadline, which is noon Belgian time on Friday, November 15, 2019.

Again, please see the online WVA call for nominations and application form for veterinary students linked there for complete submission details. Contact Dr. Beth Sabin (esabin@avma.org; 847-285-6711) with questions.

Pet Portraits

These paintings were submitted by Tatiana DiMugno from UC Davis!

Veterinary Experiences Affecting Environmental Health

As a new intiative by SAVMA's Global and Public Health Outreach Officer, The Vet Gazette will be highlighting student research projects that involve the third, often forgotten arm of the One Health triad -- the environment!

The first to be featured is Bonni Beaupied from Colorado State University!

"This summer, with the support of CSU's Veterinary Summer Scholars Program, I worked with our Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences on a budding One Health research project. The broad goal of this project is to evaluate the impact of air pollution on dairy cow health and to use that information to better understand the impact on human health in understudied populations. Exposure to air pollution, including criteria pollutants such as ozone (O3) and aerosolized fine particulate matter (PM2.5), has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in mammals. These effects have primarily been studied in the laboratory or in humans living in urban settings. Situated in a controlled environment that facilitates data collection, dairy cattle present a unique, yet unexplored, opportunity to assess the correlation between subtle shifts in air pollution and mammalian health. Furthermore, ground-level O3 peaks during the hot summer months, when dairy production is lowest, and may therefore be an unexplored factor in reduced milk production. My research aimed to assess the effects of air pollutants on dairy cow health by comparing O3 and PM2.5 levels recorded by local US EPA air quality monitors to daily production data and bulk tank somatic cell counts. Initial results have supported the hypothesis that O3 exposure is associated with reduced dairy yield. The results of this study may uncover areas for intervention to improve these impacts at the dairy level. These data will also contribute to a translational model for using cattle health as a proxy for human health, particularly in rural settings or other regions with limited air quality data."

Congratulations, Bonnie!

Smithcors Veterinary History Essay Contest

Calling all history buffs!

This contest is for students interested in researching topics relating to the history of veterinary medicine. There are scholarships available for those essayists placing 1st through 4th. Students wishing to enter can find everything they need (guidelines, entry forms, etc) on the website. Submissions are due April 15th, 2020.

Photo obtained from the "History of the AAVMC" on the AAVMC website

First Mate Flint, Hedgehog Pirate

These adorable photos of Flint were submitted by his owner, Jaclyn Melvin from Cornell University.

Covered in spines but always willing to cuddle!All smiles in his favorite pirate hat hideawayFlint the Hedgehog - Professional Pirate & Amateur Model