"Dairying Ant", "Upside Down", and "WesternU Sees Rain"

Andrew Tsai, Western University

Creative Corner, Winner

"Dairying Ant" - "Some species of ants 'farm' aphids, protecting them on the plants they eat, eating the honeydew the aphids release from the terminations of their alimentary canals... These 'dairying ants' 'milk' the aphids by stroking them with their antennae." -A. Tsai

"Upside Down" - This picture is intentionally inverted. Please rotate the monitor/phone for maximum mind blowing. -A. Tsai

"WesternU Sees Rain" - If you've seen WesternU's campus, you know it doesn't look like this. One of my favorite parts about rain is how it transforms the ordinary: even though we look at the same scene, we see something different. -A.Tsai

Mineshaft Story

Meaghan Ryan - Texas A&M

Experiences - Winner

It was the year before I got into vet school, my sister had just rescued a black pit bull/ lab mix and I was back home in Arizona with the family for the holidays. Arizona’s weather is usually the best in the winter so as a pretty active family we try to take full advantage of that, and do as many outdoor activities as possible, including hiking. One hike will always be instilled in my memory.

It wasn’t a very difficulty hike, just long and hard to get to, but what made it exciting were the old abandoned mines that you could explore up the mountain. We were ready for the adventure; setting out early it was my 2 brothers, sister, and her dog, Boogie. We were probably about two hours in, when we came across the first mine. We turned on our headlamps and proceeded to follow my oldest brother, David, as he led the way. The mine was structurally sound and went deep into the mountain. We finally got to a caved-in area that stopped any further progress. David was looking through a hole at the top of the caved-in area when we heard a distant low growl coming from the other wall. We all looked at each other and took off running. In this area, coyotes are not a rare thing, and we all thought it had to have been a coyotes den, and getting out of there was the best way to resolve that, especially with Boogie nearby.

Once back out of the mine, we followed the trail as it climbed the mountain. Switching back and forth along the way we came across a few more mines that were unsafe, with missing wooden planks framing the inside. One was particularly scary with a giant hole that just dropped straight down and a few wooden planks that lay over it. We decided to play it safe and continue up the mountain.

After a few minutes taking in the beautiful Arizona view of the Colorado River and the Mohave Mountains, we began our descent down. We passed all the same mines, Boogie getting a little tired kept close to our group. We passed the entrance of one of the mines and for no reason, Boogie decided to go into one. We called

for her, but she did not come back out. Panic came across me, as I came to the realization that, this was the mine with the giant whole that dropped straight down. I ran into the mine and shouted for her, my brothers bravely walked across the plank over the hole and ran to the end of the mine to see if she was on the other side.

Nothing.

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Brooke Creech

Brooke Creech - Western

Creative Corner - Winner

"Still Life"- Oil on canvas

"Big Sur" - Acrylic

"Butterfly Beach" - Oil

Mak Case Overview

Annette Louviere - Georgia

Cases/Abstracts - Winner

As a third year veterinary student, my best study aid has always been my own cat, not that this is something to brag about.  Since a young age Mak has never had a “simple problem” and his latest riddle is no exception.  For the purpose of preserving length in this case overview, I will leave out specifics of medication dosages he is not currently receiving; however, every medication administered to Mak fell within Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook dosage recommendation for felines.

 Mak is a 6-year-old male neutered Siberian cat.  From a young age he gradually progressed to daily vomiting episodes; however, prior to vet school my main concern was to contain the catastrophe that was his left eye.  From his first introduction as a tiny kitten, Mak has battled ophthalmologic conditions ranging from deep corneal ulcerations to eosinophilic keratitis.  It wasn’t until I was a veterinary student that the CVM Ophthalmology Department diagnosed Mak with herpetic stromal keratitis OS.  While his left eye is a chronic condition, it is currently contained and doing well enough to not need treatment; this has allowed me to focus on to his other issue – chronic/progressive vomiting. 

Using food trials and laboratory workups performed during this past year, Mak was diagnosed through exclusion with inflammatory bowel disease and/or gastritis.  Treatment started with a new round of hypoallergenic food trials, each lasting several months, combined with metronidazole and, eventually, Cerenia as needed to control vomiting episodes.  When his vomiting returned after discontinuing Cerenia, B12 shots were implemented as an additional trial.  Again, no change in the frequency of vomiting episodes.  At this point he began showing signs of food aversion as well as significant weight loss and his diet was changed to another hypoallergenic food brand.  Metoclopramide was added as an anti-emetic as well as a gut motility enhancer.  This seemed to work for 2 weeks; however, on the third week he began vomiting again.  During the same week, dark stools were also noted and the possibility of gastric ulcer(s) forming was discussed with his general DVM.  His treatment protocol was adjusted as well as his diet (again, due to food aversion).  He was placed on Iams Intestinal Plus diet and his medication protocol changed to: metronidazole, Cerenia, Pepcid, and amoxicillin.  The antibiotic was started as an empirical treatment for Helicobacter felis infection.  After 10 days on this treatment plan, Mak became anorexic.  Lab work was performed and radiographs were taken.  The abnormalities shown on his full chemistry, CBC, T4, and UA were as follows: 

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"Head Trainer" & "Tuckered Out"

Stacy 'Hondo' Caffey - Texas A&M

Creative Corner - Winner

"Head Trainer"

"Tuckered Out"

"Floatin' With Mom"