AQUAVET Experience

My name is Elizabeth St. Germaine and I am a 3rd year veterinary student at Western University of Health Sciences. It was an honor to be chosen as one of the six students to participate in AQUAVET® III from June 23 – July 28, 2019. The AQV3 program was an intense 5-week course focused on the clinical aspect of captive aquatic animal medicine. 

The first two weeks were taught at the Georgia Aquarium where the focus was on aquarium medicine. We performed and observed clinical techniques of anesthesia, behavioral conditioning, diagnostic lab work, endoscopy, necropsies, physical examinations, radiographs, restraint, ultrasound, and venipuncture on various aquatic animal species. One of the aspects that I highly appreciated was the quality of care provided to all animals, no matter the species and the staff always have the best interest of the animal in mind with a strong emphasis placed on animal welfare. Before a blink of the eye our time with the Georgia Aquarium team was over and we made our way to Athens, Georgia.
	The third week was taught at the University of Georgia with a focus on endoscopy and surgery in fish and reptiles. This training was extremely valuable as working with endoscopy equipment is often not taught in veterinary school and many students do not have the chance to perform surgery on aquatic animals. Aside from the hands-on activities during this week all the students provided a 55-minute seminar presentation. I delivered my presentation on anesthesia in marine mammals focused on pinnipeds and the differences between the three families: Odobenidae (walrus), Otariidae (sea lions and fur seals), and Phocidae (true seals). Now with our presentations completed and some experience in surgery and endoscopy on fish and reptiles, we left the United States to head to Mexico.

The last two weeks were taught at three Dolphinaris facilities (Cancun, Riviera Maya, and Cozumel) in Mexico, where the focus was on dolphin medicine and training. We performed and observed clinical techniques that included behavioral conditioning, endoscopy, physical examinations, sample collection and analysis, and ultrasound. The most valuable part of these last few weeks was the amount of hands-on training with ultrasound and observing the voluntary behaviors that the dolphins had been trained to present for medical procedures. 

The experiences at the Georgia Aquarium and Dolphinaris truly highlighted the importance of communication and relationships. Strong relationships between the veterinary team and animal caretakers/trainers allows for the highest quality of care for the animals. It is through the relationships that the animal care team has with their animals that alerts the veterinary team of the slightest change in behavior. With this information a plan is communicated and trust between the animals and caretakers allows for the completion of necessary diagnostic testing. Along with communicating within the staff team, there is a lot of communication with the general public. The Georgia Aquarium and Dolphinaris provide great educational opportunities to their visitors, which educate them on about animal welfare, conservation, and ocean health. Through these experiences I was not only able to build relationships with staff members from each of these facilities, but also with my fellow AQUAVET® III classmates from around the world. 

Overall, the opportunity to participate in AQUAVET® III was an amazing experience that I will reflect on frequently. I’m extremely grateful for all the support the veterinary community provide for me because without it I would not have been able to participate. Opportunities outside of the classroom like the AQUAVET® III program allow me and other students to gain valuable technical skills and knowledge in the aquatic animal medicine field for our future success. I look forward to exploring future opportunities in aquatic animal medicine!

39

Emma Svenson - Wisconsin-Madison

V:50 I:4 Experiences Honorable Mention

     Sleek grey shapes cartwheeled through the water in an ocean arabesque. I crouched motionless by the pool until one little ball of fur drew near. Then I pounced. I grabbed for the back flipper of pup 39. With a snap, her teeth closed on my sweatshirt, narrowly missing skin. I hauled back, dragging her into a temporary pen. I sighed and contemplated the iron grip on my sleeve. “They didn’t talk about this in the manual,” I muttered as I pried open her jaw. Why, why, had I volunteered to help drain pus from the infected ear of a homicidal harbor seal? 

#39 looking adorable - photo credit to my fellow intern Evan NiewoehnerI was spending my summer at the University of New England Biddeford’s Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center (MARC), authorized by the National Marines Fisheries Service to rehabilitate stranded marine mammals and sea turtles. At MARC, 39’s irascibility was legend. But despite her unlovable nature, this pup convinced me to become a veterinarian, though my interest in the field began long before I met her.

My passion for veterinary medicine first sparked as a child, awestruck at thoroughbreds sprinting down Keeneland racetrack. I was a classic horse-obsessed girl, happy in a barn, whether mucking stalls, riding, or watching veterinarians. But love of horses alone did not persuade me to be a vet. 

Nor, for a while, was vet medicine first on my list of potential careers. After my sophomore year in high school, I volunteered to translate Spanish for a team of doctors and medical students in Guatemala. Driving over rough mountain roads to help deliver healthcare, I learned about social determinants of heath. In clinics made of sheet metal and prayers, I was drawn to human medicine; I wanted to be a doctor.  

BFFStill, doubt dogged me, for dreams do not die easily. In college, I steered a middle passage between vet and human medicine. I began working hard to earn three majors and two minors, hoping a well-rounded mind would be an asset to any type of medicine. I joined a pre-med club and rode on UW’s equestrian team, still straddling two professions. 

On my quest to choose, I became an intern at MARC, responsible for the medical well being of our charges. My days were spent hosing down enclosures, tube feeding the youngest pups, running water quality tests, transitioning pups to eating fish, analyzing blood work, helping organize releases, and more. Each night I stank of fish and feces, yet my biggest problem was 39. Despite her small size, a suspected spinal cord injury, and an infection worming its way through her ears, 39 zoomed around pool and pen, terrorizing all. Some shied from her ferocity, but I admired her tenacity to live. I made her my special charge, entering a battle of wills she usually won.  

Watching the sunset from my backyard in Maine.After my return to Madison, sad news of 39 finally convinced me to be a vet: my fiery charge was dead, euthanized because her ear infection could not be controlled. I felt as if I had failed at my job to make her healthy. And I never wanted to feel that way again. I am not naïve, and know I can’t heal all animals. But in that moment, I decided that I want to have the clinical skills to try to help even those gruff as 39. I decided to become a veterinarian. Someday, I hope to work with wildlife – especially marine animals. 

This year, I am a first year veterinary student at UW- Madison. The hours are long, the work is tough, and it’s sometimes hard to remember why I’m torturing myself with twelve classes and endless hours of studying. When the workload gets to be too much, I think back on my experience at MARC. I remember the pup that refused to give up on life, right to the very end. And I remember why I’m becoming a veterinarian.

MARVET: Marine Veterinary Workshop

Entry, Experiences

Vera Kazaniwskyj, Ohio State

MARVET is a marine veterinary animal workshop run every year in 3 different locations, Florida, Mexico and the Cayman Islands.   This past summer I participated in one of the MARVET workshops in the Grand Cayman, British West Indies.  It was hosted by St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine and taught by a wide range of aquatic and marine animal veterinarians.  The purpose of this workshop was to give students an introduction into the field of marine veterinary, conservation and wildlife medicine.  I am pursuing a career in zoo/wildlife animal medicine, with a specific focus on veterinary medicine.  Since we do not learn much about this field at school, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get a more well-rounded education and meet those interested in similar goals.  

 

Every morning we would attend lectures that ranging from anatomy and physiology of marine species and emerging diseases, to wildlife ecotoxicology and diagnostic surveillance.  We also learned about conservation of coral reefs and mangroves.   These lectures and discussions gave us an overall understanding about all the different facets to get involved in as a marine animal/wildlife veterinarian.  It was interesting to see all the ways veterinarians are connected not only to medicine, but also conservation and preservation of environments as a whole.

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