Andrew Tsai Photography

Andrew Tsai - Western

Volume 51: Issue 2 2nd Place Overall Winner & Photography Winner

From the artist:

"The goal was to throw the rock near the toad, make it jump, and shoot a photo while it was  in mid-air. The rock bounced off the ground (carrying a yellow pebble with it on the left) and rolled over the toad. He didn't move."

Moment of Zen 

From the artist:

"Beef cattle are pretty wary of humans. I had to stand still by the water for a good ten minutes before they approached for a drink." 

Water Cooler Gossip

From the artist:

"I wanted to make a smartphone wallpaper and very luckily it rained that night (this is in California). I collected some rain on my umbrella and dragged the droplets to make a paw print, which took a while. Didn't get any studying done that night. Again."

 Wet Paws

The Ultimate Companion Animal Scandal: Pet Overpopulation

Taylor Campione - Western

V:50 I:4 Op-Ed

Each year, nearly three million cats and dogs are put to death due to pet overpopulation. Millions more are imprisoned in city pounds, awaiting an uncertain fate. As a veterinary epidemiologist from the University of California, Davis put it, “of all the issues affecting the welfare of companion animals in the United States, there can be none larger in scope, greater in magnitude, longer in duration, or more worthy of disgrace than that of pet overpopulation.” Shockingly, the major cause of death in cats is not disease or injury, but euthanasia due to the overabundance of unwanted pets. For every puppy and kitten created by a breeder, there is an animal in a shelter who will lose its chance at getting adopted and will ultimately be killed. The reality is that although the people who breed cats and dogs make a profit at the great expense of animals, it is only perpetuated by consumer demand for the supply.

In the United States, almost 80 million households are homes for pets, and its obvious that cute puppies and kittens are widely beloved companions. Yet there remain millions of rejected whiskered faces behind shelter bars or roaming city streets, awaiting an untimely death. Despite good intentions, some people are often wary of acquiring their new furry friend from a rescue. They worry that pets with a mysterious background could have health or behavior issues, and some people prefer pedigrees that are harder to find in a shelter. Some purebred animals may have a more predictable temperament, but like people, no two pets are alike, and selecting for preferred traits, such as specific behaviors or physical characteristics, is not guaranteed and can put the animal at serious health risks.

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A Meal With A View

Brittany Lancellotti - Western

V:50 I:4 Creative Corner

While on a recent shelter medicine rotation at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT, I made a trip to Zion National Park on my day off.  After hiking up 4 miles and 2200 feet, I stopped for lunch at Observation Point, overlooking the canyon from where I had started my ascent.  It seemed a popular lunch spot, and the chipmunks had figured this out as well.  While my heart was pounding from the impressive views and steep drop offs, they scurried around the ledges gracefully, stopping only to snack on crumbs left from hungry hikers.  

AND EVEN MORE MEMES!!!!

For you Game of Thrones fans out there...

Geena Ng - UC Davis

Gosia Pajak - Illionois

Louise Qu - Western

Necropsy Report

Caitlyn Lennon - Western

V:50 I:4 Cases/Abstracts 1st Place

NECROPSY REPORT

Pet’s Name:        Patient X

Sex:                    Castrated male

Age:                    14 years

Species:              Canine

Weight:               26 lbs       

HISTORY 

Patient presented for evaluation after sliding down the stairs. A grade III/IV heart murmur, laxity of left stifle, moderate obesity, and significant periodontal disease was appreciated. Radiographs revealed mild cardiomegaly, mild left atrial enlargement, an otherwise unremarkable geriatric thorax (mild bronchointerstitial pattern), joint effusion in the left stifle, and mild DJD of the left tarsus. Pre-operative bloodwork revealed mild hyperalbuminemia, elevated ALP, and thrombocytosis. A lateral suture repair was performed the next day. Patient became hypotensive during surgery, but an increase in the fluid rate improved it slightly. At 11:20am the day after surgery the patient had a temperature of 104.5, was panting, had tacky mucous membranes, and was 6-7% dehydrated. His temperature decreased to 101.7 at 1pm after therapy initiated. By 8pm the temperature had increased to 103.1. The next day the patient was found deceased in his cage at 6:45am and his body was placed in the freezer at 12pm.

GROSS EXAMINATION

The animal submitted for necropsy is Patient X, a castrated male terrier mix canine.

Integumentary System:

The carcass has a body condition score of 4/5 with prominent fat stores. An oval mass was found in the right inguinal region, measuring 2.5cm by 1.5cm, and consisted of adipose tissue (lipoma). There was marked hyperemia of the skin in the inguinal region. No other significant lesions were observed in the skin or subcutaneous tissues. 

Musculoskeletal System:

The right hip joint was opened and revealed mild fibrillation, roughening, and erosion of the head of the femur, consistent with mild degenerative joint disease. A 10cm long incision was noted on the lateral aspect of the left stifle region (Figure 3). Staples were removed and sutured layers were incised, revealing strong, nonabsorbable sutures extending from the lateral fabella to the cranial aspect of the tibial crest, extracapsular to the stifle joint (Figure 4). This is consistent with a lateral suture repair technique for a rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament. The stifle joint was opened and no gross lesions were appreciated (Figure 4). The left tarsal joint was also opened and no gross lesions were revealed.

Gross Diagnosis:

1)     Mild degenerative joint disease of the right hip joint

2)     Lateral suture repair surgery of the left stifle

3)     Grossly normal left stifle and tarsal joints

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