FROM SMALL PAWS TO LARGE, OSU TREATS THEM ALL
Home Or Clubs. Car OSU Magazine. for Re Connec Alum Scholarships. Chapters. Clubs. Car OSU Magazine. for Re Connec Alum Scholarships. Chapters. Clubs. Car
Grandparent University gives children a chance to “try on” being a veterinarian.
PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING
The Center for Veterinary Health Sciences graduates competent, confident, practice-ready veterinarians — a tradition it has proudly carried forward since the day the veterinary college opened its doors 66 years ago. Please join us at the CVHS website: www.cvhs.okstate.edu. The OSU homepage is located at www.okstate.edu
Vet Cetera magazine is a publication of the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. Its purpose is to connect the college with its many alumni and friends, providing information on both campus news and pertinent issues in the field of veterinary medicine
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY © 2014
COVER: The Center for Veterinary Health Sciences at Oklahoma State University treats all members of the feline population ranging in size from tiny domestic kittens to large circus tigers. (Photos: Phil Shockley / University Marketing) Tiger story, Page 20.
2 WIDE WORLD OF TREATMENT
Arthur, a dog that ruptured a disc in his neck, is walking again after physical therapy and electro-acupuncture.
11 A GIFT FROM CALIFORNIA
A Jersey cow from Bakersfield, Calif., is helping veterinary students learn at OSU.
15 PETE’S PET POSSE
“America’s Healthiest Campus” establishes a pet therapy program.
23 CHANGING FOCUS
Former Dean Dr. Michael Lorenz is loving his time back in the classroom and clinic.
60 FINDING HER PASSION IN AFRICA
A fourth-year veterinary student took her studies to help a chimpanzee clinic in Zambia.
74 THANKING OSU
An OSU alumna is showing her gratitude for OSU’s veterinary college with a scholarship program for its students.
Jean Sander, DVM, MAM, DACPV Dean, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
Derinda Blakeney, APR Coordinator of Public Relations and Marketing derinda@okstate.edu
Sharon Worrell
Alumni Affairs Specialist
Heather Clay
Senior Director of Development
Dorothy L. Pugh
Editor
Paul V. Fleming
Art Director / Designer
Phil Shockley / Gary Lawson
Staff Photographers
Paul West
CVHS photography
It is no secret that Oklahoma State University has been working diligently to become America’s Healthiest Campus. This is First Cowgirl Ann Hargis’ passion and fits perfectly with the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences’ slogan, “HEALTHY ANIMALS — HEALTHY PEOPLE.”
It may not be on the minds of many who are not “in” the profession, but veterinarians address more than the health and well-being of animals. In fact, around 75 p ercent of the infectious diseases affecting humans worldwide are of animal origin. Most people know about the common zoonotic diseases such as rabies and lately certain influenzas, but they may not b e aware that many veterinarians serve as health inspectors, oversee food safety and work in homeland security.
After Sept. 11, the federal government was on high alert for agri-terrorism as animal agriculture in the United States is quite vulner able. As a poultry health specialist, I was asked to keep a close eye out for evidence of exotic poultry diseases that could rapidly spread and devastate our ability to produce food. It would not only create a shortage of poultry products in the U.S. but would wreak h avoc within our national economy as our ability to export animal protein products would come to a screeching halt.
But health problems are not limited to infectious diseases. Today, stress and anxiety related diseases plague our society. Even the stress that college students deal with today goes far beyond what my generation experienced. That again is where veterinary medicine, specifically the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences (CVHS), is playing a role.
Pete’s Pet Posse (P3) is an Oklahoma State University initiative to try to relieve some of our students’ stresses. Faculty and staff also benefit from this program as they are susceptible to workplace stresses, which can adversely affect the quality of their lives and work.
Housed within the CVHS, the P3 pet therapy program includes OSU leaders from Human Resources, University Counselling Services, OSU Legal Services, the president’s office and veterinary medicine.
The P3 program accepts applications from OSU employees who own dogs whose temperament is a good fit for this service. These are all volunteers who are required to have the approval of their supervisors. The dogs are required to be evaluated as canine good citizens and become certified as pet therapy dogs. They and their owners are trained in therapy practices as well, all to ensure a positive experience for stressed people.
St udent Affairs, Human Resources, University Counseling, as well as new student orientation and residence halls during finals have all made excellent use of the service. The feedback has been very positive, and the popularity is growing. In fact, other u niversities are starting to reach out to the OSU P3 leadership to learn how to implement similar programs. We are proud to be leaders in this area of emotional health and feel strongly that this is a perfect ancillary to make Oklahoma St ate University truly America’s Healthiest Campus.
You can read more about Pete’s Pet Posse in this edition of Vet Cetera
JEAN E. SANDER, DVM, MAM, DACPV DEAN, CENTER FOR VETERINARY HEALTH SCIENCES
Jill Murray treats Arthur with laser therapy, which requires all the people and dogs in the room at the time to wear safety goggles.
RECOVERING DOG GETS HELP IN A VARIETY OF WAYS AT OSU
An OSU graduate student found the help her dog needed to walk again at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital.
Ashley Reynolds of Perkins, Okla., is mom to shepherd mix Arthur and working on her graduate degree in education.
“Arthur ruptured a disc in his neck, which paralyzed him,” Reynolds says. “Six weeks after surgery, he could not get up. That’s not normal. I knew he would benefit from physical therapy. I had never used OSU’s hospital but I knew it was here on campus.” She adopted Arthur, now 11, from the Stillwater Humane Society when he was 2 years old.
Lara A. Sypniewski, DVM, DABVP, CVA, CCRP and the Henthorne Clinical Professor of Small Animal Medicine, uses a combination of physical therapy modalities to help Arthur regain mobility. She typically starts with therapeutic exercise, then acupuncture and laser.
“O nce I place the needles, I can increase the effectiveness using electro-acupuncture. This modality allows me to change the intensity and frequency of the electrical input,” she says. “A higher frequency is used for acute pain while a lower frequency helps relieve chronic pain. I think his mom was skeptical. The first day I saw
Arthur, he had been down for so long that no one in the room expected much. But Arthur’s eyes said that it wasn’t quite time to give up, so we pressed forward. We needled him that day and started doing deep tissue massage and laser therapy. We also made him work hard and stand on his own with assistance from a physioball.”
The physioball’s design allows the therapist to place a patient over the ball, allowing the dog’s legs and feet to reach the ground so the dog knows where he is in space and time.
“FitPaws, the company that makes physioballs, actually donated about $1,000 worth of physical therapy equipment to the Veterinary Medical Hospital. It’s wonderful,” Sypniewski says. “We have the dogs balance on them and do different workouts with them. It was very important for Arthur to know what it feels like to stand again.
“Arthur has arthritis in his elbow and hips so our final goal for him is to maintain normal function and be comfortable. We want to minimize his pain,” Sypniewski says. “Because Arthur had not used his muscles for six weeks, we had to retrain and rework his muscles. He will naturally experience some discomfort just like a person would if they exercised after weeks of no activity. So we needed to consider
rest time as well in his treatment plan. Plus it takes time for the body to heal after surgery or an injury. When I palpate Arthur, his muscles are really tight and you can feel the knots. As a result, he experiences some twitches or light tremors. We’re working with him to improve his posture with the goal of having his back straight. In addition, Arthur had stopped using his limbs in the beginning. Currently it is only his right front paw that we have to continue to readjust to a normal position. Every time we place it back, we give him a ton of praise. He is really proud of himself when he gets it right!”
Arthur receives laser therapy, too. Everyone in the room must wear safety goggles — including Arthur.
“He do esn’t like the dog googles,” says registered veterinary technician Jill Murray, RVT, RLATG, VTS-Exotic Companion Animals. “So we put them on upside down, and he seems to tolerate them. We want to be sure Arthur’s eyes are protected from the laser beams.”
“I don’t think he would have recovered if I didn’t bring him here,” says Reynolds. “I love it here. Everyone is so nice and helpful. Arthur is not 100 percent but he is functional. He can get around and go to the bathroom on his own.”
Dr. Lara Sypniewski encourages Arthur, an 11-year-old shepherd mix, as he relearns how to stand with the help of a physioball.
Big Tex is a world-famous bucking horse owned by Pete Carr’s Classic Pro Rodeo. The 14-year-old bay was named the 2010 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Bareback Horse of the Year and was scheduled to compete during the final round at the 2014 Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo at the Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Okla.
But he didn’t feel much like bucking on Saturday, April 12, when he arrived at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital at 9 p.m.
Dr. Chase Whitfield (OSU CVM ’11), equine surgery resident on call that night, met the horse trailer driven by Travis Adams, Carr’s operations manager. Big Tex had been under the care of Whitfield’s classmate, Dr. Grace Richter of Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Okla. Richter referred the case to OSU. The 1,200-pound, 16-hands-high horse was suffering from colic.
Richter had determined that Big Tex had a displacement of the colon between the spleen and the kidney. She and her team had performed a rolling maneuver to try to help move the colon off the horse’s spleen. Using a tractor, the horse’s hind legs were lifted off the ground. After two days with no improvement, the decision was made to bring him to OSU for surgery.
With the help of food animal internal medicine resident Dr. Emily Reppert, Whitfield guided Big Tex through the cattle chutes into the food- animal standing surgery room.
“It was quite a process to move him since he is not halter broke,” Whitfield remembers. “Big Tex is not the type of horse you put a halter on and lead around the barn. He’s bred to be a bucking horse, not the family pet. He comes from a long line of bucking
BIG TEX HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BUCK AT THE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO SEVEN STRAIGHT TIMES—FOUR IN BAREBACK RIDING AND THREE IN SADDLE BRONC RIDING. IN 2010, HE WAS PART OF ONE OF THE WORLDRECORD 94-POINT BAREBACK RIDES WHEN TILDEN HOOPER RODE HIM IN SILVER CITY, N.M. HE ALSO TIED THE NFR ARENA RECORD WHEN FOUR-TIME WORLD CHAMPION BOBBY MOTE SCORED 91.5 POINTS ON HIM IN 2008.
champions. Once we had him in the standing food animal surgery room, we anesthetized him and hoisted him onto a rolling table. We then moved him down the veterinary hospital hallway and into the equine surgery room where we again hoisted him onto the equine operating table.”
Whitfield performed the surgery assisted by Dr. Daniel Burba. Burba, DVM, DACVS, was a professor of equine surgery at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine at the time. He was at OSU on a thr ee-week locum and since then, his appointment to OSU (Veterinary Clinical Sciences) was approved at the October Regents meeting.
“Big Tex has a 10-inch incision on his belly from the colic surgery,” Whitfield says. “Colic is always a risk. Once I opened him, I was able to inject fluid directly into his colon to relieve the blockage. Fortunately, I didn’t need to go into the colon, which would have made his recovery longer and more difficult.”
Three days later, Big Tex was off antibiotics and pain medication and walking around with no obvious signs of discomfort.
“He’s not used to being confined in a stall. However, I was able to place a catheter in him for fluids
and medication. Usually he’s out in the pasture with a herd of horses. We brought in a 20-year-old from the herd to keep him company and hopefully relaxed so he can start healing,” says Whitfield.
According to Pete Carr, owner of the stock contracting company that promotes and produces rodeo events, bucking horses are all different.
“Some live until they are in there 30s. Some buck into their 20s, others not quite that long,” says Carr.
“We produce about 30 rodeos a year,” adds Carr. “I’m passionate about the livestock and producing the best events I can that entertain people. This was our first visit to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital, and it was outstanding.”
Big Tex left the hospital for home in Athens, Texas, six days after his successful surgery. Even though he appeared docile in the hospital, Whitfield warns that he will buck as soon as you put a flank strap on him. But the big horse won’t be working anytime soon.
“He will be off the rodeo circuit for about four to six months. He’s a cross of some type — any horse that size has some draft horse in him,” adds Whitfield.
And that’s all the better to buck those cowboys off!
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
OSU HELPS QUARTER HORSES OVERCOME HEALTH PROBLEMS AND FULFILL THEIR POTENTIAL
It began with a quarter horse mare owned by Eddie Johns of Altus, Okla. The mare had a foal with an infected hock. Johns turned to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital for treatment.
“I w as in my residency when Eddie first came to OSU,” recalls Dr. Lyndi Gilliam, who has been teaching equine internal medicine at the Veterinary Medical Hospital for the past eight years. “The foal’s joint and bone were so severely infected that I didn’t think she would get sound. We treated her for a long time and amazingly, she went on to race.”
Then there was that foal’s sister — Lil Red Runaway.
“This baby was so sick. She couldn’t stand by herself,” says Johns. “My best friend, David, came with me when we brought her to Stillwater. He had to hold her up while Lyndi started an IV on her.”
“It was the worst case of pneumonia I have ever seen,” says Dr. Gilliam. “I told Eddie that we can try but I don’t think we can save this filly. We put her on oxygen and hourly albuterol treatments, like asthmatics take, to open the foal’s airways. We followed this regime treating her for months and she, too, got better.”
“After she came back home, it took many more months to get her healed. Lyndi would show me ultrasounds of her lungs and you could see all the scarring and lesions. She probably shouldn’t have made it. Even though Lil Red never gave up and was a fighter, it was Lyndi’s quick action and accurate diagnosis that got her on the road to recovery.”
And what a road it was. While it took a long time for the young horse to heal, Lil Red Runaway also ended up racing.
“Lil Red ran in the Iowa Double Gold Futurity,” Johns says. “She ran the fastest qualifying time and placed second by two-hundredths of a second. She ran her heart out every time and gave me everything she had.”
“I watched Lil Red Runaway run at Remington Park in Oklahoma City,” says Gilliam. “She placed third that day. It was a highlight of my career, because I never thought she would walk let alone race. It’s a wonderful feeling to know you played a role in healing her as a baby so she could grow and go on to reach her potential.”
Lil Red raced for two years before Johns retired her. Last year, she gave birth to a colt named Famous Lil Runaway and in the spring of 2014, she gave birth to a filly named Redheads Run Hotter.
“I have brought many horses to OSU,” adds Johns. “It doesn’t matter what the problem is, I know it will get taken care of. Dr. Gilliam loves her job and she is good at it and that makes a difference. The prices are reasonable, and I have full confidence in the services provided.”
“It amazes me that we were not only able to save Lil Red Runaway when she was a baby but that she went on to race and earn money. And now she has given birth to this beautiful filly, Redheads Run Hotter,” says Gilliam. “Eddie has
been through a lot with Lil Red. He never gave up, and I’m glad we were able to pull her through for him. Hopefully Redheads Run Hotter will bring him many successful races. We wish him and his wife, Vanisa, all the best.”
“I am so grateful to Lyndi for her dedication to saving horses,” says Johns. “I truly believe I would not have Lil Red if it weren’t for her. This horse has never let me down and has always exceeded my expectations. She truly makes me smile every day. Thank you, Lyndi and OSU.”
DERINDA BLAKENEY
OSU HELPS SAVE RESCUED HORSE’S LEG WITH RARE PROCEDURE
GARY LAWSON / UNIVERSITY MARKETING
The Center for Veterinary Health Sciences brought one rescued horse’s leg back with a unique procedure.
Spirit had been beaten with a baseball bat before he was saved by Ranch Hand Rescue in Texas.
“I believe all life is precious,” says Bob Williams of Ranch Hand Rescue. “If we can take these animals and give them a good quality of life, there are all kinds of people that will adopt them and give them love. We have adopted many into our sanctuary where they become therapy horses.”
Dr. Sammy Pittman of Innovative Equine Podiatry and Veterinary Services has worked with the organization on several cases and consulted with Dr. Mike Schoonover, assistant professor of equine surgery at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital, about Spirit’s options.
“D r. Pittman actually referred the case to us,” says Schoonover. “Initially, I didn’t think Spirit was a great candidate for this particular
procedure because of the severity of his angulation and the length of time that had lapsed since the original injury.
“The procedure we performed is not commonly done. It involves fusing all the joints of the knee. Horses have three separate joints in their knee. We used stainless steel bone plates and applied them across the joints so that the joints no longer move. After talking with Dr. Pittman and hearing Bob Williams describe the horse and the work they are doing, we decided to try the procedure. This is only the third procedure of this type that I have done,” explains Schoonover.
Schoonover did the surgery and then Pittman, who is also a farrier, built a special shoe for Spirit to help the horse’s good foot, which was already overloaded and weak. Schoonover finished up with a cast on the repaired leg — orange, of course, to show their OSU spirit.
The surgery was a success.
“We are starting to see some changes radiographically, which indicates the bones are healing together and that’s a good sign. Because of the severity of his angulation, Spirit is having a little more trouble than I would like from a rehabilitation standpoint. Essentially, he has to re-learn to walk using the joints ab ove and below his knee, which is now stiff. We’re trying some different splints and devices to help him walk better, but he’s certainly come a long way from where he was initially,” reports Schoonover.
And through it all, Spirit has been very cooperative.
“Spirit is a really unique horse. He has maintained a good disposition, considering all he’s been through,” says Schoonover.
“Oklahoma State University was progressive and innovative on how they treated Spirit and it’s working,” adds Williams.
Schoonover, a 2000 OSU DVM grad, joined the faculty in 2012. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Since earning his DVM degree from OSU in 2003, Pittman has studied under internationally known equine podiatrist Dr. Ric Redden to enhance his knowledge in treating hoof ailments. Innovative Equine Podiatry and Veterinary Services PLLC is located in Tulsa.
Ranch Hand Rescue is a nonprofit farm animal rescue center and sanctuary in Argyle, Texas. For more information, visit ranchhandrescue.org or contact Bob Williams at (940) 464-0985.
View two videos about Spirit: okla.st/1jOajD3 and okla.st/qhsgcwn
Ulcers in a horse are not good. But it was good when equine veterinarians at Oklahoma State treated the horse, which went on to win money for his owners.
Drs. Lyndi Gilliam and Todd Holbrook, equine internal medicine specialists at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital, are truly excited about their patient’s progress. Stevie, a 14-yearold bay quarter horse owned by Nikki and Jason Stewart of Bristow, Okla., has been treated twice at OSU.
Stevie first came to OSU in July 2013 after having an adverse reaction to medication he was given for a snakebite.
“We’ve owned Stevie for nine years. He’s in his prime. Jason rides him in bulldogging,” says Nikki Stewart. “We thought he was a goner.”
The horse lost significant weight. Two veterinarians had tried to treat Stevie but his symptoms kept progressing, so Dr. Jerry Randall contacted Gilliam and referred Stevie to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital.
“One of our findings from Stevie’s examination made us suspect he could be suffering from an adverse reaction to one of the medications he had been given,” explains Gilliam. “We performed an ultrasound and blood work, which confirmed our suspicions. Since he had been bitten by a snake, one of our concerns was heart damage, so we carefully evaluated his heart and found no abnormalities. All Stevie’s symptoms could be attributed to his medication. Stevie was suffering from right dorsal colitis, which is a complication that can occur in horses treated with anti-inflammatory medications similar to ibuprofen in people. We treated him with other medications to help his colon heal and changed his diet until his colon completely recovered.”
By November 2013 the horse had gained back most of his weight and was ready to compete once again.
“Stevie is doing great,” says Nikki. “Jason won first place in the first round of the American Cowboys Rodeo Association (ACRA) Final and second place in the second round. He also won the average at the ACRA Final.”
Stevie and Jason placed ninth overall in the 2014 International Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City.
In June 2014, Stevie returned to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. Dr. Todd Holbrook, equine section chief who is also board certified in veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation, was assigned to the case.
“The owners think Stevie may have ulcers,” says Holbrook. “Poor performance and change in appetite are common clinical signs that will give owners a hint that a horse may have ulcers. Nikki noticed that Stevie had been consuming his grain slowly. Horses typically have consistent eating habits, and she noticed it was now taking him a long time to finish his grain.”
Holbrook and his team performed an endoscopic exam of Stevie’s stomach.
“Stevie had gastric ulcers, so we put him on medication that changes the Ph in the stomach. Since horses are made to continually graze, their system is constantly making gastric acid,” explains Holbrook. “We have prescribed Gastro Guard™ by Merial, which is similar to Prilosec™ taken by humans. In two weeks, we will have Stevie come back and we’ll scope him again. If the ulceration is gone, we will lower the dose by giving him Ulcer Guard. This will work as a preventive to keep his stomach ulcers from flaring up.”
Thanks to the work of both Gilliam and Holbrook, Stevie is healthy, back to work and racking up points in bulldogging on the International Finals Rodeo circuit.
She came all the way from Bakersfield, Calif., compliments of her donor, Amanda Wright, DVM, OSU College of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2012. Born a twin with a male calf, this Jersey cow needed a new home.
“Since I graduated, I have been working at Veterinarian’s Outlet, a veterinary practice under Animal Health International,” explains Wright. “We are a dairy practice in Bakersfield.”
Wright’s duties include being a veterinarian in the morning and a microbiologist in the afterno on.
“Most mornings I spend time on the dairy doing herd checks and palpating cows. I also help with dystocias or difficult or abnormal births, calf hood vaccination, and an occasional surgery. In the afternoon, I’m managing the Milk Quality Lab, where we diagnose all the milk quality results and report the findings to clients.”
So how did Wright come to donate Daisy to OSU?
“I wanted to give back to OSU Vet Med and find a donor cow that met their qualifications. Our practice covers about 110,000 cows and heifers, so I had just a few to pick from,” she says with a smile. “Daisy is a ‘free-martin’ heifer. Because of a cow’s placental attachment, the male twin’s hormone crossed over to the female, causing her to become sterile. Daisy doesn’t have a functioning reproductive tract. She can’t get pregnant, and she can’t give milk. And if a cow does not make milk on a dairy, she gets a career change.”
“Jersey cows tend to be a sweet-natured breed and smaller in size, therefore Daisy is a perfect donor cow,” says Dr. Melanie Boileau, food animal section chief at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. “She is not only a great teaching to ol for the veterinary students, she also serves as a blood and rumen fluid donor. In this way, Daisy is donating back by helping us treat sick cattle in need.”
“Donations come in all forms; this one is named Daisy and moos,” adds Wright.
Wright loaded up Daisy and personally drove the cow from Bakersfield to Stillwater. After dropping Daisy at the veterinary hospital, she headed south to Fort Worth, Texas, for the National Mastitis Council Conference.
“I ended up making a 3,000-mile road trip, getting in some continuing education and stopping to see friends and classmates along the way,” says Wright. “Daisy is one lucky heifer at her new home in Stillwater, where she will hopefully impact many students over her years to come.”
And for all the students who will learn from Daisy, Wright has this to offer: “Find out what your passion in life is and make a job out of it. If you are not sure of what you want to do, learn what you don’t want to do. That will help narrow down your options until you find your passion. I work hard but I love what I am doing, so it do esn’t feel like work at all.”
KNEE REPLACEMENTS ARE GOING TO THE DOGS THESE DAYS
Dr. Mark Rochat has been performing small animal surgeries for 20 years at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. As most veterinarians do, he is constantly working to improve his skill set, learning the latest techniques, trying the newest technology. Already a board-certified veterinary surgeon, he has added yet another skill to his veterinary medicine bag. Dr. Rochat has been certified to perform total knee replacements and has successfully done so in several dogs. While learning this new skill, Rochat has been diligently mentoring surgery residents and junior faculty members in the technique. In fact, OSU is leading the country in the number of knee replacements done and he will be helping to teach the course in the near future. Here are just two successful knee replacement case stories.
Ryan and Janae Gorman and Dr. Mark Rochat are all happy with Addie’s progress following the dog’s
Addie Gorman is a yellow Labrador retriever who turned 5 in May 2014. She has been with Ryan and Janae Gorman since she was 12 weeks old.
“We couldn’t understand why she was the last puppy left,” says Ryan Gorman. “But then we soon discovered she has leg problems.”
The first issue arose in January 2012.
“We were playing in the yard,” recalls Gorman. “Addie jumped up, and I heard a sound like a rubber band snapping. I knew that wasn’t good.”
By March 2012, Addie had her first knee surgery on her left knee to replace torn ligaments with artificial ones. In May 2012, the surgery had to be redone. By August 2012, her right knee went out due to the extra use and weight it had to bear while her left knee recuperated. By March 2013, Addie was doing underwater treadmill and laser therapies with little improvement.
“ On July 31, 2013, Addie’s veterinarians referred us to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital,” says Gorman. “The next day Addie was undergoing surgery.”
With OSU small animal surgeons Drs. Mark Rochat, J.T. Walker, Jeremiah Moorer and Jason Duell on the case, it was discovered that Addie’s left knee was infected.
“They had to take out all of her implants or artificial ligaments to clean out the infection,” says Gorman. “Then they had to wait to make sure the infection was all gone. Originally, Addie’s surgery was scheduled for February 2014. But there was one small spot on her incision that they didn’t like the looks of so we opted to wait and be 100 percent sure she was infection-free before operating.”
In mid-March 2014, Addie had her left knee totally replaced. After chewing off the cone that was supposed to keep her from disturbing her sutures and breaking through the third door on the Gormans’ utility room, Addie showed her separation anxiety clearly.
“My wife and I are both accountants, so we work all day,” says Gorman. “Dr. Rochat offered to keep Addie and rehab her on-site and literally babysit her at the same time. Students would be able to check on her frequently when she wasn’t in rehabilitation down the hall. So for nine weeks, I would drive to Stillwater on Monday morning and drop Addie off. Then we would pick her up on Friday so she could come home for the weekend. Everyone at the hospital has been awesome. We would get an update every morning and every evening. They were wonderful about answering all of our questions even if we called late at night.”
On May 30, 2014, Addie was released to go home.
“She no longer has to be in a crate. She needs to be confined to one room when we are not there for about one more week,” Gorman says at her release. “She has to be on a leash when she’s outside. Addie is walking with no problem. Her leg looks normal. Addie doesn’t realize she has a new knee but the muscles and ligaments need time to heal.”
“Her radiographs look good. Her implants are nice and tight; everything is in place,” says Dr. J.T. Walker. “Addie is 12 weeks out from her surgery, and it’s time we start letting her get back to being a dog. Monitor her behavior. If you see her limping, if there is swelling or signs of discomfort, please call us.”
“I love these guys,” says Gorman. “They have been great. All the students and staff know Addie, and she is glad to see them. Being OSU graduates we knew the hospital was here; we just didn’t know you could go right in and use it for wellness care as well as emergencies. Addie is doing great. She is off all the anti-inflammatory drugs and pain medication she was previously on.”
“We are very happy with the results. Addie can have a real life now,” adds Janae Gorman.
“We really appreciate owners like you who are willing to take the steps necessary to fix the problem,” says Rochat. “We start with stabilizing the knee and medical therapy for osteoarthritis but, if that doesn’t work, we historically had very limited options. Before total knee replacement, we could choose either amputation of the limb, fusion of the knee, or euthanasia, none of which offer a chance to re-establish a functional leg. Today, I am glad we have something better to offer that gives the dog its mobility, pain free.”
Franklin Morris is a 7-year-old boxer. He is owned by Jason Morris, an Air Force pilot. Jason watched Franklin’s parents grow up and has had Franklin since he was a puppy. It was November 2012 when Jason first knew there was a problem with the dog’s knee.
“At the time, I was stationed at Vance Air Force Base in Enid,” Morris says. “I discovered that OSU was the only place in the region that had an underwater treadmill. I was bringing Frankie in for therapy with Laura Moorer and we had Drs. Mark Rochat, J.T. Walker and Jeremiah Moorer come in and look at him.”
D r. Rochat ordered a biopsy and scope on Franklin’s knee. What they found was not good news.
“There was a disgusting infection in Franklin’s knee that had destroyed his meniscus, cartilage and ACL,” says Jason. “It was awful. Before we could do anything, they had to stop the infection.”
Three antibiotic gel injections were administered directly into the dog’s knee at two-week inter vals. For three months, Franklin received three antibiotic shots a day as well.
“I would bring Franklin to OSU for the knee injections and scopes. The three shots a day of antibiotics I was able to give him at home,” says Morris.
By July 2013, Franklin’s infection was gone, and he was ready for knee replacement surgery.
“Frankie stayed at the Vet Med Hospital for seven to 10 days to make sure everything was OK and that there were no problems. Then we began his physical therapy,” says Morris.
Franklin’s knee issues brought Morris to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital for the first time. He was genuinely pleased with the entire process.
“I asked Dr. Rochat about knee replacement surgery,” says Morris. “I had been researching it and found that he had been doing hip replacement surgeries with great success. His reputation among veterinarians was so highly touted that I knew he was the only one I wanted operating on my dog. Dr. Rochat’s response was, ‘It’s funny you should ask as I just became certified to perform the surgery.’ He and Drs. Walker and Moorer are phenomenal — top notch. I would drive across the country to see these guys. The level of care was stellar from the cardiologist to the surgeon to the physical therapist.
“The amazing part of all this is that OSU veterinary team was able to take a fully septic joint, get rid of the infection and replace the knee successfully. There is no cement in the bone; it is all natural,” adds Morris.
Ten months later, Jason reports that Frankie is running and playing.
“On a cold day, he may be a little stiff but once you get him warmed up, he’s good to go,” Morris says.
Morris was so impressed by everything that was done for Franklin that he has decided to get his degree to become a certified canine physical therapist.
“There is a huge need, and no one in this area is doing it,” says Morris. “If people are willing to spend $5,000 for surgery on their pet, they will be willing to spend $300 to $400 on the physical therapy.”
Morris has been serving in the military for 10 years. He was deployed to the Middle East this summer. And when he returns, Franklin will be able to run up and greet him, thanks to the new knee.
OSU LAUNCHES NATION’S MOST WAGGIN’ THERAPY PROGRAM
Oklahoma State is committed to be “America’s Healthiest Campus”® and continues to establish many programs to improve nutrition, increase physical activities and develop better overall health practices for its employees and students. Pete’s Pet Posse was established by OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in cooperation with its Veterinary Medical Hospital, University Counseling, Human Resources and the Employee Assistance Program to improve the emotional welfare of faculty, staff and students and alumni and campus visitors as well.
The first of its kind in the nation, Pete’s Pet Posse uses OSU’s own faculty and staff to provide a wellness benefit to the entire OSU population by placing therapy dogs in various departments on campus. Animals serve their “office” and conduct other visits across campus as requested. Visits are conducted in a variety of places, including new employee orientation, new student orientation, the library, residence halls, sor ority/fraternity houses, etc. Research has shown that exposure to and contact with animals has a soothing effect, which can decrease blood pressure, reduce stress and calm agitation. These therapy dogs provide great emotional support for all they meet.
Instrumental in creating and implementing the pilot phase of the program, First Cowgirl Ann Hargis is leading the way by example. She and President Hargis adopted an abandoned dog, Scruff, and he has been accepted into the program as a therapy dog.
“Scruff was being abused in his neighborhood. He had been shot and was unable to use his front left leg,” says Ann Hargis. “He was rescued by three OSU students who brought him to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. The students turned to social media to raise the funds needed to treat Scruff.”
Drs. Mark Rochat, small animal surgery section chief, and Jason Duell, small animal surgery resident, at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital treated Scruff. Dr. Lara Sypniewski, the Henthorne
Clinical Professor in Small Animal Medicine at the hospital, followed up with aggressive rehabilitation to help Scruff regain normal function.
“Scruff r eceived water therapy, laser therapy and even acupuncture,” Hargis continues. “When we learned of his story, we were just starting Pete’s Pet Posse and were looking for a dog. It was at that time the Veterinary Medical Hospital mentioned what a great disposition this young dog had. We adopted each other, and I couldn’t be more thankful to Dr. Syp for her creative and innovative approach and to the aspiring veterinary students for the many hours of attention and care they provided Scruff.”
Each therapy dog and its owner/ handler must complete an application that will be reviewed by the program’s Advisory Board. Owners are interviewed, and all animals must receive a physical exam by a veterinarian at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. Also, a trainer must evaluate the animal’s disposition to make sure it is a good candidate for the program. All dogs and handlers must complete the training program to become certified as a p et therapy dog in Pete’s Pet Posse. Animals are not the property of OSU, but live at home with their families and volunteer on behalf of the university.
In addition to receiving free annual wellness exams from OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital, each dog is given a specially designed orange vest to wear when volunteering as an OSU therapy dog, a collar and a leash.
Pete’s Pet Posse consists of 14 trained dogs. Here are the dogs, their owner/handler and the department each volunteers for:
ZIPPER , owned by Alissa Cable , Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
CHARLIE , owned by Kendria Cost, Department of Human Resources
DISCO , owned by Rick Eggers, Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence
SOPHIE , owned by Joy Fieldsend, Alumni Association
COOPER , owned by Holley Hansen and Stephen Nemeth, Political Science
SCRUFF , owned by Ann Hargis, Office of the President
SANDY , owned by Gaylene Hargrove, Bursar’s Office
BELLA , owned by Jan Jewell, OSU Foundation
CHICO , owned by Elizabeth Lohrman, Seretean Wellness Center
WINNIE , owned by Sherri Longan , Applied Health and Educational Psychology
KILO , owned by Katelyn McAdams, Human Development and Family Science
NALA , owned by Jill Murray, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
ROCKY , owned by Allie Potts, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, Department of Institutional Diversity
EVIE , owned by Lorinda Schrammel, Human Resources
“Scruff loves going to campus and being around faculty, staff and students. He is proud to wear his orange vest and when he wears it, he knows that it is time to be compassionate and go to work,” says Ann. “It is amazing to me that after all he has been through he still wants to give back. His love is pure and unconditional, and I like to say he is giving back in true Cowboy spirit.”
Proud sponsors of Pete’s Pet Posse include HomeAgain, Merial and Nestlé Purina PetCare.
“Like Scruff, many of the dogs in the program were rescued from a shelter. If a dog has not yet been microchipped, HomeAgain will provide this service at no cost
to the owner,” says Sypniewski. “Nestlé provides the dog food so our therapy dogs are ‘powered by Purina’ to do their very best. And Merial provides our hospital with vaccinations and heartworm prevention medication as well as flea and tick preventative to ensure the dogs stay healthy.”
And the success stories keep coming in as the program grows from the first two therapy dogs — Charlie and Evie — to 14 dogs, fully trained and operational.
“A freshman met one of the dogs the first day of classes. She burst into tears and said, ‘I am not homesick for anything except my dogs.’ She keeps in touch with one of our owners/handlers. As a result of the
program, she is also volunteering her time at the local humane society to get her puppy fix,” says Hargis. “Dr. Lee Bird, VP of student affairs, sometimes uses a dog as she visits students who are in crisis or need to talk but are having a hard time. It’s also as simple as hearing the comments made as we are out on campus. ‘This is the best thing that has happened to me all day’ or ‘I saw the dogs, and that makes my heart so happy.’ Perhaps the most obvious signs are the smiles the dogs bring. As people interact with the dogs, they can’t help but smile, ask questions and even share pictures of their own dogs.”
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
For more information on Pete’s Pet Posse, visit www.PetTherapy.okstate.edu
Evie came to Oklahoma State University’s Veterinary Medical Hospital in May 2013. She was found wandering the streets of Shawnee, Okla., after a tornado blew through, leaving a trail of destruction. The 2-year-old spayed black-and-tan shepherd was full of ticks and tested positive for heartworm.
“We cleaned her up, took her picture and posted her information on various social media sites hoping her owners would come and claim her,” says Dr. Lara Sypniewski, Henthorne Clinical Professor of Small Animal Medicine, a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, a certified veterinary medical acupuncturist and a community practice veterinarian at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital.
Her owners never came. But instead of giving up, Evie is giving back.
“Evie is a wonderful dog. She loves people and really thrives on any attention students or fellow clinicians give her,” says Sypniewski. “She has completed training to be a member of Pete’s Pet Posse, and works out of OSU’s Human Resources Department.”
“Evie has gone from being a victim to helping those who are less fortunate and could benefit by a warm, friendly wag of her tail,” adds Sypniewski. “We hope people will see the good that can come out of a bad situation and support Evie’s health care and training by giving to Pete’s Pet Posse.”
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
For more information on Pete’s Pet Posse, contact Health Clay, senior director of development, Oklahoma State University Foundation, 400 S. Monroe, Stillwater, OK 74074 or call 405-385-5607.
Evie, a member of Pete’s Pet Posse, and her handler, Lorinda Schrammel
BREATHING PROBLEMS, PANCREATITIS, DIABETES AND CATARACTS — IN LESS THAN 10 POUNDS OF FLUFF
Kassie Smith’s Brussels Griffon, Francis “Frankie” Smith probably shouldn’t be around anymore. However, this 9-pound ball of wonder celebrated his 6th birthday in July 2014, thanks to the surgical expertise of Dr. Danielle Dugat at OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
Frankie, who lives with his owner in Oklahoma City, first visited OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital in June 2012. Dugat, a small animal surgeon at the hospital, operated on Frankie for his upper airway syndrome, shortening his long soft palate that was obstructing his breathing — a common problem in flat-nosed breeds.
After the surgery, Frankie was a healthy, happy little dog until he developed suspected pancreatitis in July 2013. Drs. Mike Linville (OSU CVM ‘91) and Meghan Ritchie of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Hospital in Oklahoma City p erformed the initial tests. Once Frankie was stabilized following emergency surgery by Dr. Brent Newcomb (OSU CVM ’06) at Veterinary Surgery Center in Oklahoma City, Smith contacted Dugat and brought the dog to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital for aftercare.
“Frankie came to us to recover after emergency surgery in Oklahoma City,” explains Dugat. “He had pancreatitis that became so severe it essentially was melting away or killing his pancreas. His condition, called necrotizing pancreatitis, then led to the development of an abscess. I had to take him into a second emergency surgery in an attempt to resolve the abscess. He should have died from the necrotizing pancreatitis and abscess formation, but he made it through.”
Operating on a dog Frankie’s size is a challenge, especially when the abscess was practically stuck to e very one of the small dog’s organs. Dugat had to be very exact in removing the abscess without damaging Frankie’s vital organs. Due to the complexity of the abscess, a drain was placed in his belly cavity after surgery to prevent the abscess from re-forming while he was being treated with antibiotics.
“Frankie came through surgery like a champ,” Smith says. “He was standing just two hours after surgery.”
Smith did her best to make Frankie’s stay as comfortable as possible. According to thenfourth year veterinary students Whitney Fry and Alisha Rogers, Frankie’s ICU cage was covered with photos and quotes from home.
“When Frankie was finally discharged, I left the Jesus Calling Daily Devotional book I had read to him or had Alisha or Whitney read to him on days I couldn’t make it,” says Smith. “Having this daily reminder of the greatest power of all with him every day made a huge difference, so we hoped it might give other patients, parents and ICU members hope to keep going in the future. My faith, along with the other prayer warriors out there, along with the skill and expertise God so generously graced these hardworking and well-educated doctors, surgeons, technicians and students with are what pulled Frankie through and still are each day.”
Three months later, Frankie again struggled with pancreatitis. In October 2013, he saw Dr. Alicia Bangert, a small animal internal medicine resident at the hospital, for a second bout of pancreatitis. Bangert did a plasma transfusion in an attempt to recover him from the painful episo de of pancreatitis.
Since Frankie’s initial surgery, Kassie was warned about the potential that Frankie could develop diabetes due to the serious extent of his pancreatic disease, and by December 2013, Frankie did indeed develop diabetes. Dr. Bangert evaluated Frankie every two weeks to try to regulate his diabetes and control a new problem, high triglycerides.
“D r. Bangert is amazing,” says Smith. “She has answered emails, text messages, and phone calls at all hours of the night during this process with Frankie. She is very thorough and hardworking and I really appreciate it.”
“Frankie is a complicated diabetic,” adds Dugat. “He only has part of his pancreas, the organ that makes insulin for the body. And the part that is left is failing.”
Frankie was put on insulin to help control his high blood sugar and medication to help control his high triglycerides, a direct effect of being diabetic. In May 2014, the tiny dog would face yet another challenge.
“He just fell off his ramp one night – he’s always so agile, something was definitely wrong,” says Kassie. “I picked him up and he seemed fine. I had to leave on a trip and when I returned, I
took one look at my precious baby and knew something was wrong. His normally big, bright eyes were cloudy.”
Smith panicked not knowing if the diabetes was causing Frankie’s liver to fail, if this was something that could ultimately take him away from her. She called OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital without a second thought and brought Frankie in.
Luckily, Dr. Jonathan Pucket, one of OSU’s board certified veterinary ophthalmologists, was able to squeeze Frankie in to examine the dog. Dr. Pucket confirmed that Frankie has cataracts.
“Frankie has a cataract on his right eye that is blocking 80 percent of his sight,” explains Pucket. “His left eye has 40 percent of his vision blocked. The cataracts are caused by Frankie’s diabetes. The extra sugar in his blood stream leads to cataract development and blocks his vision. If we don’t operate, the cataracts will progress and he will lose his sight in both eyes.”
Thankfully, even with his diabetes, Frankie is a good candidate for cataract surgery. The operation is scheduled. In the meantime, prescription eye drops will help keep his eyes comfortable
and Smith is instructed to keep him away from drop offs, in-ground swimming pools, anything that could be a threat only because he can’t see it clearly enough to avoid it.
“I am an OSU alumna and so proud of all you do here at the veterinary hospital,” says Smith. “The students are wonderful, the clinicians and staff knowledgeable, and everyone is so supp ortive. When Dr. Pucket confirmed that Francis had cataracts, I just looked at him and said, ‘is this going to kill him?’ After all he has been through you just wonder what will finally be the end. I’m happy to say that Dr. Pucket said this will not be a threat to Frankie’s overall health and he should go through the surgery just fine. There have been so many people here who have helped Frankie on this journey. He really is a miracle dog. There will never be enough thanks for their hard work, love and hope. Everyone at the veterinary hospital is a true blessing to me and Frankie.”
To help with Frankie’s veterinarian bills, Smith has pet insurance through Pet Plan Insurance, one of the largest international insurance companies. The insurance covers 80 percent of Frankie’s veterinary care.
OSU HELPS DENTIST GIVE A BIG CAT 2 ROOT CANALS AND A CAP
A tiger from the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus out of Hugo, Okla., spent a day in Stillwater in March 2014 but it wasn’t performing. Delilah, a 10½-year-old female tiger, needed some dental work, and OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital had the staff and the facilities to accommodate the 372-pound feline.
“OSU’s role was to provide anesthesia services and a table large enough to hold D elilah while Dr. Peter Emily and his assistant Susanne performed the necessary dental work,” says Dr. Meg Gross, clinical associate professor and head of anesthesiology at the hospital.
Emily is a human dentist who has been providing veterinary dental services for more than 40 years. Since 2005, he has promoted oral and dental health of domestic and captive exotics worldwide through the Peter Emily International Veterinary Dental Foundation.
“I’ve repaired broken bird beaks, worked on lions, tigers, snakes — anything that has a mouth I work on,” says Emily.
Trey Key, Delilah’s owner, noticed she wasn’t eating and sought veterinary counsel.
“I’ve had Delilah since March 2005. She was 1½ years old when I got her and her brother from the same litter,” says Key, who has owned the circus for 14 years. “I used some handling maneuvers to get her to open her mouth. I just started snapping photos so we could see what we were dealing with. The veterinarian said Delilah had some teeth that needed work.”
D r. Emily worked on Delilah for 3 to 3½ hours giving her two root canals and one cap.
“While Delilah was under anesthesia, we performed a thorough physical exam, along with some preventative health care measures like vaccination and blood work to assess her overall health,” says Jill Murray, RVT, RLATG, VTS then working in the Avian, Exotic and Zoo Medicine Service at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital.
Key has been in the circus business for 24 years. His Culpepper and Merriweather Circus employs 30 people. In addition to Delilah and her brother, the circus has
one African lion, horses and dogs that perform. The 2014 season ran March through October.
“The circus fits America well because people want to see what’s out there — what’s around the next bend,” says Key. “Last year, we traveled the west coast and this year we’re seeing the Midwest and now Delilah will be well and able to make that journey with us. Thank you, Dr. Emily and OSU.”
A few weeks after her visit to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital, Key reported that Delilah was doing well. OSU was glad to help the show go on — after all, who doesn’t like a circus?
While Dr. Michael Lorenz says his work at the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences involves “everything from kissing puppies” to much more, the tables are sometimes turned on him.
LORENZ WORKS TO KEEP CONNECTIONS STRONG WITH STUDENTS, PATIENTS AND ADMINISTRATION
Dr. Michael Lorenz, former dean of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, has always maintained relationships with veterinary students, even while handling his academic administration duties.
“Teaching has always been very dear to my heart,” Lorenz says. “As dean at OSU, I did a lot of classroom teaching, but maintained viability in the veterinary hospital in neurology.”
So when he wanted to set aside the administrative position, the transition back to his clinical and teaching environment was relatively easy.
“I maintained a relationship with students and faculty,” he says. “I’ve been involved in the daily life of the veterinary college. Deans at other colleges asked how I did that. My observation over many years is that if you want to maintain a relationship with students, you go where the students are. They don’t willingly come to the dean’s office.”
He returned to fulltime teaching in August 2011 after he retired fr om administration. His commitment earned him the 2013 Regent’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Lor enz maintains a very full schedule at the veterinary hospital, seeing patients Monday through Thursday with appointments every 30 minutes.
“It’s everything from kissing puppies and petting kittens to telling an owner it is time to put this dog down. I call it an Alpha to Omega practice,” he says. “I have a lot of consultations; all the dermatology cases are funneled through me, and I consult on neurology cases.”
Lorenz is the only OSU vet student to return to the college as dean. Through the years he has earned many honors, from the Dean McElroy Award as outstanding student in his graduating class to the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award.
He w as named the 2011 Veterinarian of the Year and was just inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.
A few cases over the years have kept his attention.
“Rodney the Brittany Spaniel was one for sure,” Lorenz says. “During my time at the University of Georgia, Rodney was seen by another doctor for a neurological disorder. The diagnosis was canine distemper, but I was relatively sure that was not the case. I was suspicious he had an inherited neurodegenerative disease.”
A series of diagnostic tests were done because the symptoms were very much like some human pediatric and neonatal diseases.
“He had the strangest gait on the planet,” Lorenz says. “He appeared to be a sentinel case of a dog with a neurological disease like ALS. That wasn’t the case, but he was a dead ringer for some other pediatric and neonatal neurological disorders.”
The National Institutes of Health wanted to establish a colony of dogs with the same issue in or der to study the disorder, Lorenz says.
“We tried to find Rodney’s siblings and parents,” he says. “It turns out the father listed on Ro dney’s paperwork was a fraud — he was a surrogate who was posing as
Rodney’s father. All the subterfuge involved in his heritage made it all the more interesting.”
At last a colony was developed and was later moved to Johns Hopkins. It was determined Rodney and his r elatives had a disorder called paraspinal muscular atrophy.
“The case became the model for these neurological conditions in people,” Lorenz says. “We were successful in getting the genes into b eagles, which are easier to manage. We look to them as models for their human counterparts.”
Three other models are used in the research, he says — two in cat colonies and the third uses Gordon setters.
Lor enz graduated with his DVM from OSU in 1969 and completed his internship and residency at Cornell University. He ser ved on the faculty at the University of Georgia from 1972 to 1988 and as the dean of veterinary medicine at Kansas State University until 1994. In 1997, he joined the faculty at OSU as asso ciate dean for academic affairs. He was appointed acting dean in 2001 and dean in 2004.
He says his full retirement probably will be in July 2015.
“ I am hoping to be back on a part-time basis,” Lorenz says. “I would like to be back to part-time teaching on a relief basis.”
Lorenz serves on the board of the Judith Karman Hospice and served as president for two years. His professional life dovetails with his hospice work.
“Quality of life is important to us, and we rejoice in that,” he says.
BEVERLY BRYANT
Dr. Kenneth Bartels has been a veterinarian for 40 years, touching the lives of many through service, research and teaching. Named the 2014 Oklahoma Veterinarian of the Year by the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association, Bartels currently holds the McCasland Professorship in Laser Surgery and the Kerr Chair for Biomedical Laser and Photonics Research in OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital where he is the director of the Biomedical Laser Laboratory.
“It’s a huge honor to be recognized by your colleagues,” says Bartels. “After being here for 32 years, when I asked how many in the audience were my students, about three-quarters of them raised their hand. You come in contact with lots of people and when they are in favor of this type of honor, it means a lot more.”
Bartels grew up in a farming community in Iowa. He earned his DVM degree from Iowa State University in 1973. He completed a surgical residency and earned a
master’s degree in veterinary surgery from Colorado State University in 1977. After spending four years in private practice in Iowa and Utah, he joined the faculty at OSU in 1982.
“When I was in private practice, I liked the clients the most. I was in a mixed animal practice and enjoyed both the large and the small animals, especially the dairy work.”
“IF I COULD BE REMEMBERED FOR ONE THING IN MY CAREER, I WOULD WANT IT TO BE FOR TRYING TO PROVIDE BOTH PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AS WELL AS SERVICE TO PATIENTS, CLIENTS AND MY COLLEAGUES.”
"IF I COULD BE REMEMBERED FOR ONE THING IN MY CAREER, I WOULD WANT IT TO BE FOR TRYING TO PROVIDE BOTH PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AS WELL AS SERVICE TO PATIENTS, CLIENTS AND MY COLLEAGUES."
— DR. KENNETH BARTELS
However, there is more to the man than his veterinary career. Bartels recently retired as a colonel in the Army Veterinary Corps after 27 years of service, including two years of active duty and three deployments.
Throughout his career, Bartels has worked with a variety of species and seen some changes.
“The orthopedic cases we see today are more complicated than they were when I first started,” he says. “We work with the zoos, which means seeing anacondas and polar bears. In the military, I worked on bottle-nosed dolphins, belugas and military working dogs. It’s not every day you get to see a blowhole on a beluga (whale). As an adjunct professor in the wildlife department at Utah State, I taught biologist technicians how to do a necropsy in the field on elk, moose and big horn sheep. The diversity in our profession really needs more exploration with more emphasis on public health. Our state epidemiologist is a veterinarian, and that do esn’t happen very often.”
Bartels decided by his sophomore year in high school that he wanted to be a veterinarian.
“I ran varsity track at Iowa State for two years. Advisers told me they didn’t think I could run track and devote the necessary time to studying so I gave up track and went to veterinary school,” he says.
“There is so much more (in veterinary medicine) than just practice. O pportunities that I have taken advantage of include the military, public health, and food defense. Associations with the American Veterinary Medical Association and the OVMA made me so much more aware of what our profession is. Right now, there is legislation in Congress and in the state legislature that affect not only veterinary medicine but human medicine as well. We need to have our voice heard.”
Bartels has served as the AVMA’s representative to the American National Standards Institute Committee for Laser Safety in Medical Facilities. He was the interactive lab section manager for
the AVMA’s Convention Management and Planning Committee for nine years. He is a past president of the OVMA and the Southwest Veterinary Symposium. He is the AVMA delegate from Oklahoma representing teaching and research on the House Advisory Committee, which he chairs. He also is a member of the AVMA executive board.
At the center’s Veterinary Medical Hospital, Dr. Bartels enjoys the diversity of his position.
“I like dealing with service, research and teaching. In the past five years, I have collaborated in research projects with the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences involving lasers for surgeries and procedures,” he says. “As a senior faculty member, I take the responsibility of mentoring younger faculty members as part of our job very seriously.”
“I find it quite difficult to put into words the profound impact Dr. Bartels has had on my time here at OSU,” says Dr. Lara Sypniewski, Henthorne Clinical Professor in Small Animal Medicine at
OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. “He has been a dedicated mentor to many and has vigorously supp orted the continued growth of junior faculty. His accomplishments are far reaching, from his military reputation to his significant status in the veterinary community. In addition, he is so much fun to work with and always has a great story to tell! In my 16-year career, I have found few veterinarians that could hold a candle to Dr. Bartels’ accomplishments and I am grateful every day for the opportunity to work with such an amazing gentleman.”
“If I could be remembered for one thing in my career, I would want it to be for trying to provide both professional expertise as well as service to patients, clients and my colleagues,” adds Bartels.
Out of 34 veterinarians named Veterinarian of the Year by the OVMA, Dr. Kenneth Bartels is the 28th to be affiliated with the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences as either an alumnus or faculty member.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
Also honored by the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association were the following alumni:
D r . B illy C lay (’70), PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENT
D r . a ngie D u B ois (’99), DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
D r . s arah K ir K patri CK (’06), YOUNG VETERINARIAN OF THE YEAR
D r . M ar K s ha CK elfor D (’82), COMPANION ANIMAL PRACTITIONER OF THE YEAR
D r . g ary s tone (’78), FOOD ANIMAL PRACTITIONER OF THE YEAR
D r . t a M ara W hite (’05) EQUINE PRACTITIONER OF THE YEAR
Also, taking over as president of the OVMA is Dr. Mark Shackelford .
Dr. Mark Shackelford
Dr. Melanie Boileau with a young calf that could contract pinkeye — but not if Dr. Boileau’s research work is successful.
Pinkeye can be as irritating in cattle as it is in humans. And that’s why Melanie Boileau, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, McCasland Clinical Professorship in the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, associate professor and food animal section chief in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, has been conducting comparative medicine research on Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) or pinkeye for the last seven years. Co-investigator on the project is Kenneth Clinkenbeard, DVM, Ph.D., associate dean, Graduate College, professor in
BOILEAU’S RESEARCH TARGETS BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT FOR THE DISEASE IN CATTLE
the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology and adjunct professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
“As a food animal veterinarian, I have developed a strong interest in pinkeye because it is such a common, widespread and contagious disease of cattle,” says Boileau. “Estimated to be the third to fifth most costly cattle disease, it is associated with central corneal ulcers and significant economic loss worldwide. Untreated, IBK can result in corneal scarring and loss of vision, thereby reducing feed efficiency and production.”
The number of cases seen at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital or through OSU’s ambulatory service varies tremendously from year to year.
“Generally, we see a handful of cases each year; however, we have faced herd outbreaks,” she says. “For example, in 2012, we had multiple cow-calf herds in the area with pinkeye affecting anywhere from 30 to 90 percent of the animals. This included young calves, mature cows and bulls.”
CONTINUES
Outbreaks usually occur in the summer and typically affect calves more than adult cattle.
“IBK is a multifactorial disease,” says Boileau. “The occurrence and clinical severity are strongly influenced by various factors, including transport of the disease through face flies and o cular irritants such as ultraviolet light, dust, wind and trauma from tall grass, brush, plant seeds or awns — those stickers or little burrs that grow wild in fields. While it is difficult to predict pinkeye outbreaks, it is more likely to occur during years with more rainfall, which means more tall grasses and more flies.
“When you are examining a group of cattle with pinkeye, you can accidentally transfer the bacteria from one animal to the next via contaminated hands, clothing or tools used such as a rope, nylon halter or nose tongs,” Boileau adds. “And non-clinically affected cattle can serve as a carrier. It is very contagious.”
Cattle strains of M. bovis do not readily pass from cattle to humans, therefore, pinkeye is not considered a true zoonotic disease. However a few immunocompromised individuals (infants, elderly, HIV positive, etc.) have developed pinkeye following contact with infected cattle.
Pinkeye management hinges on minimizing risk factors for disease and reducing infection with M. bovis of the ocular surface through antimicrobial use and vaccination.
“Insecticide-impregnated ear tags or topical insecticide with back/face rubbers to reduce fly populations have proven effective in reducing pinkeye in cattle populations,” she says. “Mowing tall grasses in pastures and erecting wind breaks to house animals away from dusty environments help also. Promptly correcting any nutritional imbalances including def iciencies of protein, energy, vitamins and minerals — particularly copper and selenium — will help as well.”
Vaccination against M. bovis can be implemented six to eight weeks before clinical cases of pinkeye are expected.
In a herd experiencing pinkeye, treatment plans will vary depending on the number, value and intended purpose of the affected animals, the stage or severity of the condition, existing personnel, and available budget.
“In vitro, M. bovis is susceptible to a large number of antibiotics; however, regional strain differences in susceptibility may necessitate culture and sensitivity prior to antimicrobial selection,” says Boileau. “Although antimicrobial therapy is the treatment of choice for pinkeye, no treatment protocol guarantees 100 percent success.”
According to Boileau, injection of oxytetracycline (LA 200, Biomycin), florfenicol (Nuflor), ceftiofur cry stalline free acid (Excede) and tulathromycin (Draxxin) have been effective in treating pinkeye in cattle.
“Oxytretracycline and tulathromycin are two FDA-approved antibiotics labeled for the treatment of pinkeye associated with M. bovis in cattle,” she adds. “The prognosis for cattle with pinkeye is good especially if treatment is instituted early in the disease process. In severe cases with bilateral involvement, the prognosis is poor as corneal rupture will lead to permanent blindness.”
As bacterial pathogens b ecome more resistant to antibiotics, the search for new antibiotics and novel treatments for infections caused by these organisms is a priority among researchers like Boileau and Clinkenbeard.
“O ne novel treatment is biological ophthalmic therapy using Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 109J,” says Boileau. “It is a predatory bacterium capable of killing various bacteria including the IBK agent M. bovis. More specifically, the primary goal of this research is to extend and complete our previous development of a biological, safe, effective, long-lasting, and easy-to-administer ophthalmic formulation consisting of predatory bacterium B. bacteriovorus for the treatment of pinkeye agent M. bovis.”
Over the years, Drs. Boileau and Clinkenbeard have received research dollars from several sources to study B. bacteriovorus as treatment for pinkeye in cattle.
“We sincerely appreciate the funding that has allowed us to continue our research with B. bacteriovorus including the University of Oklahoma Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (2007-2009), OSU Research Advisory Committee (2008), the National Institutes of Health, Scholars Research Program (2009-2012) and the OSU Technology Business Development Program (2010, 2012).
In order for Dr. Boileau and her team to develop a B. bacteriovorus ophthalmic as a treatment for IBK, several things need to be accomplished including production protocols for preparation of enriched B. bacteriovorus suspensions, further development of an ophthalmic formulation and adaptation of an IBK model infection for testing the efficacy of B. bacteriovorus ophthalmic as a treatment for IBK.
“With proper funding, this product will be used as a biological-based treatment for experimentally induced IBK. When the proposed product is developed, it will be further tested for treatment of naturally occurring pinkeye. As such, the proposed applied research will move this novel antimicrobial treatment to a marketable product. Its use in food-producing animals would prevent meat and milk antibiotic residues, decrease the opportunity for development of bacterial resistance, and avoid local and systemic side effects associated with injectable antibiotic administration. That’s a very important byproduct of our work — safe milk and meat for your family made possible through comparative medical research as OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.”
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
The genus Bdellovibrio was first described by Stolp and Starr in 1963 as bacteriolytic organisms capable of attacking a living bacterium, attaching to its surface, penetrating the cell wall, multiplying inside the host, and causing the cell to burst and release more bacteria into the infested cell within a few hours. B. bacteriovorus has been isolated from a variety of environments including soils, rice paddies, plants, rivers, sewage, fish ponds, irrigation water and mammalian intestines.
The potential use of B. bacteriovorus as a biological control or applied therapeutic agent has generated interest and research especially over the past 10 years. However, application of B. bacteriovorus biologic control for IBK has been limited to the research conducted by Dr. Melanie Boileau and Dr. Kenneth Clinkenbeard.
Students, interns and residents crowd around the conference room table where Dr. Lyndi Gilliam holds ‘rounds.’
There is laughter, openness as in ‘there is no stupid question’ and learning taking place as fourth year veterinary students hone their clinical skills in equine internal medicine. Gilliam has been teaching at Oklahoma State’s Veterinary Medical Hospital for the past eight years. Her dedication, genuine care for her students and expertise in equine veterinary medicine have won her the 2014 Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award.
“As a teacher, I was super honored to receive this award,” says Gilliam. “I was shocked and very humbled. I had told my husband that it was on my ‘bucket list’ to earn it one day.”
Gilliam says teaching is a way she can impact the future of veterinary medicine.
“It is highly rewarding when you see the light turn on in students’ heads when they learn something new,” she smiles. “Teaching also keeps my job from being monotonous. Every day is gratifying. I may have seen the same disease over and over but when the students see
it for the first time and recognize it, they are excited and I know I have accomplished something.
“I have so many memories. We have had some great laughs in equine medicine,” she adds. “And on a more serious note, it is really special when you work with a student to overcome a personal or pr ofessional challenge and they succeed. I remember one student, who I thought highly of, did not pass the NAVLE (North American Veterinary Licensing Examination) the first time around; she was devastated. For many students becoming a veterinarian is a
life-long dream and to be there to help them ‘finish the race’ is wonderful. I encouraged her and she went back and passed the exam. Now she is a super successful practitioner. Knowing that I made a difference is very rewarding.”
Af ter Dr. Gilliam earned her DVM degree from Oklahoma State in 2001, she worked in a private mixed animal practice in Dalhart, Texas, for two years. In 2003, she returned to OSU to complete an equine internal medicine residency. She became a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine-Large Animal and earned her Ph.D. in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. In 2006, she joined the faculty of OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences and now holds the position of associate professor with tenure.
“I teach equine urinary tract, equine neurology, some of the alimentary course and an advanced equine elective to third year veterinary students,” explains Gilliam. “I teach fourth year students during their three-week equine internal medicine clinical rotation.”
Dr. Gilliam says that teaching comes with some challenges— some technical and some just physical.
“Technology has improved dramatically since I started teaching,” states Gilliam. “In the beginning it was PowerPoint slides. Now we have the clicker response system, which gives you instant feedback on whether the students are grasping the material. Also for the neurology class I started with pictures I had found on the Internet. Today, the course consists almost
exclusively of videos of cases I have treated. It’s very easy to take a video with your iPhone.
”Today, almost every student has a laptop, which means you are competing with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Instant Messaging for their attention. While this ge neration is good at multi-tasking, it’s challenging. We also Echo capture each lecture. So students don’t have to come to class. They can just watch the lecture at their convenience.”
Teaching an 8 a.m. class, Dr. Gilliam would often become frustrated at the lack of attendance.
“If students are sleeping or not engaged, I am not doing my job. I put that on myself,” she says. “To make students want to come to class, I have tried to make it more fun. This year I put some upbeat music on as the students entered
the room. We also held an Ellen DeGeneres dance contest while we handed out the clickers. I try to be real with them and be transparent about my own life and own challenges. When I don’t know something, we figure it out together.”
And it’s working. In addition to receiving the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award, Dr. Gilliam also received the class teaching award from both the third year class and the fourth year class.
“It’s very humbling and I’m so appreciative,” she adds as her emotions take over and happy tears fill her eyes. “I want to leave my legacy in my students. I want them to say ‘I remember Dr. Gilliam taught me that.’ I care about them not only as professionals but as people, too.”
And it shows, Dr. Lyndi Gilliam, it definitely shows.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
qualities as well as their outstanding teaching abilities.
Despite winning the 2014 Regents Distinguished Research Award for the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Dr. Dianne McFarlane MS, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM (Large Animal), was not always a researcher. Her career actually began in clinical practice.
With a master’s degree in molecular genetics from the University of Georgia, she earned her DVM from the University of California. She went on to complete a large animal internship at the University of Georgia and a residency at North Carolina State before pursuing her doctorate at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada.
“I really enjoyed clinical practice,” she says. “In veterinary practice, however, you see cases and diseases that you don’t understand and can’t find information on. Research is the pursuit of answers to those questions that arise in clinical practice. I realized that there wasn’t very much information available about old horses, which led me to do research in the area of equine aging.”
An associate professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences at OSU’s veterinary center since 2005, she holds the Ricks-Rapp Professorship. McFarlane studies age-related neurodegeneration in horses, focusing specifically on equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), a debilitating condition that resembles Parkinson’s disease in humans.
“When I was a resident at N.C. State, we started seeing more old horses as owners were more dedicated to keeping their horses longer,” she says. “I love working with horses, especially the geriatric ones. Clients with older horses are very appreciative of interest in their animals. They usually have great stories to share because they have had their horses for so long.”
Persistence is key when working in veterinary research, she says.
“It’s hard to get the funding you need. You have to keep looking for grants,” she says. “The support I receive from the Ricks-Rapp Professorship has enabled us to support some projects in my lab that we would not otherwise be able to complete. Every dollar is important, and we appreciate them all.”
She also values patience.
“We are interested in disease processes that are slowly progressive; they occur over years as the animals age. We chose to study naturally occurring diseases in animals as we believe it is a better model than artificially induced diseases when your interest is in understanding the events that initiate disease development. If we understand the role of aging in neurodegeneration in one species, such as the horse, it will help us understand it in another, including in people. This is the concept known as one medicine.”
According to McFarlane, the neurons in horses that become injured regulate hormone production and are visible with abnormal hair coats, muscle loss and immune deficiencies. In people, a different population of neurons becomes damaged causing abnormal movements, such as tremors or difficulty initiating movement. While the diseases are different, the same type of neurons — those that produce the neurochemical dopamine — selectively degenerate in both PPID and Parkinson’s disease.
“Even though the clinical signs are different, similar events may start and fuel the degenerative process in both diseases,” she adds. “If we can understand the factors that trigger degeneration of the dopamine-producing neurons in the horse, it may help us better understand the events that lead to Parkinson’s disease. Our goal is to gain valuable insights to improve the quality of life for both animals and humans.”
In 2004, McFarlane’s team determined that the intermediate lobe of the horse’s pituitary gland is under seasonal regulation.
“That had a huge impact on our work because the intermediate lobe is more active in the fall. Therefore, all of the diagnostic tests for equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction are affected by season, a change that we had not previously recognized. This finding changed how we diagnose this disease in clinical cases as well as in research.
“My work has depended on the participation of clients with older horses that have pituitary dysfunction and on referring veterinarians who have sent their clients with older horses my way. I have had horse owners loan me their horses for six months at a time or allow me to come to their farms to collect blood samples at regular intervals. This willingness to participate in the research has been invaluable in getting enough cases to study the disease. I know my research may help owners’ horses in the long run, but they don’t have to be so forthcoming. I really appreciate it. In addition, over the years, many students and fellow researchers, both from within the lab and from other labs, have contributed to the work; without them it wouldn’t be possible.”
She also appreciates the recognition for her work.
“It is a great honor to receive the Regent’s Research Award. It is both humbling and inspiring to be recognized for your work. This is a very distinguished honor and I’m so grateful.”
The Regents Distinguished Research Award recognizes research excellence at OSU. Candidates must demonstrate a distinguished record of past and continuing meritorious achie vements in research receiving national and international recognition.
DERINDA BLAKENEY,
APR
Cl/HS
Jean d’Offay, BVSc, DTVM, Ph.D., DACVM, who teaches in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, received the 2014 Zoetis Award for Research Excellence in April.
The a ward promotes innovative research, on which the scientific advancement of the profession dep ends, by recognizing outstanding research effort and productivity. Selection is based on whether the nominee has b een the principal investigator in research that has attained or is likely to attain national recognition and which was conducted within the past three years.
The award was presented by Dr. Jerry Malayer, associate dean, research and graduate education, and Dr. Shawn Blood (OSU CVM ’89), beef strategic technical service veterinarian for Zoetis.
D’Offay’s work on the bovine herpes virus was the basis for the award.
“It was recognition for my research for a few years primarily looking at the genetics of viruses, especially the bovine herpes virus,” d’Offay says. “We are trying to understand and identify, and hopefully eliminate, the genetic basis for disease, and why some bovine herpesvirus vaccines cause cattle abortions.”
Although the vaccines are supposed to prevent infections, they can also have deleterious effects, d’Offay says.
“The vaccine virus can infect the fetus, and the fetus dies, causing abortions,” he says.
He also looked at incidences of respiratory infections in feedlots that could be attributed to the bovine herpesvirus vaccines.
“We looked at under what conditions does the vaccine virus do that, and when do we have to be careful using them. We are trying to understand and identify and hopefully eliminate the genetic traits that allow the vaccine virus to cause disease,” he says.
D’Offay does not work directly with the affected animals.
“We isolate the virus when we have a case of abortion in cattle,” he says. “We even have cases from Australia. We are looking at animals in Wyoming and California dairy herds. We look at the viruses isolated from those animals. We don’t put the viruses back into other animals.”
D’Offay says his role is to sequence the genome of the virus, try to determine the viral genes responsible for abortions, and share the genomic sequence with other researchers by downloading it on the Web,” he says. “The same data we use to draw our conclusions is available to other researchers to study and draw conclusions of their own. “
D’Offay also has won two college teaching awards and a regents teaching a ward, as well as classroom teaching awards from his students. He has taught immunology and virology at OSU since 1986.
He is near completion of another research project involving a simian T-Lymphotropic virus (STLV).
“It is a virus that affects primates naturally which is closely related to a human virus that causes cancer and paralysis in adults in tropical countries.”
He said a colony of bab oons at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City are naturally infected with STLV.
“We had some dying of lymphoma. I was trying to determine what genetic changes in the virus allowed it to cause cancer,” he says.
Pamela Lloyd was a graduate student in physiology at the University of Missouri when a blo od vessel grew on the retina of her left eye. Doctors were unable to determine the cause of the extra growth as she had no health problems such as diabetes. Laser surgery removed the extra blood vessel, leaving Lloyd with a blind spot in that eye and a desire to learn what makes blood vessels grow.
“I focused my postdoctoral research on growth factors that influence vascular health in diabetic patients and exercise,” says Lloyd, an associate professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences who holds a Ph.D. “When I joined the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in 2006, I continued that work, which is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. I just submitted a renewal application for continued funding.”
Lloy d’s laboratory is looking at placenta growth factor or PLGF, which is related to vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF. The difference is that VEGF has about 50,000 associated studies related to it while PLGF has merely 1,000 published pap ers.
“PLGF is important because it plays a role in many different diseases so we need to learn more about it,” says Lloyd. “We want to
determine what controls the levels of PLGF. We know it is regulated by blood flow — the physical force of blood flowing against the vessel wall. We have also determined that in animal models with high cholesterol, i.e. mice that have been fed a western diet, the regulation of PLGF is dysfunctional and blood vessels do not grow normally.”
She has also looked at placenta growth factor’s role in causing collateral arteries to grow.
“If you have a blocked artery in the heart, a new vessel could grow and act like a bypass around the blockage,” explains Lloyd. “This could potentially prevent someone from having a heart attack. People with diabetes don’t grow this type of blood vessel very well. We are not sure why that is so, but we think it relates to abnormal responses to the blood flow changes that occur when an artery becomes blocked.
“The idea behind our research is that if we understand how this particular growth factor is controlled, biomedical researchers could come up with new treatments. For example, if we know how to activate the signaling pathways that stimulate its production, we can promote better vessel growth in the heart. The same idea would work in reverse. With cancer, you want
to prevent blood vessel growth. So if we better understand the regulation of this growth factor, we could open up new treatments for a variety of diseases.”
In the renewal application, Lloyd outlines where her team goes from here.
“We want to further study the details of the signaling. What makes PLGF increase or decrease its levels and how is that affected by the western-type diet, which is basically a high fat diet? We also want to look at whether or not the distribution of PLGF around the body changes in a high-fat diet. Another aspect of our research will focus on whether platelets can take up PLGF and release it, and if the protein is attached to the surface of cells that are in the blood vessel or if it is found in the walls of the blood vessel itself.”
As Lloyd and her team look for these answers, they will be collaborating with Myron Hinsdale, DVM, Ph.D., associate professor, and with Lin Liu, Ph.D., Regents Professor, Lundberg-Kienlen Professorship in Biomedical Research, and director of the Biology Lung and Toxicology Laboratory, both in the Department of Physiological Sciences. If approved, Lloyd’s research will be funded through 2020.
GULL LEADS NEW COURSE IN LEARNING HOW TO RESPOND IN CASE OF A DISASTER
For the first time, Oklahoma State’s veterinary center is offering “Veterinary Emergency Response and Disaster Management” as an elective in the fall 2014 semester. The instructor of record is assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology Tamara Gull, DVM, Ph.D., diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine – Large Animal, diplomate o f the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, and diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists. Her Army training, her education, and her experience on the ground researching wildfires and responding to tornadoes gives her plenty of expertise to lead the class.
“There is a lot of interest on the students’ part as to what they can do now when disaster strikes and what they can do in their communities once they graduate and are working in the field,” says Gull, also a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve Veterinary Corps.
The new elective is taught during the lunch hour, giving faculty and staff interested in helping during future disasters a chance to attend the class along with veterinary students.
“Veterinary disaster management needs people with all sorts of skill sets. In addition to veterinarians who can triage injured animals, we need people who are good on computers, people who can set up spreadsheets, people familiar with social media. We need good photographers, kennel cleaners and drivers to take supplies or animals from point A to point B.
Gull says the course will include some take-home exercises but a lab is not yet associated with the course. “Eventually we would like to add a lab, probably a Saturday where we do a mock disaster scenario.”
Our beginning course will be partially funded by a $1,000 grant from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The
grant was secured through our Student AVMA Chapter to help cover travel and speaker expenses.”
Members of the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences emergency response committee include Liz Amos, veterinary medicine librarian, and Drs. Todd Holbrook, Danielle Dugat, Todd Jackson and Tamara Gull. “This committee has worked together to hone the veterinary center’s emergency response plan as well as conceiving this course,” Gull says. “We are all excited to get the course on the books.”
In addition to Gull, several faculty members are also involved w ith the Payne County Animal Response Team better known as Payne CART. Dugat, Holbrook, Jackson and Drs. Elisabeth Giedt and Jean Sander, dean of the veterinary center, along with several veterinary technicians are active CART members. Payne CART members are part of the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps that respond to emergencies.
“At a recent CART meeting, it was stated that only 38 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties have an animal response team. That means half of Oklahoma’s counties do not have an animal response team available, which could be devastating in a rural, agricultural area,” Gull says. “We are hoping to get a group of veterinary students who are familiar with emergency management organization who then go out and get others involved. We want to train veterinarians to get involved in emergency management wherever they may go in the world. Who knows? This class may inspire future veterinary graduates to go to one of those underserved Oklahoma counties and become involved on a management level or on a participatory level.”
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
For more information on veterinary emergency response and disaster management in Oklahoma, visit the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps at www.okmrc.org
AARON HERNDON
Aaron Herndon, DVM, DACVIM, joins the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences as a lecturer in small animal internal medicine. He is pursuing a doctorate in veterinary biomedical sciences.
Originally from Grapevine, Texas, he earned his DVM degree from Texas A&M University. Aaron served three years in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps following graduation from veterinary college.
In July 2014 he became a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. His research interests focus on feline insulin resistance and diabetes.
In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and gardening.
Shane Lyon, DVM, DACVIM, is an assistant professor of small animal internal medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Originally from Anadarko, Okla., he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and his DVM degree from OSU (’05).
Dr. Lyon then completed a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at Kansas State University and became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal) in 2009. His research interests focus on canine and feline nephrology and urology.
In his spare time, Lyon enjoys reading, travel, genealogy and photography. He is also an amateur film buff.
Katrina Meinkoth, DVM, is a lecturer in junior surgery/shelter medicine. Originally from a small rural community outside Tulsa, Okla., she earned her DVM degree from OSU in 1988. Her area of interest is feline medicine.
Meinkoth has worked as a community practice clinician at both Washington State University and Oklahoma State University for several years and has served as manager of recruitment for OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
She most recently was in a small animal private practice.
In her spare time, Meinkoth enjoys Zumba, trail riding and beaches whenever possible.
Ryan Curtis, DVM, MS, is the assistant director of Animal Resources. Originally from Detroit, he earned his DVM degree from St. George’s University in Grenada, West Indies, and then completed a combined residency and master’s degree in Comparative Medicine/ Laboratory Animal Medicine at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.
Curtis’ research interests focus on cancer/radiation biology, anesthesia/analgesia in laboratory animals and environmental variables in a laboratory setting. In his spare time, he enjoys running, hiking, tennis, golf and travel.
Laura Nafe, DVM, MS, DACVIM, joins the veterinary center as an assistant professor in small animal internal medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Originally from Little Rock, Ark., she earned her DVM degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. She went on to complete an internship at North Carolina State University. While completing a residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Missouri, she earned a master’s degree in veterinary biomedical sciences. She is a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Her research interests focus on respiratory disease and immune-mediated disease. While in college, Nafe played Division 3 Basketball. In her spare time, she enjoys running, kayaking, sports (watching and playing), wakeboarding, live music and spending time with Parson, her 7-year-old yellow Labrador.
Corey Wall, DVM, MS, DACVR, is an assistant professor of diagnostic imaging in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Originally from Huntsville, Utah, he earned his DVM degree from Colorado State University in 1999.
After graduation, he completed two private practice internships, then worked for several years in private practice doing small animal emergency work and general practice. In 2010, he earned his master’s degree and completed his residency in diagnostic imaging at the University of Missouri and became a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Radiology.
Wall is the proud father of five children between the ages of 5 and 13. He spends evenings and weekends with his children, chauffeuring them to various activities.
J.T. Walker, DVM, MS, joins the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences as a lecturer in small animal surgery. Originally from Newcastle, Okla., Walker earned his DVM degree from OSU in 2004.
After working in private general practice for five years, he completed a rotating internship and a surgical internship at Affiliated Veterinary Specialists in Maitland, Fla., a suburb of Orlando. Following the internships, he returned to OSU to pursue a three-year residency in small animal surgery, which he completed in June 2014 while earning his MS degree in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences.
Walker’s research interests focus on orthopedics.
In his spare time, he enjoys sports, especially OSU football.
Joao Brandao, LMV, MS, joins the veterinary center as an assistant professor of Avian, Exotic and Zoological Medicine. Originally from Oporto, Portugal, he earned his veterinary degree (LMV) from the University of Tras-osMontes e Alto Dourvo in Vila Real, Portugal. As part of a European student exchange program, he studied for one year at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj Napoca, Romania, and one year at the University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroclaw, Poland.
Brandao has also completed a one-year internship in avian and exotic animals at the Great Western Referrals in Swindon, U.K., followed by a oneyear internship in zoological medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Mass., and the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. After his internships, he completed a three-year zoological medicine residency and Master of Science degree in Veterinary Clinical Sciences at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La.
His research interests focus on endocrinology of exotic animals, in particular avian species and rabbits. He is also interested in anesthesia and analgesia of zoological species.
In his spare time, Brandao enjoys bird watching, cooking and concerts. During the last decade, he has lived in five different countries and five different U.S. states.
Lisandra Keller joins the veterinary center as the executive assistant to the dean. Originally from Springfield, Mass., Keller earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration (pre-law) from Oklahoma State University. Her research interests focus on foreign languages, employment and estate planning law, and accounting and finance.
She is a proud Navy veteran and a firm believer in the power of a strong education. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, learning, swimming sports and outdoor activities.
Paul West joins the CVHS team in the Advancement Office as a web designer. Originally from Sharpsville, Ind., he moved to Stillwater in 2011.
“I came from Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., to Stillwater to finish my degree in media and strategic communications: broadcast production at OSU,” says West. “However, some excellent opportunities came along, and I jumped at the chance to work in the film, TV and commercial media industry, including on the Oscar-nominated film August: Osage County.”
In addition, West has coordinated national Kevin Durant commercials for Nike, Sprint and Verizon. His creative skills on the computer and behind the camera caught the attention of public relations and marketing coordinator Derinda Blakeney, APR.
“We have been working for some time to improve the functionality of our website and update its look to the latest OSU template,” says Blakeney. “For the first time, we have an employee dedicated solely to keeping our website current and engaging. Paul’s skills will drive more traffic to our website, which will hopefully drive more clients to our doors both at the Veterinary Medical Hospital and at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. We are excited to have him on board.”
In addition to getting the new website up and running, Paul will also focus on telling the veterinary center’s story on a larger scale, generating additional exposure locally and nationally through engaging videos, photos and social media. Visit www. cvhs.okstate.edu and www.ostate.tv to see his work.
Jing Liu Pope, Ph.D., was recently appointed as research associate professor of toxicology in the Department of Physiological Sciences. Pope’s doctorate is from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Her research interests focus on long-term neurobehavioral consequences of acute intoxication, mechanisms of pharmacological modulation of anticholinesterase toxicity, and development of countermeasures against chemical threats. She teaches two courses in the interdisciplinary toxicology program and one in the veterinary medicine curriculum.
TOM OOMENS
Tom Oomens, Ph.D., was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of virology in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. Oomens’ doctorate in molecular virology is from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. His research interests focus on how enveloped viruses enter and exit the host cell and how to exploit that knowledge to make better and safer vaccines and anti-viral drugs. Currently, the emphasis is on human respiratory syncytial virus, which causes serious respiratory disease in children and the elderly and has a major medical impact around the world.
Melanie Boileau, DVM, MS, DACVIM, associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, was recently awarded the McCasland Clinical Professorship in the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. She is the food animal section chief and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine — Large Animal. Boileau holds a DVM degree from the University of Montreal, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University. Her research focuses on non-antimicrobial treatment alternative for infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (pinkeye) using predatory bacteria Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and management of bovine dystocia using tocolytic drugs.
Robin Allison, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP, was promoted from associate professor to professor of clinical pathology in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Both her DVM and doctorate are from Colorado State University. Allison teaches clinical pathology to professional veterinary medical students and mentors students in the pathology residency program. Her areas of interest include clinical hematology (especially blood film evaluation and hematopoietic neoplasia) and clinical cytology.
Todd Holbrook, DVM, DACVIM, DACVSMR, was promoted from associate professor to professor and appointed to the June Jacobs Endowed Chair in Veterinary Medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Holbrook is the equine section chief, a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine — Large Animal and a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. He holds a DVM degree from the University of Georgia. His research interests focus on infectious disease, cardiology and sports medicine. Actively involved in the sport of endurance, Holbrook has provided veterinary care at numerous national and international competitions.
After earning her DVM degree at the University of Illinois, Dr. Mary Bowles came to Oklahoma State as a rotating intern in small animal medicine and surgery in July 1974 and never left. Following her yearlong internship, she spent the next two years as a research associate in a hemophiliac beagle colony and worked in the Small Animal Medicine Clinic. In 1977, she began as a full-time faculty instructor. Now an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, a diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal) and the small animal section chief, she is retiring. Derinda Blakeney, APR, coordinator of public relations and marketing, interviewed her about her tenure at Oklahoma’s only veterinary college.
What did you like most about your position here?
It was never boring. I was constantly learning and seeing things I had never seen before. I had the opportunity to work with a variety of colleagues with different areas of expertise. The teaching opportunities with students were simultaneously challenging, frustrating and rewarding. They always kept me seeking new and more in-depth information. I was also privileged to interact with many memorable pets and clients and some of the most dedicated, competent and self-sacrificing staff anyone could ever have.
Do you have a favorite memory to share?
There are a lot of memorable moments — some good and some bad. I value the relationships I have developed with multiple clients because I have cared for their pets over the years and have come to view them as friends as well as clients.
What changes have you seen in veterinary medicine since you began working here?
Several major events have occurred during my service at Oklahoma State. One is the shift from a male-dominated profession to a female-dominated profession. I remember a telephone conversation early in my career where a potential client questioned my credentials because I was a woman and couldn’t possibly be a veterinarian. In 1976, I remember going to an American Veterinary Medical Association meeting where a young girl accompanying one of the veterinary spouses noticed my veterinarian meeting badge, pointed to me, and excitedly exclaimed to her mother, ‘Look, mama, that lady is a vet!’ That surprise is a thing of the past as the majority of new veterinarians are female.
The advances in veterinary diagnostic tools have been dramatic enhancing our ability to diagnose ailments in ways we never imagined when I was in school. For example, ultrasonography and endoscopy are essential and common diagnostic tools in private practice today but weren’t available when I graduated.
On a more local level, the biggest changes that I have seen have been in Oklahoma State’s facilities and personnel. When I first came to OSU, the small animal veterinary clinic occupied the first floor of the north wing of today’s McElroy Hall. The large animal veterinary clinic was in the area where the current Veterinary Medicine Library is located. In 1981, we moved into the present facility, the Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, which has since undergone numerous modifications and will soon be enhanced by the CVHS Academic Center building. The veterinary clinic has expanded its specialty services as well and now offers ophthalmology, cardiology, oncology and zoo and wildlife specialists.
What advice do you have for future veterinarians — students or faculty?
Don’t ever stop learning and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Remember that life is short and time goes by quickly so make time for your family, friends, and outside veterinary medicine interests — you will be a more interesting and happier person for having done so.
What are your plans for the future?
I will still do some teaching, continuing education programs, and consultation. I plan on spending more time with family members. I would like to travel, read for pleasure and get into some volunteer work.
Any last thoughts?
I would like to thank my family for their unwavering support, without which I could never have become a veterinarian or made it through the many challenges associated with my job. My parents, both deceased, wanted my siblings and me to have careers that were personally satisfying and allowed us to have financial independence. I shall be forever grateful to them for the sacrifices they made and their confidence in me that allowed me to follow my dream of becoming a doctor of veterinary medicine. I would also like to express my appreciation to my husband, John, and my children, Will and Lisa, for encouraging me during tough times and adapting to the many interruptions in our family life caused by my professional obligations. Animal emergencies come on any day — holiday or not — and at any time of day or night.
“I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO KNOW DR. BOWLES AS AN INSTRUCTOR, MENTOR, COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND. THE ONE THING I WILL ALWAYS APPRECIATE ABOUT DR. BOWLES IS HER AMAZING ABILITY TO CARE — CARE ABOUT HER STUDENTS, HER PATIENTS, HER CLIENTS AND HER COLLEAGUES. I CAN’T IMAGINE THE TEACHING HOSPITAL WITHOUT HER, BUT THIS RETIREMENT IS WELL DESERVED.”
— PAUL DEMARS, DVM, ABVP
The veterinary center bid a bittersweet farewell to several faculty and staff members as they retired after giving many years of service to OSU.
William Barrow , Ph.D., above center, came to OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in 2001, joining the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. As the Sitlington Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases, Barrow spent 13 years at OSU investigating infectious organisms. His lab has consistently been funded by the National Institutes of Health or branches of NIH with Barrow as the principal investigator. A $40 million grant helped his team play a key role in the nation’s Global Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Program.
“Outbreaks of antibiotic resistant superbugs such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bring the importance of this research to the forefront,” says Barrow. “It is vital to protect human health and the food supply that we identify new drugs that can fight bacteria and emerging infectious diseases that we haven’t even seen before.”
Another prominent piece of Barrow’s research was to develop an assemblage of antimicrobials for the treatment of inhalation anthrax that could be used in the event of a terrorist attack. Among other honors and awards he received, Barrow earned the OSU Regents Distinguished Research Award in 2007.
Esther Barrow , above front, joined the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences the same day as her husband, William, in March 2001. She spent the next 13 years working beside him as the laboratory manager and a research microbiologist for his infectious diseases research.
“I love working with pathogenic microorganisms,” says Mrs. Barrow. “It was such an exciting time when Bill was awarded the biodefense contract by the National Institutes of Health, making OSU the only veterinary school in the country to receive this type of award.
“Even though I spent most of my time in the lab, there are a lot of really nice people in our department and the veterinary center as a whole that I will really miss.”
The Barrows are moving back to Texas to live closer to their children and grandchildren.
Mary Kay Jennings devoted 23 years to the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, working in the dean’s office first for the associate dean and later for the dean. In addition to her work responsibilities, she also participated in the OSU Staff Advisory Council (SAC), serving as its chair from 1998 to 2000.
Her hard work and dedication didn’t go unnoticed. Jennings’ accolades are many including the Stratton Staff Award, SAC Distinguished Service Award, OSU Leadership Legacy recipient, OSU President’s Service Award, Honoree of the Perkins-Tryon Local Show, Service Award to 4-H and FFA Youth of Payne County, Honorary Member of Mu Chapter of Alpha Psi Fraternity and Honorary State FFA degree.
In addition, Jennings spent countless hours volunteering and in leadership roles with Payne County Pork Producers, Perkins-Tryon 4-H and FFA Booster Club, Sooner State Dairy Show, Stillwater Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Committee, Payne County Premium Sale, Family and Continuing Education, Young Homemakers of America, Mobile Meals, United Way and the American Red Cross, to name a few. She touched many lives, whether through her job or her volunteerism. Her husband of 42 years, Roger Jennings, is also retiring after 40 years as an agricultural education teacher at Perkins-Tryon High School.
Larry Stein , Ph.D., has been teaching anatomy in the Department of Physiological Sciences for 28 years. The associate professor has most recently been serving as the interim department head for the past two years.
For the last nine years, anatomy specialist Chris Pivinski has worked with Stein in the Duane R. Peterson Anatomy Learning Center.
“I have seen Dr. Stein give his best so that the first-year students can succeed in the veterinary profession,” says Pivinski. “He makes the time in the lab profitable for them and at the same time challenges them to grow and learn. As for my own interaction with Dr. Stein, I would have to say that he has challenged me to be better at the different jobs I do in the lab. I wish him the best as he begins the next chapter of his life.”
“We came to Stillwater in 2000; Larry has been a friend and colleague ever since,” says Dr. Carey Pope, professor of toxicology. “Dr. Stein has been a dedicated teacher to OSU veterinary students for almost three decades. Serving as interim department head over the last two years, his straightforward, open and evenhanded administrative approach has served the department well.”
As he retires, Stein is looking forward to “every opportunity to stay active that comes along — too many to list are already waiting.”
Patricia Clinkenbeard joined the CVHS team in October 1990. She worked in Dr. Ken Clinkenbeard’s laboratory assisting with various research projects as a senior lab technologist until December 2013.
“I liked interacting with research students, faculty and staff. We missed our students when they graduated and it was fun to keep in touch and hear of the exciting things they are doing,” says Clinkenbeard.
“I have many special memories of collaborating with the people in Dr. Confer’s lab on shipping fever pneumonia research, Dr. Barrow’s lab on the discovery of antimicrobials for highly pathogenic bacteria and Dr. Boileau on pinkeye in cattle research.”
Clinkenbeard is looking forward to spending more time with her husband, children and grandchildren as well as having time for other things she enjoys, such as making bread, sewing, gardening, cooking and learning to play the piano.
“My job was rewarding because I had the opportunity to do work that benefited animal welfare and people,” she adds.
Bruce Nance joined the veterinary center in May 1982 as an animal caretaker in the Animal Resources Department. Over the years, he advanced through the ranks. When he retired 31 years later, he was serving as the veterinary laboratory manager.
“I enjoyed working with the various faculty members over the years. They all had very interesting research projects, which is what I was involved in,” Nance says. “I also had wonderful technicians and parttime student workers in the lab. During my tenure, I had 42 student workers who graduated from OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.”
After enjoying his free time for a year, Nance has taken a position at NAPA Auto Parts and likes driving from place to place to deliver parts.
Robert Bahr , DVM, DACVR, has taught diagnostic imaging in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital for 30 years. A 1970 graduate of OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, he worked in private practice before joining the veterinary center. As associate professor of veterinary radiology, Bahr enjoyed his position.
“I liked working with the many specialists and learning new techniques while seeing interesting and challenging cases,” he says. “My favorite memory
is all the times that I was teaching students who were having difficulties in image interpretation and then the ‘light’ came on with their new-found understanding.
“The most significant change I’ve seen in veterinary medicine is the advent of digital radiography, which revolutionized how we make radiographic images and the manner in which cases are worked up. This led to teleradiology, which greatly facilitates case management and diagnostic accuracy.”
Henry (Hank) Jann , DVM, DACVS, DACVSMR, served as an equine surgeon at the Veterinary Medical Hospital for 28 years. An associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, he is also a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Most recently, the ACVSMR designated him a Regent and appointed him to its board of directors.
Jann is retiring from OSU to accept a research position with the Humane Society of the United States to investigate management practices of wild horses and burros. The project is being done with the Bureau of Land Management and will focus on herd management areas located primarily in Nevada.
“This is a four-year project,” says Jann. “My role in the first year is to collect data to determine which herd management areas are the best to collect data from. After we locate designated herds, we will evaluate the efficacy of infertility vaccine and other relevant management issues.”
According to the Bureau of Land Management, the goal is to control the population growth of wild horses and burros that roam public lands in the West.
Dr. Bahr’s plans for retirement include spending time with his grown sons and their families. After that, he may do teleradiology and/or locum work at the times and places of his choosing.
“I want to be able to control what I do with my time.” As for advice to future veterinarians, he offers this: “Always keep striving to improve your knowledge base and always ask, ‘What else might be going on besides what I think is the obvious?’ Never be complacent with the way things are. Improvement is always possible.”
Emily Cooper, the recipient of the veterinary center’s 2014 Stratton Staff Award, wears many hats at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
Co oper joined OADDL in April 1999 as a senior research analyst and quality assurance/ quality control coordinator. Today, she is its quality manager and development coordinator.
“I was tasked with designing and implementing a variety of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which involved DNA/RNA e xtraction, amplification and detection of pathogens (bacterial or viral) in client samples such as tissue, swabs or feces,” she says. “Through the years, OADDL’s PCR testing capabilities have risen to more than 25 PCR tests. This initiative allowed OADDL to become a member of the National Animal Health Lab oratory Network (NAHLN). OADDL participates in surveillance testing for avian influenza, Newcastle disease, classical swine fever, foot and mouth disease, pseudorabies, and swine influenza — all agents that can threaten the nation’s food supply and/or public health if gone undetected.”
Cooper also served as the molecular lab manager for 13 years.
Today, the molecular lab performs standard and real-time PCR tests at the rate of more than 5,000 PCR tests a year.
As the quality control coordinator, Cooper developed and implemented OADDL’s Quality Management System, which includes more than 800 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the various lab sections within OADDL.
“In my new position, I continue to develop and implement SOPs throughout OADDL and coordinate regulatory-based training, proficiency testing, and agreements with NAHLN.”
I n her development coordinator roll, she organizes marketing opportunities for the laboratory at local and regional meetings. Cooper maintains promotional materials that highlight tests and programs offered at OADDL along with publishing OADDL’s e-newsletter.
“Emily is directly responsible for ensuring that OADDL remains in full compliance with our quality system and meets all requirements,” says Keith Bailey, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP, interim director of OADDL. “She has brought us successfully through three audits. She has also for the first time given OADDL a presence at state and regional meetings and initiated an electronic newsletter.”
Former interim director Jerry Ritchey, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP echoes Dr. Bailey’s praise of Cooper’s work.
“Because of her knowledge, capabilities and capacity to get things done, Emily is the ‘go to’ person for everybody in the laboratory,” says Ritchey. While the Cooper family calls Stillwater home, Emily grew up in McHenry, Ill., and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in animal science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
“I feel honored to receive the Stratton Staff Award,” says Cooper. “It means a lot to know my peers recognize my hard work and dedication toward advancements in diagnostic services. I enjoy the new challenges and opportunities my job offers every day and interacting with professionals locally, regionally and nationally to make improvements to the quantity and quality of our services.”
Established in 1989 up on Dr. Louis Stratton’s retirement, the Stratton Staff Award recognizes staff members for their service and contributions.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
Think herd health applies only to animals? Think again.
As the Class of 1963 Distinguished Lecturer at the 2013 Annual Fall Veterinary Conference, retired Brig. Gen. Theresa Casey, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, highlighted the veterinarian’s unique p erspective and skill in disease prevention in human populations in her presentation, “Health of the Human Herd — A Unique Veterinary Role.”
Military v eterinarians are responsible for food inspections, sanitation inspections, communicable disease control, group health sur veillance, education and more.
“It’s really all about one health for animals, humans and the environment,” says Casey. “The concepts of herd health preventive metho ds apply to the human population. Veterinary medicine is the pr ofession that stands between all of humanity and plague and famine.”
With their expansive understanding of zoonotic diseases, veterinarians know how important it is to follow good health practices, keep disease outbreaks contained and educate people on living safely.
“In a time when viruses can travel on people from one continent to the next in less time than it takes the virus to make the host sick, it is important to take proper precautions to stay healthy,” she adds.
DERINDA BLAKENEY,
APR
Cl/HS
t heresa C asey / D VM: o su, 1982
Career highlights:
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, 1990
Biomedical Sciences Corps, U.S. Air Force
Instructor and consultant, DECON LLC, training medical facility staffs on patient decontamination Service awards:
Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and an Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with one silver leaf cluster and others
“THE
CONCEPTS OF HERD HEALTH PREVENTIVE METHODS APPLY TO THE HUMAN POPULATION. VETERINARY MEDICINE IS THE PROFESSION THAT STANDS BETWEEN ALL OF HUMANITY AND PLAGUE AND FAMINE.”
The 14th Sitlington Lecture in Toxicology featured Pamela Lein, Ph.D., presenting “Environmental Risk Factors for Autism: The Case for PCBs.” Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describe a group of complex disorders of brain development.
“ASD does not have one cause,” says Lein, an internationally recognized expert on developmental neurotoxicology. “It is a combination of genetic predisposition, the environment — both internally and externally — and the timing of those exposures in relation to the stage(s) of brain development.
“We have also found that autism reflects altered patterns of neuronal connectivity within the developing brain. How the neurons connect in the brain of an ASD child is very different than a normal brain.”
According to Lein, environmental levels of non-dioxin-like PCBs (the structural class of PCBs linked to developmental neurotoxicity) have not declined significantly over the past several decades.
Lecture speaker Pamela
is
MICHAEL MATTHAY, MD
This year’s Lundberg-Kienlen Lecture in Biomedical Research featured Michael Matthay, MD, who discussed “Mesenchymal Stromal (Stem) Cells: Biology and Potential Therapeutic Value for the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.”
Matthay is a professor of medicine and anesthesia at the University of California at San Francisco and a senior associate at the Cardiovascular Research Institute. He is director of the critical care medicine training in the Department of Medicine and associate director of the intensive care unit. Matthay’s clinical research is focused on the mechanisms that account for the pathogenesis and resolution of clinical acute lung injury and pulmonary edema. His most recent work has focused on the
potential therapeutic value of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of the acute respiratory distress syndrome in critically ill patients.
The project, being called START (STem cells for ARDS Treatment), is an exciting new clinical trial for the treatment of patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Preclinical studies have shown mesenchymal stem cells to be effective at reducing the severity of organ injury as well as enhancing recovery. Matthay’s work is the first clinical trial to use mesenchymal stem cells as a treatment for patients with severe ARDS.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome is a life-threatening infection or reaction to injuries of the lung that typically occurs in people who are very ill and are already hospitalized. It causes
impaired gas exchange with the release of inflammatory mediators, leading to inflammation, hypoxemia, and possible multiorgan failure. The mortality rate for ARDS is 25 percent to 40 percent, and those who do survive can sustain permanent lung damage. Up to 200,000 people a year in the U.S. suffer from it.
Matthay told the CVHS audience that using mesenchymal stem cells to treat mice was unexpectedly successful, with a higher survival rate and reduced lung injury for the infected mice treated with the cells. Clinical trials are continuing.
“PCBs are manmade chemicals that were produced in the ’60s and ’70s in high quantities,” she says. “Because PCBs are chemically stable and long-lasting, many construction materials such as paint or caulking contained PCBs. Now that the materials are starting to deteriorate decades later, the PCBs are being released into the environment.”
Lein mentioned an aging Staten Island, N.Y., school system that ordered an air analysis of its schools found high levels of PCBs in the air.
She also showed that an increased level of intracellular calcium can be caused by non-dixoin-like PCBs, which can trigger calcium-dependent signaling pathways that have been linked to increased risk of autism. The triggering of these signaling pathways increases dendritic arborization both in the intact brain of rat pups exposed to environmentally relevant
levels of PCBs in the maternal diet and in neurons grown in culture. Interestingly, increased dendritic arb orization has also been reported in the brains of at least a subset of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
“While it would be difficult to eliminate PCBs from the environment, it is possible to focus on how we might moderate exposure to PCBs and/ or mitigate their adverse effects on the developing brain. For example, vitamin E has been found to reverse or block some of the changes caused by PCBs in an experimental model. You can also decrease PCB intake by avoiding food stuffs known to sequester PCBs, such as fatty tissues in fish.”
Lein earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and a master’s degree in environmental health from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City,
Tenn. She received her doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology from the State University of New York at Buffalo and completed postdoctoral training in molecular immunology at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo. Lein is currently professor of neurotoxicology in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and director of the CounterACT Center of Excellence at the University of California at Davis Scho ol of Veterinary Medicine.
The Sitlington Lecture in Toxicology is hosted by Carey Pope, Ph.D., OSU Regents Professor and Sitlington Chair in Toxicology in the Department of Physiological Sciences at OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
This year’s audience for the Sitlington Lecture increased as the CVHS streamed it online.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
The National Center for Veterinary Parasitology (NCVP) is marking its fifth anniversary with many successes. The NCVP, housed within Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, began with financial commitments from key industry sponsors and a foundation grant.
“The support of the Kirkpatrick Foundation, Novartis Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health and Merial a llowed us to establish the Center and then nurture it in the early years,” says Susan Little, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM (Parasit.), OSU Regents Professor, Krull-Ewing Chair in Veterinary Parasitology and co-director of the NCVP. “The concept was novel — to create a clearinghouse for all things related to veterinary parasitology, support clinical parasitology research and develop the next generation of veterinary parasitologists.”
Thanks to the support of the following sponsors, the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology is able to offer valuable resources and educational tools to veterinarians, educators and the public as well as train the next generation of veterinary parasitologists:
Bayer Animal Health
Elanco Animal Health
Kirkpatrick Foundation
Merck Animal Health
Merial Limited
Novartis Animal Health
Zoetis
Parasites and vectors, such as mosquitoes, ticks, and the organisms they transmit, cause disease and do not discriminate. Everyone is fair game. And what about the food supply? How can farmers and ranchers ensure their agricultural byproducts are free of parasites and safe for consumption? The answers are connected to the NCVP.
In 2014, Merck, Zoetis, and Elanco joined other continuing sponsors to provide sustaining support to the NCVP. For each sponsor donation of $100,000 a year, a resident position is established in the company’s name. In addition to the industry resident positions, the NCVP sponsors two residents, bringing the total number of trainees to eight.
The NCVP residents are truly stars in their field, and several have received national awards for their research and progress. The number of applicants from across the United States continues to grow with top-notch veterinarians joining the NCVP team.
“Bef ore the NCVP, there was no pipeline for future talent specific to veterinary parasitology. The need for veterinary parasitologists has grown but with a limited supply. Both academia and the pharmaceutical industry need well-trained clinical researchers to effectively combat parasitic and vector-borne diseases,” adds Little.
The significance of sound clinical parasitology training is that it b etter informs understanding of real world application and needs. A perfect example is heartworm.
“For years, heartworm diagnosis has been based on antigen testing to detect proteins of the parasite in the blood of dogs and cats, and antigen tests are very sensitive and specific. But because of research conducted at the NCVP, we now know that many infected dogs, and perhaps most infected cats, may not test positive even though they have worms. Fortunately, this research also identified a simple, in-clinic modification to how the
test is run to address the problem. This is just one example of how NCVP parasitologists — both veterinarians and other scientists — intentionall y consider research questions from a clinical aspect, i.e., how can we help veterinarians practice better medicine.”
On the NCVP’s website (www. ncvetp.org) , teachers from all over the world can access a Parasite Image Database at no cost. Hundreds of parasite images are available for teaching and learning about veterinary parasitology. In addition, other teaching r esources include a “case of the month” and a Jeopardy-styled parasitology review game. Giving educators access to good, accurate and comp elling parasitology information and research helps strengthen knowledge and interest about parasitology worldwide.
T he diagnostic arm of the NCVP has also become more active since the center’s creation. Eileen Johnson, DVM, MS, Ph.D.,
is an associate clinical professor at OSU and the diagnostic veterinary parasitologist for the NCVP.
“The diagnostic lab processes hundreds of samples each month for veterinarians in practice and for other reference labs,” says Johnson. “Most of the samples are from small animals, many from shelter animals. Some of the most common findings include hookworms, which can cause severe anemia in young animals, as well as coccidia, Giardia , roundworms and whipworms, which can cause diarrhea. Many of these parasites are zoonotic, and can cause disease in p eople who become infected, so identifying and treating the infections are particularly important. We encounter some unusual parasites such as Alaria and Dracunculus in small animals as well. We also provide egg per gram counts for horses and cattle, allowing veterinarians to tailor integrated parasite management programs and monitor treatment effectiveness.”
Alice Lee , DVM — Novartis Resident in Veterinary Parasitology, 2014 AAVP-Merck Outstanding Graduate Student Award
Jessica Rodriguez, DVM — Merial Resident in Veterinary Parasitology
Lindsay Starkey, DVM — Bayer Resident in Veterinary Parasitology, 2012 American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists/ Companion Animal Parasitology Council Award, 2013 Merck Outstanding Graduate Student Award
Yoko Nagamori, DVM — NCVP Resident in Veterinary Parasitology
Jennifer Thomas, DVM — NCVP affiliate graduate resident
Christopher Adolph , DVM — NCVP affiliate graduate resident and the first one to complete a degree (MS) through the program, listed in Veterinary Practice News’ “25 Vets to Watch in 2013”
In addition to processing diagnostic samples, the clinical parasitology lab collects materials to be used for teaching courses both at Oklahoma State and at other veterinary colleges, and Johnson teaches residents and graduate students a special problems course in diagnostic parasitology b est practices.
“The NCVP provides information to veterinarians to help them recognize parasites in the animals they treat. An accurate, early diagnosis can cut down on the cost of treatment for the owner and hopefully bring the pet back to a healthy state faster,” says Little.
The newest addition to the NCVP is the small grants program, which provides funding for oneyear projects to address specific problems in clinical or basic veterinary parasitology.
“For the first time, the NCVP was able to award five grants totaling more than $40,000. Student involvement in the project is required which gives us one more opportunity to get younger scientists involved in and excited about parasitology research,” says Little. “All of this is made possible through our sponsoring partners and we are forever grateful for their continued support.”
Plans for the NCVP include more ways to provide helpful information to parasitologists, veterinarians and the public. Look for videos on best practices in parasite control, new images of veterinary parasites, interesting cases involving veterinary parasitology, and more.
For the first time, the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology was able to accept research grant proposals from members of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. Congratulations to these five recipients:
IN THE PHOTO, FRONT ROW FROM LEFT:
Jennifer Thomas — NCVP affiliate resident, OSU
Lindsay Starkey — NCVP Bayer resident, OSU
Anne Zajac — NCVP board member, Virginia Tech
Joyce Login — NCVP ex-officio board member, Zoetis
Alice Lee — NCVP Novartis resident, Cornell University
Mason Reichard — NCVP co-director, OSU
Jessica Rodriguez — NCVP Merial resident, Texas A&M University
Yoko Nagamori — NCVP resident, OSU
MIDDLE ROW, FROM LEFT:
Mike Dryden — NCVP board member, Kansas State University
Heather Clay — OSU Foundation
Chris Adolph — NCVP affiliate resident; graduated with master’s in 2013, OSU
Susan Little — NCVP co-director, OSU
Doug Carithers — NCVP ex-officio board member, Merial
Frank Guerino — NCVP ex-officio board member, Merck
Kelly Allen — NCVP project leader, OSU
BACK ROW, FROM LEFT:
Joe Hostetler — NCVP ex-officio board member, Bayer
Dan Snyder — NCVP ex-officio board member, Elanco
Dwight Bowman — NCVP board member, Cornell University
Jason Drake — NCVP ex-officio board member, Novartis
DR. LORA BALLWEBER, Colorado State University — Individual animals versus the dung pile: Which sampling strategy is best for herd-based fecal egg count surveillance programs?
DR. RICK GERHOLD, University of Tennessee — Persistence and decontamination of Trichomonas gallinae in artificial feeders and waterers and retrospective PCR testing for the parasite in wild birds.
DR. DAVID LINDSAY, Virginia Tech — Sequencing the genome of Cystoisospora canis for insights into tissue cyst formation and reactivation of Cystoisospora species, Neospora caninum , and Toxoplasma gondii
DR. KAREN SNOWDEN, Texas A&M — Improved diagnostic testing for Heterobilharzia americana in dogs using a commercial immunodiagnostic test compared to parasitologic and molecular methods.
DR. HEATHER STOCKDALE-WALDEN, University of Florida — Angiostrongylus cantonensis in Florida.
The Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (OADDL) has acquired a new MALDI-TOF (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization — Time of Flight) Mass Spectrometer. The equipment will be used to identify bacterial organisms isolated from clinical specimens. The spectrometer, better known as a MALDI biotyper, bases identification on the unique protein profiles of bacterial isolates.
“Traditionally most bacteriology laboratories — including ours — have mainly relied on biochemical methods for identifying bacterial isolates in the lab,” says Akhilesh Ramachandran, BVSC, Ph.D., DACVM, assistant professor and Microbiology/Molecular Biology section head at OADDL. “Biochemical methods are inherently time-consuming, requiring 12 to 24 hours of bacterial growth before you can make an identification. The MALDI biotyper can
identify most bacterial isolates within a few minutes. That can be quite beneficial for our clients.”
A faster turnaround time provides earlier results and quicker treatment. OADDL clients include animal owners, veterinarians and clinicians at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. The MALDI biotyper will also be useful for researchers on campus.
“The Instrument is ready to be employed for routine sample testing now that necessary personnel training and validations have been completed,” adds Ramachandran.
Obtaining the MALDI biotyper was made possible by pooling funds from several sources. Contributors include the Veterinary Medical Hospital, the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, along with the generous gift of a friend of the college, who wishes to remain anonymous.
Ashleigh Hall places a target plate containing bacterial samples into the
Mass Spectrometer for identification.
WILLARD SPARKS BEEF RESEARCH CENTER DEDICATES
OSU Animal Sciences and OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences have partnered for years on projects to benefit the beef industry. Their research studies have b een supported by endowments from the Hitch family and from Dennis and Marta White. The animal health divisions of companies such as Boehringer-Ingelheim, Elanco, Merial, Merck, Novartis, and Zoetis also support various studies.
Thr ough the collaborative efforts of both colleges, OSU was able to construct a new Efficiency Unit at the Willard Sparks Beef Resear ch Center on McElroy Road. In October 2013, representatives from several companies and b oth colleges gathered along with friends to dedicate the Willard Sparks Beef Research Center Efficiency Unit.
“This new unit has technology from Insentec, a company in the Netherlands. The unit allows us to measure individual intakes on feed, on water consumption, or on individual diets per each station,” says D.L. Step, DVM, DACVIM, professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at the v eterinary center and an OSU Extension specialist. “We also have video cameras to record behavior and remote sensor technology capabilities. It is one of only four units in North America. There is one in Canada, one in North Dakota, one in Nebraska, and now one at Oklahoma State.”
“This efficiency unit can measure feeding and drinking behavior to help us determine health and well-being of animals and compare that to averages in outside pens,” says Clint Krehbiel, Ph.D., Regents
Professor of Beef Cattle Nutrition and Health, Dennis and Marta White Endowed Chair, and assistant department head of Animal Science. “The idea of teamwork has been with Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine for a long time. We are excited to see it benefit the beef industry once again as we bring this new efficiency unit on line.”
Since the dedication, the Willard Sparks Beef Research Center Efficiency Unit has been used for these contracted research projects:
( I I I
One of the monitoring control units installed throughout the new Efficiency Unit at the Willard Sparks Beef Research Center.
Evaluation of water intake in feeder cattle;
Evaluation of subacute ruminal acidosis in newly arrived high-risk cattle;
Evaluation of inflammatory response in recently arrived high-risk cattle; and
Evaluation of performance in feeder cattle receiving different management protocols.
I I I
Paul McKellips, vice president of the Foundation for Biomedical Research, presented “The Miracle” as the keynote address during the 18th Annual Phi Zeta Research Day. He also spoke to OSU members of the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
“The miracle of life is threatened by cancer,” says McKellips. “The fight against cancer is ongoing and involves research, a slow process that can be frustrating. Researchers face government funding cuts, federal regulations,
transportation challenges (only one airline will fly non-human primates), public opinion (only 46 percent support using animals for biomedical research) and animal rights extremists.”
The ugly battle against deadly diseases and debilitating conditions affects both humans and animals, McKellips says. Emotion is a key component, as everything begins with the patient experience.
“You do what you do (go into veterinary medicine) because of what the patient is going through,” he says. “And while many battles have already been won, the challenge is to keep going. Research discoveries take 15 to 20 years, thousands of people and billions of dollars to bring to fruition.
“We must never quit,” he adds. “We must always support each other and we will finish the race.”
For more information on how research saves lives, visit fbresearch.org.
This spring, the veterinary center broke ground for a new faculty office building adjacent to the OSU Veterinary Medical Hospital. The building will house clinical sciences faculty.
“When the hospital was completed in 1981, clinical sciences faculty members were placed in temporary cubicles in the basement of the building,” says Dr. Jean Sander, dean of the veterinary center. “This new building will provide real offices with walls that go up to the ceiling and a window.”
Located on the northwest corner of the Veterinary Medical Hospital, the building will have the same Georgian look that is seen across the OSU campus.
OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital will continue to be open for business during all phases of construction seeing routine wellness patients, referral cases, and emergencies. Completion of the project is estimated for August 2015.
They come from across the campus of Oklahoma State University, each bringing expertise from their respective fields such as biology, human medicine, engineering and veterinary medicine. Together, they represent the Interdisciplinary Program in Regenerative Medicine at OSU.
L ed by program director Lin Liu, Ph.D., Regents Professor of Physiological Sciences, Lundberg-Kienlen Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research, and director of the Oklahoma Center for Respiratory and Infectious Diseases, the group is comprised of 19 faculty members representing 11 departments in five OSU colleges.
By definition, regenerative medicine is “the process of creating living, functional tissues to repair or replace tissue or organ function
lost due to age, disease, damage or congenital defects,” according to the National Institutes of Health. This includes stem cell therapies, regeneration through bioactive molecules, and tissue engineering.
“Regener ative medicine offers the great promise to cure human and animal diseases, especially in areas that do not have effective treatments,” says Liu. “It is an exciting and emerging research field that thrives on collaborations across disciplines.”
In addition to enhancing collab orations in regenerative medicine research across campus, program objectives include attracting additional faculty into this research area and eventually establishing a self-sustained center of research excellence through extramural funding.
“The group brings everyone together by meeting regularly. We plan to administer a national program survey and recruit external consultants,” he says. “Using pilot projects, we hope to promote proposal submissions to increase involvement campuswide. The program will provide a bridge for investigators across different disciplines and serve as a focus point for research collaborations, education and training opportunities for students.
The program was established through a competitive grant from the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Participating colleges include: Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Center for Health Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.
Currently the following projects are underway at the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences:
MYRON HINSDALE, DVM, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Physiological Sciences, is examining the influences of the extracellular matrix on adult stem function in organ homeostasis and specifically how these cells can augment post-injury organ repair and regeneration.
LIN LIU, Ph.D., is testing whether lung cells differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells can be used for therapy in COPD.
PAMELA LLOYD Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Physiological Sciences, is determining whether mesenchymal stem cells can improve function of endothelial cells that have been damaged by exposure to cigarette smoke.
ASHISH RANJAN, BVSc, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Physiological Sciences, is utilizing highintensity focused ultrasound to enhance targeting of stem cells in the organ of interest.
Although they do not have pilot programs, these CVHS faculty members are part of the Interdisciplinary Program in Regenerative Medicine at OSU:
TODD HOLBROOK, DVM, DACVIM (Large Animal), DACVSMR, June Jacobs Endowed Chair in Veterinary Medicine, Equine Section Chief, professor, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
VERONIQUE LACOMBE, DVM, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Physiological Sciences
TOM OOMENS, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology
CAREY POPE, Ph.D., Regents Professor, Walter Sitlington Chair in Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences
MICHAEL SCHOONOVER, DVM, DACVS, DACVSMR, assistant professor of equine surgery, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Dr. Lara Sypniewski at the 2013
Dr. Lara Sypniewski presented information on using acupuncture as an innovative treatment at the TEDx Innovate series on Oct. 24, 2013.
She discussed treating chronic pain in animals with acupuncture. Since chronic pain is seen more often in aging animals, their systems might not tolerate surgery or heavy painkillers as a means to relieve their pain. Acupuncture is part of the comprehensive approach Sypniewski uses to help pets live a healthier, happier life.
Henthorne Clinical Professor Dr. Lara Sypniewski specializes in small animal medicine. She also serves as a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and is a certified veterinary medical acupuncturist. She sees patients at the OSU Veterinary Medical Hospital Monday through Friday as a community practice clinician.
TEDx talks are available at http://www.osugiving.com/tedxostateu/tedx-2.0-2013-speakers
CVHS is working with local and state authorities to be ready to mobilize in the event of another disaster .
More than 470 donors have contributed to the fund
Donations came from 44 states, plus Canada and the UK
To date, $174,166.69 has been given
$86,630.11 was used for care & training following the 2013 storms
‘Find What Feeds Your Soul and … Make It Happen’
OSU VETERINARY STUDENT FINDS PASSION IN TAKING HER STUDIES TO AFRICA
ONE Center for Veterinary Health Sciences student is taking OSU’s purp ose of “Healthy Animals, Healthy People” all the way to Africa — and she hasn’t even graduated yet.
Fourth-year student Jenny Ladd of Evergreen, Colo., traveled to Africa in 2013 thanks to a $4,000 grant from the Morris Animal Foundation that was matched by a $4,000 donation from the CVHS. Her destination was a chimpanzee sanctuary in northern Zambia, along the Congolese border in Africa.
“Habitat destruction, primarily, prevents the chimps from being released into the wild once rescued and rehabilitated from the pet trade, bush meat trade and deforestation,” Ladd says. “The sanctuary is designed to build family groups and allow them to live out the remainder of their lives much like wild chimpanzees.”
She first traveled to the sanctuary as a volunteer in 2006 and returned in 2008. Ladd made the trip again to the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in 2011 and 2013 with a veterinary/public health focus.
“I KNOW THAT PHILANTHROPIC VETERINARY WORK WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF MY LIFE.”
"I KNOW THAT PHILANTHROPIC VETERINARY WORK WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF MY LIFE."
— JENNY LADD
“Originally, I helped develop a self-sustaining nonprofit structure and built some chimpanzee enclosures,” she says. “In 2011, I completed my primary parasite survey w ith the help of Dr. [Mason] Reichard and a grant from the American Humane Association.”
Veterinary pathobiology associate professor Mason Reichard, P h.D., mentored Ladd during a summer research project that involved collecting 70 fecal samples to analyze for parasites.
“Given the heavy parasite burden observed in 2011, we wanted to follow up and evaluate the effects protocol changes have made on the current parasite burden,” Ladd says, explaining the reason for her 2013 trip. “Specifically, on-demand water valves have replaced manmade ponds as a primary water source for the chimpanzees. Keepers now wear reusable rubber gloves, have a strict hand-washing protocol and have reduced their physical contact with the animals.”
In addition, showers were built at each enclosure for keepers to use before they return home, to try to minimize the spread of disease caused by the parasites. Ladd
lo oked at Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. on site, and sent samples back to OSU for further analysis of other parasites. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. are known most commonly as the cause of severe diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomfort in all species of primates, including humans.
In her trips to Africa, Ladd has learned more than just the number of parasites in existence. She has learned about the people, the place and herself.
“I try to be realistic about the impact I am having,” she says. “How do you encourage hand washing when soap is not readily available? How do you encourage glove use when there is no way to disp ose of gloves? Through my experiences, I have learned that the best philosophy is keep it simple and sustainable. It helps if you can build something, provide medicine or provide supplies, but if it is not sustainable, the long-term impact will be minimal. It feels good to bring clothes, medicine and school supplies, which I do, but it is much better to teach the women to garden so they can sustain vegetable supplementation for
their family or develop water purification systems that are extremely basic with locally acquired parts. These are things that will continue with or without outside involvement.
“Time and time again, I am reminded how much we take for granted. Our knowledge and our possessions far exceed anything they can even conceptualize. Questions such as ‘How many families share your home?’ and ‘When you fly in an airplane, does the sun get bigger?’ make you realize how fortunate we are.
“Over the years, I have become accepted and welcomed by the people, but it took time. To gain their trust I tried to integrate myself into their daily lives. When we dug the foundation for the chimpanzee enclosures, I helped swing a pickax and carried bricks. Over the years, I have played soccer with their children and have w atched them grow up. I will always be a ‘muzungu’ or white person but they now make me feel like, despite my heritage, I am part of the family.
“All of the families at Chimfunshi have so much pride and love in their hearts. They do not have many personal possessions, yet they seem happy and greet each other and every day with a smile. For example, on my last trip I left for the airport late at night. As we bumped down the dirt road through the bush, we came upon a bunch of rickety bicycles. The villagers had come to see me off, hug me and bless my future travels. I left Chimfunshi with tears in my eyes.”
After earning her veterinary degree, Ladd is pursuing a doctorate in wildlife conservation medicine.
“I am just looking for the best-fitting opportunity. I know that philanthr opic veterinary work will always be a part of my life. I encourage other veterinary students who want to go somewhere to help to f ind it on your own. Don’t wait for opportunities to find you. Talk to people, send emails, keep asking, keep looking. There are so many places that need help. Be realistic with your expectations. I equate my efforts in Africa to a drop in a bucket — a bucket that has a hole in it. Yet, I would not do it differently. Find what feeds your soul and find a way to make it happen.”
Ladd is the daughter of Cheryl and Roger Ladd of Evergreen, Colo. She is one of 90 students who graduated in 2014 with a DVM degree from OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
DERINDA
BLAKENEY, APR
There is never a good time to get sick but getting sick during the holidays always seems to make it worse. That’s exactly how Joe Freed, owner of three red kangaroos, felt when Winnie became ill around the 2013 Christmas holidays.
“Winnie, an 8-month-old female joey (young kangaroo), was not eating well and acting lethargic, so her owner brought her to our Veterinary Medical Hospital on Dec. 26, 2013,” explains Jill Murray, RVT, RLATG, VTS (Exotic Companion Animals). “We performed a complete physical exam, blood work and fecal analysis and determined that Winnie was suffering from severe anemia and dehydration as a result of hemorrhagic enterocolitis and needed a blood transfusion.”
Luckily for Winnie, Freed was able to bring her mother, Hope, and older brother, Frank, in from his home in Wichita, Kan. Frank was Winnie’s blood donor. The transfusion went according to plan and Winnie spent the next week recuperating at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. She was on IV fluid therapy and round-the-clock bottle feedings. She stayed in an incubator in a “pouch” to help simulate the normal temperatures she would be in had she been in her mother’s pouch.
“We monitored Winnie’s packed cell volume, or the number of circulating red blood cells, closely to make sure it didn’t drop any further and continued to climb,” adds Murray.
Six months later, Freed reports that Winnie is finally starting to gain weight.
“For a long time, she did not gain any weight. She was only gaining about an ounce a week going from 4 pounds in January to only 7.8 pounds in April,” says Freed. “And she didn’t appear to be growing mentally, either. I guess that is following in her brother’s footsteps as Frank, now 4 years old, seemed to grow at a slower pace as well. I’m happy to say that Winnie is now putting on weight. She now weighs 16 p ounds, which is normal for a baby kangaroo her age.”
Kangaroos usually live 15 to 20 years and in adulthood females will weigh on average 45 to 90 pounds. Native to Australia, red kangaroos or Macropus rufus are the largest of the marsupials. The gestation period for a kangaroo is only 33 days. Joeys are tiny when they are born, averaging only 2.5 centimeters long and weighing less than one gram. A newborn joey crawls up the mother’s fur to her pouch where it develops for the next 8 months.
Freed owns and operates Petiatric, a company that produces animal intensive care units for aviculturists (bird breeders), zoos and veterinarians. He started the business 25 years ago when he began raising parrots and wasn’t able to find affordable equipment on the market.
“At one time, I was breeding 300 parrots,” says Freed. “As an exotic animal lover, I also wanted a wallaby. I studied the care and feeding of macropods and asked my customers to put me on their baby list. Three years later, I acquired Skippy, a 4-month-old male. In 2007, I started raising wallabies but didn’t have good luck with them. A friend had a female red kangaroo (Hope) that was in need of supervision, so I bought her and fell madly in love with kangaroos and have been raising them ever since.”
Going back to college later in life for a veterinary medicine degree is a challenge that Melanie Bearden is happy to take on. Add in the fact that she volunteers at least 20 hours a week at a kitten rescue, and you have an extraordinary, compassionate p erson. Meet Melanie Bearden, Class of 2015, originally of Mannford, Okla.
“I was working in human medicine as a nursing and lab manager in an urgent care clinic. A veterinarian friend needed some help. I worked as a veterinary technician and fell in love with it. We would work 12- to 14-hour days, and I couldn’t wait to go back and do it again,” says Bearden.
While living in Ponca City, Okla., Bearden worked for the Humane Society as a volunteer, a director and a board member over the years. She even started an animal rescue on her own, so it was no wonder that when she met Holly Chapples for the first time, that the two hit it off.
Chapples is the director of Tiny Paws Kitten Rescue at 901 S. Lowry St. in Stillwater. The nonprofit rescues neonatal kittens, ensuring they are vaccinated, tested for diseases, spayed or neutered before they b ecome eligible for adoption.
“I volunteer at Tiny Paws serving as their medical technician coordinator,” explains Bearden. “I make sure that there are people there to give the kittens medicine. I work with the veterinarians to decide how we will treat the neonates. I also foster kittens until they find a forever home. Surprisingly, none have become permanent members of my family as I have one very large dog and three cats.”
To help control the overpopulation of cats and kittens in Stillwater and surrounding areas, Bearden also volunteers with Operation Catnip. Another nonprofit organization, Operation Catnip runs a trap, neuter and release program for feral cats. Spearheaded by Dr. Lesa Staubus, clinical assistant professor at the veterinary center, Operation Catnip holds its monthly clinics inside OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital.
“I usually trap feral cats and then work the clinics Operation Catnip holds to spay/neuter the cats trapped by other community volunteers,” she adds.
Bearden has been honing her clinical skills in her final year of veterinary college.
“Tiny Paws Kitten Rescue is a huge effort. It is an extremely labor-intensive process to take care of neonate kittens. Many places just euthanize them. We need many volunteers to keep them alive and healthy. The more volunteers we have, the less time each person needs to work. I’m not sure what I will do after graduation in May 2015. I would like to b e involved in shelter medicine whatever I do.”
It is easy to imagine the soonto-be veterinarian helping save tiny paws.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
With a feather teaser in hand, Melanie Bearden gets lots of attention from the kittens at Tiny Paws Kitten Rescue, where she volunteers.
It isn’t every day that a student working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is allowed to travel abroad on a CDC case.
But Oklahoma State University fourth-year veterinary student Stefanie Bolas was allowed to assist on a mystifying case in the South Pacific.
“I was on a six-week preceptor at the CDC in Atlanta working in the rabies branch when the request came in from Yap,” says Bolas, of Buffalo, N.Y. “Yap is an isolated, undeveloped island in the South Pacific.”
Two teenage brothers had died shortly after they were admitted to the local hospital in Yap. The cause of death was determined to be Melioidosis, an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Humans can be infected with the bacteria, which occurs mostly in tropical climates, by ingesting
contaminated food or water, inhalation or infection of an open wound. Most people exposed to the bacteria do not become ill. Certain conditions such as diabetes can increase the risk of b ecoming ill from Burkholderia
“Melioidosis has only been seen once before in Yap, and that was in August 2013. A 40-yearold diabetic man died from the disease,” says Bolas. “Then in January 2014, these two otherwise healthy brothers — one 14 and one 18 — became acutely ill, were admitted to the hospital and died within days of each other. That’s when an epidemiology officer in Yap contacted the CDC and requested help to figure out what was going on.”
Bolas was able to fly to Yap with financial assistance from OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
Bolas’ teammates were Leisha Nolen, MD, Ph.D., Epidemic Intelligence Service officer; and David Blaney, MD, CDC medical epidemiologist. A Yap hospital employee provided transportation and translation services.
“We were tasked with conducting interviews with family and close contacts of the brothers and the diabetic man,” says Bolas. “We collected information to identify potential exposures to soil and water, day-to-day activities and medical history among other things. We also collected serum samples from close contacts to identify people who may have been exposed but did not become ill. Test results showed that one female cousin of the boys and the son of the diabetic man were positive for Burkholderia exposure but were not ill with Melioidosis.”
People mayg@I.Melolclo66 t>y <1nra1n9con,. laminated waler. acdderMly NlflSIdirt. or u-
W'!"eS ir;:,;;::.,posi'lglrfwodltlt'llodirtorumru:cdwa1er
TM lnf.cUon b NOT•prHd bet#Nn people, You can NOT pt tM lnlKtion from animal a,
Wt111protedlve g!ar sld\ as bOots and gloves when In dirt and mud
WNhlkIIC\IIISOI09t"~n<tlend00,,,_, ~--:n:~~h~
• • AYOid $'d1Vn~ ti $1;feo,ns OI pond$ ~ly =--, eftefl"ie6Y'/tain
8ollort erwatef~cJrl~
:_MM<! In.its aid 1oc.i rooc1a.-. s.te 10
• STAY He,1.1.THY! !.
ff you get sick and thmk haw melioidos.1s. or l\a.Yemore questions. visit your C:HCor call tne Hospital at HOTLINE:(691)350<!161
The group spent eight days on the island and even attended the memorial service for the teenagers.
“For a small island community such as Yap, the deaths of two young, healthy boys were devastating. Many people were fearful, and rumors about the disease developed. People were unsure how the disease was acquired and what they could do to prevent it. We developed community messaging through radio
interviews and created an informational handout and poster for public areas such as schools, stores and churches.
“It was a great experience to see the process from start to finish from the time the CDC received the request for assistance, to planning the logistics such as passports and arranging to fly supplies over, to being there to talk to the people involved and collect samples. About 40 percent of students working in a CDC
externship will be allowed to travel within the U.S. You don’t usually get an opportunity like this to go on an international CDC case.”
After graduating with her DVM degree in May 2014, Bolas became a public health officer in the U.S. Air Force assigned to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nev. She is the daughter of Michael and Kathleen Bolas of Williamsville, N.Y.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
Homeschooled, Ellen Jackson entered veterinary college at Oklahoma State w ith the Class of 2016 at the age of 17 having already completed her undergraduate requirements. At the end of her freshman year, Jackson chose a research project in Dr. Veronique Lacombe’s laboratory as part of the veterinary center’s Summer Research Scholars Training Program. Now, after completing her second year of veterinary college, Jackson was one of only 10 veterinary students nationwide to r eceive an American Veterinary Medical Foundation/American Veterinary Medical Association 2nd Opportunity Summer Scholars Award. This award allowed her to return to Dr. Lacombe’s laboratory to continue her research.
“I chose Dr. Lacombe’s lab because it uses several different techniques including live animal studies, PCR, Western Blot and a unique biotinylation assay that detects transporters on the surface of cells,” says Jackson. “I want to learn many different lab techniques. Additionally, her work has implications for human and veterinary medicine. I’m interested in public health, so I was drawn to lab work that had some human implications.”
The eventual goal of the study is to find new connections between cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Last year, Jackson was able to find that genetically engineered laboratory mice on a high-fat diet had b etter control of whole body and cardiac glucose than normal mice on the same diet.
Jackson collaborates with Dr. Brenda Smith, Department of Nutrition, who uses the mice as a model.
“Dr. Smith sent skeletal and cardiac muscle samples to Dr. Lacombe. I made protein extracts from the frozen hearts of the mice on the study. I’m using Western Blotting to detect individual proteins,” she adds.
To be eligible for the 2nd Opportunity Summer Scholars Award, Ellen submitted a 250-word abstract of her previous research and what she planned for her second year on the project. Chris Ross, DVM, Ph.D., associate dean of academic affairs and professor of physiological sciences, and Veronique Lacomb e, DVM, Ph.D., associate professor of physiological sciences, wrote letters of support.
“I am very grateful to Dr. Lacombe for letting me work in her lab and to Drs. Ross and Jerry Malayer, associate dean for research and graduate education, for supporting my research,” says Jackson.
With two years of study complete, Jackson enjoys veterinary college.
“I ha ve shared a lot of experiences with other students between clubs and classes. And the professors are friendly, too. I’m interested in public health related careers, possibly in epidemiology. However, a lot can change,” she adds.
She has been accepted into the DVM/Ph.D. program, which will give her plenty of time to determine her path as her career in veterinary medicine develops.
J.D. Folsom received the 2014 Dean Harry W. Orr Memorial Award. He grew up on a cow/ calf operation with horses and dogs so becoming a veterinarian was his goal for as long as he can remember.
“I was born in Worland, Wyo. We lived there until middle school when we moved to Salmon, Idaho, where I graduated from high school. Dr. Patricia Holland in Wyoming made a big impact on me at a young age. I can still remember her showing me and my brothers her instruments and what they were for about every time she was around.”
Folsom began his fourth and final year of veterinary college in May as he and his classmates transition into the clinical part of their training.
“I’m looking forward to getting hands-on experience and developing skills that will serve me as a veterinarian and not sitting in class all day,” he says with a smile.
The Dean Orr Award was established in honor of the second dean to ser ve the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine.
“I f eel extremely honored to receive such an award. It helps validate a lot of hard work and long hours studying. It’s always a privilege to be honored for hard work and dedication to something you are passionate about.”
Folsom wants to focus on cattle medicine but has no concrete plans yet. For underclassmen, he has this advice:
“Vet school is a marathon, not a sprint. You have to just put your head down sometimes and push through the hard times.”
In addition to the Dean Orr Award, Folsom received a George Harold and Dorothy Elsie Faisy Award, a Butch and Luella Ruth Curtis Educational Fund Award, the Subbiah Sangiah Endowed Scholarship in Veterinary Pharmacology and a Dr. Harvey and Corinne Price Endowed Scholarship.
Shane Morrison, a doctoral candidate in zoology, is one of four students to receive the new Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Toxicology, and is the first recipient of the Paracelsus Award. This annual award recognizes academic excellence in the certificate program.
The Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program is in its second year. Carey Pope, Ph.D., Regents Professor and Sitlington Chair in Toxicology in the Department of Physiological Sciences, along with Drs. Loren Smith, Regents Professor and head of Zoology, and David Wallace, professor and assistant dean for research, Center for Health Sciences, are co-directors of the
program. Last year, Pope and his colleagues placed third in the OSU President’s Cup for Creative Interdisciplinarity, which provided funding for student awards such as the Paracelsus Award earned by Morrison.
“Shane, working with Dr. Jason Belden, associate professor of toxicology (zoology), is an outstanding student that brings interests from chemistry, environmental science and toxicology into his research program,” says Pope. “The merging of disciplines to study complex questions of toxicological relevance is what the Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program is all about.”
Morrison graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, with an environmental emphasis and approval from the American Chemical Society, from Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. While an undergrad, he also worked for Dow Chemical Co. as a co-op laboratory technician gaining experience with ion-exchange resin technologies.
At OSU, Morrison earned a master’s degree in zoology in 2012. His research, published in the journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry in 2013, has been the inspiration for his Ph.D. research at OSU.
For more information on OSU’s Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program see toxicology.okstate.edu
Anne Barrett, a doctoral candidate in veterinary biomedical sciences at OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, received the 2014 American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists/Companion Animal Parasitology Council Graduate Student Award in Zoonotic Disease from the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists.
The award includes an honorarium and travel support to attend the 2014 AAVP meeting in Denver, where Barrett will report her most recent research findings on novel Rickettsia spp. in dogs and lone star ticks in Oklahoma.
Originally from Portland, Maine, Barrett is completing her doctorate at Oklahoma State under the guidance of Drs. Susan Little, Eileen Johnson, Tamara Gull (veterinary pathobiology) and Ed Shaw (microbiology and molecular genetics).
The 2013 issue of Vet Cetera has earned notice from three professional groups.
A 2014 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation came from the national Public Relations Society of America. The program recognizes and honors the very best public relations tactics executed each year.
This year’s competition drew a total of 734 entries. Of those, only 90 organizations were selected as Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation winners, demonstrating the high standards applied by the judges in their evaluation process.
The magazine also earned a second-place Excellence Award from the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association and an Honorable Mention from the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
Kari Jo Kelso and Brittany Koether, both Class of 2015, were two of just nine students chosen from across the country for the inaugural Student North American Business Association team.
The Americ an Animal Hospital Association established the S -NABA based on the concept of the North American Business Association. The NABA consists of several small groups of private practices that meet annually to discuss practice management strategies. Kelso and Koether attended the March 2014 AAHA meeting for the first S-NABA team meeting.
“Each student created a presentation on a form of veterinary business and practice management
such as finance, marketing, metrics, benchmarking,” says Koether. “The group also participated in a case study where we reviewed full practice financials and demographics and then made recommendations to a board on how to decrease expenses and improve revenue centers, HR practices and business goals. The nine team members will work together throughout the coming year on different projects.”
The idea behind NABA groups is to afford veterinary students an opportunity to network with peers and industry leaders, master business practices that will increase their appeal to employers, and set themselves up for success when they eventually partner in or own their own veterinary practice.
7:30 A.M.: Brazos Valley Equine Hospital, Navasota, Texas. Patients start getting their morning treatments.
8:00 A.M.: The clinic opens, and in come more patients.
5:00 P.M.: The clinic closes.
6:00 P.M.: Those morning treatments are complete.
8:00 P.M.: Night treatments begin, as do every-two-hour check-ins on the patients.
“I did anything and everything. I don’t think I had more than three consecutive hours of sleep the entire time I was there. It was intense,” he adds. “I saw a corneal transplant. By the time I left the horse was off all medication and seeing. Whenever they have to put a horse down, they take the corneas and then transplant them as needed. I saw a lot of colic surgeries, too. One thing they don’t t each us in school is that colics only come in after 10 p.m.”
The equine hospital treats all breeds of horses as well as mules, donkeys, zebras, alpacas and llamas.
“In Oklahoma, when you drive west from Stillwater, you see herds of cattle,” he says. “In Texas, when you drive through the countryside, you see herds of horses. Not just
quarter horses or cutting horses but Arabians, thoroughbreds, draft horses and polo horses. We visited an Arabian horse farm where one Arabian sheik kept his $20 million horse.”
Willis was one of two veterinary students nominated to receive the Zoetis Equine Externship.
“The veterinary center has other Zoetis externships, but this is the first year we have had one focused on equine veterinary medicine,” says Todd Holbrook, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM-Large Animal, Dipl. ACVSMR, equine section chief, June Jacobs Endowed Chair in Veterinary Medicine and the professor who nominated Willis. “I nominated Andrew because I was impressed with his innate skills of observation and problem solving,
That’s the demanding schedule that Andrew Willis of Woodward, Okla., lived for four weeks, seven days a week, during his Zoetis Equine Externship during the summer between his second and third year of veterinary college at OSU.
which I noted when I interacted with him in our equine clinical techniques courses.”
As a teenager, Willis worked on a ranch and loved it. His great-uncle, Dr. Ron Guthrie (’66), and three of his cousins (Drs. James Giles, ’98; Kimber Guthrie, ’98; and Danielle Husted, ’05) all earned their DVM degrees at OSU, so it didn’t take much persuasion to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.
“I shied away from doing an externship between my first and second years of veterinary college because I felt I didn’t know enough and that would be frowned upon. I would encourage anyone considering an externship to just do it,” says Willis. “I was very surprised at how laid-back people were at Brazos. The owner, Dr. Terrell Buchanan,
better known as T-Bone, told me that anytime I wanted to get my hands on something, all I had to do was ask. No matter how busy everyone was, they were happy to sit down and explain what they were doing and answer any questions I had. T-Bone told me to take their horse, Ethel, out of the corral and practice my joint injections on her in between client appointments.
“The contacts I made were incredible. I met one of two surgeons in the world that can do a sp ecialty surgery called a C7 T1 wobbler surgery. An externship is well worth your time. You will learn a lot and you will be able
to apply what you have already learned in class. A big thanks to Dr. Holbrook, Zoetis and Brazos as well as the student chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners for making this experience possible for me.”
After graduation with the Class of 2016, Willis hopes to do an internship and residency in equine internal medicine.
“Brazos said I was welcome to come back anytime, and they would make room for me,” adds Willis. “I plan to take them up on that offer at some point. I would go back in a heartbeat.”
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
Drs. Todd Holbrook (from left) and Lyndi Gilliam (advisers to the student chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners); Andrew Willis, Zoetis Equine Externship recipient; Brett Burk, Zoetis equine specialist; and Dr. Rocky Bigbie, CVM Class of 1981 and academic liaison at Zoetis.
Oklahoma State University alumna Miriam “Mimi” A. (Horn) Yeager has combined her love for Afghan hounds with her gratitude to OSU’s veterinary college for caring for her first dogs when she was a student.
Back in 1975, while studying for her bachelor’s in sociology, Mimi lived in a small house on South Knoblock Street in Stillwater that had a fenced yard for her t wo Afghan hounds. Like many students then, she didn’t have a car. The only way she could afford veterinary treatment for the dogs was to walk to OSU’s veterinary college — 1½ miles each way.
Alethea, one of Mimi Yeager’s Afghan hounds
“Sometimes, someone would give me a ride, but most students did not have cars back then,” she recalls.
After graduating in December 1977, she married Kevin Yeager. They moved to Casper, Wyo., and then to Anchorage, Ala., in 1981.
“We have had three litters over the years. We named all the AKC-registered puppies after fishing lures. This was the invention of Kevin, me and our friends and many bottles of wine,” says Yeager. For the past 39 years, Yeager has shared her life with 24 Afghan hounds.
Today, she has six Afghans. Her German import, Paco, was a cover boy for Sight & Scent magazine twice in July 2012 and July 2013 issues. Another, Clyde (named after Alaska veterinarian Dr. Clyde L. Odom), has been on the Afghan Hound Review cover. All six dogs are AKC and Canadian champions.
“I have professional handlers to show my Afghans,” she says. “I’ve traveled all over the United States as well as to Canada to show my dogs. In order to afford this, I taught ABE/GED classes at the 450-bed Anchorage Cook Inlet Pretrial Prison for more than 30 years.”
In J anuary 2013, Kevin Yeager died.
“He always liked the idea of a scholarship. I am so grateful for the care my dogs received while I was at OSU that I wanted to provide two scholarships to be awarded to deserving veterinary students. Rather than make an estate gift, I decided to do it now.”
She established the Afghan Hound Heaven Scholarship by Miriam A. Yeager. The two $5,000 annual scholarships will be given to third-year or fourth-year veterinary students based upon financial need.
“I feel good about this,” Yeager says. “We never had kids, so our Afghans have been our family; they have been my life. I hope these scholarships help someone become a veterinarian so they can care for someone’s pets the way the OSU Vet School cared for mine.”
The scholarships were awarded for the first time in April 2014 to Rebecca Tims of Midland, Texas, and Jill Weber of Coppell, Texas, both fourth-year students. And to these soon-to-be-veterinarians, Yeager has this request:
“All I ask is that if ever an Afghan hound comes into your clinic, please give it an extra pat on the head. And, please remember that Afghans are sight hounds. Most dogs come when they are called. An Afghan takes a message and gets back with you later.”
Last year, more than 470 people from around the world gave generously to the OSU Animal Relief Fund to help the many injured animals from the Oklahoma tornadoes. Thank you to the following donors whose contributions came in after the 2013 issue of Vet Cetera went to press:
AMERICAN MORGAN HORSE EDUCATIONAL CHARITABLE TRUST, SHELBURNE, VT.
ARTHRODYNAMIC TECHNOLOGIES INC., LEXINGTON, KY.
JACK L. BUSER, CHICKASHA, OKLA.
CHRISTIE ANNE CASH, HOUSTON
DOCTOR’S CHOICE SUPPLEMENTS, SAUK CITY, WIS.
SUSAN AND J. MICHAEL EDWARDS, OKLAHOMA CITY
GAITHERSBURG VETERINARY, GAITHERSBURG, MD.
PRISCILLA AND KEVIN GERFEN, STILLWATER
ROBIN H. GRAY, OCALA, FLA.
HAPPY TRAILS EQUESTRIAN CLUB, BETHALTO, ILL.
TRACI L. HECK, SAND SPRINGS, OKLA.
JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, PRINCETON, N.J.
ADRIENNE LEIGH KENNEDY, SEABROOK ISLAND, S.C.
LUIS O. KRUG, AUDUBON, N.J.
MILLER-MCMAHAN ALPACAS LLC, GENEVA, NEB.
ANNE SANCHEZ, TULSA
KENDALL SUMMERHAWK, TUCSON, ARIZ.
DONNA M. TALL BEAR, NORMAN, OKLA.
KIMBERLY WOZNIAK, BRISTOW, OKLA.
KRISTINE M. YANNOTTA, HOWELL, N.J.
The Distinguished Alumni Award is selected and presented by the College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society Committee. It recognizes outstanding professional and personal achievements and contributions to the enhancement of the veterinary profession.
K. s ha W n B loo D
Dr. K. Shawn Blood has a wide range of professional experience. He graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma State University in 1989 and currently ser ves as a technical service veterinarian for Zoetis, covering the High Plains region. Prior to that, he oversaw all livestock operations for Hitch Enterprises, which consists of three large commercial feed yards, a ranch and a swine operation.
Before joining Hitch, Blood became a practice partner and owner of a food animal practice in Sutton and Geneva, Neb., with an emphasis on swine and cattle. He became an equal partner of the Sutton Veterinary Clinic in 1991. The practice consists of two clinics covering most of a six-county area.
Blood is licensed and accredited to practice in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. He is a member of the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, American Association
s tanley D. K osan K e
Dr. Stanley D. Kosanke is a highly focused professor who has participated in numerous research grants, publications and teaching activities during his 40-year career. He started his college career with a bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University in 1968 and received his DVM from the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine in 1970.
Kosanke earned a Ph.D. at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University in 1975. He was employed for three years at the Southern Research Institute in Birmingham, Ala., as a diagnostic pathologist for numerous drug carcinogenesis studies. He is currently an associate professor within the Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, and adjunct associate professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology, College
Dr. David L. Panciera graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma State University in 1982. He is the Anne Hunter Professor of Small Animal Medicine in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1987, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and board certification in small animal internal medicine from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
After completing his DVM at OSU, he worked in private practice and held faculty positions at several veterinary colleges. This experience has helped him teach veterinary students a practical approach to the diagnosis and management of medical disorders in small animals. He has provided advanced clinical training in small animal internal
of Bovine Practitioners and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. He is involved in the Oklahoma Beef Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Nebraska Cattlemen.
He was the director of the District VII region of the AABP from 2005-2011. He was a member and vice chair for the AVMA Council on Biologics and Therapeutic Agents and a member of the AVMA Animal Agriculture Liaison Committee. He is currently the Oklahoma director for the AVC b oard of directors.
The AABP awarded him the Merial Excellence in Preventative Medicine-Beef Award at the Vancouver, BC, meeting in 2007. He also has articles published in Bovine Veterinarian, Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research and COBTA report. He was an active developer and contributing editor to the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Handbook.
Blood is a strong supporter and contributor to the OSU CVM educational program, mentoring more than 50 externs over the last 20 years. He is a member of the Victory Memorial United Methodist Church in Guymon, Okla.
He has been married to his wife Jennifer since 1995. They have three daughters, Anna, 17; Katie, 14; and Hope, 11.
of Dentistry, at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he has been a faculty member for 36 years.
He attained accreditation from the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 1981 and the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine in 1983. He has developed extensive curricula for both laboratory animal medicine and comparative pathology, which includes numerous teaching files on the diseases of humans, laboratory, exotic and domestic animals.
Kosanke has served as principal investigator, co-investigator or consulting veterinary pathologist on 25 National Institutes of Health research grants. He has authored or co-authored 92 research publications and 66 research abstracts as well as making presentations at numerous local, state and national meetings. He has published in numerous journals and served as a manuscript reviewer for several scientific journals.
He has taught extensively within the College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry and the graduate college at the OUHSC. He also helps with the mentoring of those veterinary students (many from OSU) and graduates who have participated in the comparative medicine externships and residency training programs, and has served as an adviser on numerous master’s and Ph.D. committees.
Kosanke also consults with several private veterinary reference laboratories. He is currently or has been a consulting veterinary pathologist to the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Dean McGee Eye Institute, Max Planck Institute, Northwestern and Boston Universities, Miles Pharmaceutical and the Genzyme Corp., among many others.
medicine to many interns and residents and has served on numerous graduate committees for master’s and doctoral candidates.
Panciera has obtained more than $650,000 in research grants with an emphasis on clinical endocrinology. He has over 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals, authored a te xtbook on small animal endocrinology, and has written chapters in several textbooks. He also has served as a reviewer for numerous national and international professional publications including the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the Canadian Veterinary Journal. He is a member of several professional organizations including the Society for Comparative Endocrinology, American Veterinary Medical Association, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association. Panciera has received awards for clinical teaching, including the Bayer Animal Health Faculty Recognition Award in 2006 and 2010. Panciera is married and has two children.
Even though Matt Teuscher, DVM, was born and reared in Gibson City, Ill., he bleeds OSU orange. He came to Stillwater, Okla., to get an education. His dream since grade school was to become a veterinarian.
“Growing up on a farm, I loved helping my dad with the cattle and sheep. I came to Oklahoma State because I received an academic incentive scholarship,” says Teuscher. “It dropped the out-of-state tuition costs for both undergrad and veterinary school.”
He graduated with his DVM degree in 2004 and went to work for the Animal Care Hospital in Morris, Ill.
“Over the next nine years, I gained a lot of experience in surgery especially in orthopedics.”
In August 2013, Teuscher’s love for the ocean, boating, water sports and beautiful weather year round led him and his family to the Gulf Coast of Florida.
“The opportunity became available. The location and practice were exactly what I was looking for to raise my family.”
Matt purchased the Island Animal Hospital in Venice, Fla., where he specializes in small animal medicine, soft tissue and orthop edic surgery. He also performs orthopedic surgeries for other veterinarians on a referral basis. His wife, Amanda, is the veterinary hospital manager
Of course, Teuscher had to do a little redecorating — and like any orange-blooded OSU Cowboy fan, he chose an OSU theme for his veterinary hospital.
“I still wear orange almost every day to work. Throughout my experiences since OSU, I have yet to find friendlier people or a more welcoming place than Stillwater.”
Teuscher has fond memories of his time at OSU.
“I enjoyed the bovine palpation lab with Drs. Gregor Morgan and Lionel Dawson. They were great teachers and they liked to have fun while you learn,” he remembers. “It was a very practical way of learning. They made you think but didn’t talk over your head. Great balance! I gained so much practical experience while I was at OSU that most veterinary schools don’t provide for their students. I felt ready when I graduated to ‘hit the ground running’ and I did.
“I am a very hands-on type of person. My favorite part of being a veterinarian is definitely surgery and anatomy. Taking an animal that is ‘broken’ and figuring out how to best ‘fix’ the problem is not only challenging but also very rewarding.
“If young graduating veterinarians practice good medicine and surgery and communicate well, the rest will fall into place,” he advises. “And Go Cowboys!”
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
Members of the Air Force and the Navy served together in 1942, launching bombers off the flight deck of the USS HORNET in the Pacific Ocean in retaliation for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Sixteen bombers were launched, each with a crew of five men. Lt. Col. Steven R. Cherrington says all but three crew members survived.
The final four surviving Doolittle Raiders were honored by the Air Force on Nov. 9, 2013, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Three of the four survivors were able to attend the final toast, which was given from a bottle of 1896 cognac — Lt. Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle’s birth year. The late commander of the crew had started the annual toast tradition, but the surviving members decided that 2013’s would be the last event.
Eighty silver goblets were presented to the Raiders in 1959 by the city of Tucson, Ariz. Each Raider’s name was engraved on his goblet, the second upside-down. Whitegloved cadets poured cognac into the survivors’ goblets. Those of the deceased were turned upside-down.
At the end of that ceremony, retired Col. Carroll “C.V.” Glines, the historian for the Raiders, said, “This concludes the ceremony and also completes a mission,” according to the Air Force News Service.
The Center for Veterinary Health Sciences honored military heroes past and present at its Veterans Day observance on Nov. 11, 2013, outside McElroy Hall at the Military Veterinarian Honor Court.
Nationally, only 1 percent of the U.S. population serves in the military and provides the 99 percent the freedom they enjoy, Lt. Col. Steven R. Cherrington, commander of Air Force ROTC Detachment 670 at OSU, told the audience in his “Remembering Those Who Paved the Way” address.
In Oklahoma, however, 325,000 people — almost 10 percent of the population — serve in the military.
“That is quite a telling number,” he says.
He recognized another Veterans Day event, the final toast of the Doolittle Raiders, who led a raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942, in retaliation for the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Cherrington, a professor, chairs the Department of Aerospace Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, teaching the foundations of the U.S. Air Force and national security affairs. He is an OSU graduate and a senior pilot with more than 1,400 hours and 400 combat hours supporting operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Djibouti and Haiti.
Lt. Col. Holland’s brick has a gold star on it to denote that he was killed in combat. Holland graduated from the OSU CVM in 1988. A roadside bomb killed him and three fellow servicemen on May 18, 2006.
“How essential it is for us to gather with an attitude of gratitude,” Cherrington says. “Thank you for your service, patriotism and dedication.”
Dr. Jean Sander, dean of the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, gave the welcome. OSU Army and Air Force ROTC cadets presented the colors.
The veterinary center has a long history of supporting new recruits and faculty members enlisted in military service, as well as graduating many alumni who go on to military service, she says.
In addition, Dr. Kenneth Bartels, a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, holds the McCasland Professorship in Laser Surgery and the Kerr Chair for Biophotonics in the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, and is director of the Surgical Laser Laboratory. Dr. Tamara Gull, recently promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, is an assistant professor in veterinary pathobiology and teaches infectious diseases and microbial forensics.
The honor court was created to honor those OSU veterinarians who are serving or have served in the U.S. military. Bricks are engraved in remembrance of them and their service.
BEVERLY BRYANT
Cl/HS
Kristen Borsella (Class of 2016) and Ian Frye (Class of 2017) were commissioned into the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps during the 2014 spring semester. They are two of four veterinary students currently serving in the Army Veterinary Corps.
Borsella grew up in Pelham, N.Y., with a police sergeant father whose partner is a K9 and who owned a pet grooming salon before that. She also worked at a local equine center while attending middle and high school.
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian,” says Borsella.
Watching her friend and classmate Sarah Keller receive a scholarship as Keller was commissioned
into the Army last year prompted Borsella to look into the military option.
“Hearing about Sarah’s military experience inspired me to consider this as a career choice,” she say s. “Also both of my grandfathers and an uncle served in the military. After speaking to them about this opportunity it confirmed that this was something I really wanted to do.”
In return for a two-year scholarship to help pay for her degree in veterinary medicine, Borsella will serve on active duty in the Army for three years following her graduation.
“I’m not sure if I will make a permanent career out of the military,” says Borsella. “I am very excited
about the opportunity ahead and am going to make the most of it. I think it’s a decision I will have to make when the time comes.”
“I’ll have to keep myself open to whatever new opportunities come along,” says Frye, who received a three-year scholarship and will also serve three years following his graduation. “The loan repayment program was what first caught my attention.”
“As an out-of-state student, the already high veterinary school tuition bills are even more daunting. This is a great way to cut down my repayment time by quite a bit,” says Frye, who grew up in Arlington, Wash. “As I looked into it more, I did find other aspects of the program that attracted me to it. It
will be an excellent opportunity to serve my country in a way that also helps me pursue my personal dreams of being a veterinarian. It’s also a chance to gain valuable experience working with health professionals in many different fields for a common goal. The networking and technical resources I will have access to are nearly unparalleled compared to anywhere else I could b e working as a new graduate. And I will enter the service as a commissioned officer, which only opens more of those doors for me.”
After their graduations, both students will attend the Officer Basic Leadership Course at Fort Sam Houston in Texas before being assigned to their first duty station.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
Like mother, like daughter. That’s how it is in the Dickinson household.
Dr. Diane Dickinson earned her DVM degree from OSU in 1984. In 2010, she returned to Stillwater to put a white coat on her middle daughter, Carolyn, as she began veterinary college with the Class of 2014. In 2013, Dr. Dickinson coated Carolyn during the Transition Ceremony and finally, on May 9, 2014, she hooded Carolyn as she, too, earned her DVM degree from Oklahoma State University.
“I’ve wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as I remember,” says Carolyn. “Seeing my mom as one only made me want to do it even more.”
“From the time Carolyn was a little girl, she has always loved animals in a very real and practical way,” her mother says. “She would follow all the rules of sterile fields and patient care extremely well. However, she was so interested in watching the surgeries that she would get too close, and I would have to ask her to back up so I could do the surgery! She was enthralled by veterinary medicine and her accomplishing
this milestone in her life is the evidence thereof. Carolyn was made to be a veterinarian. I am so grateful that I could personally encourage her. I am so proud of her.”
Diane Dickinson owns Shepherd’s Cross Inc. and Heart of the Shepherd Inc., both based in Claremore, Okla. Shepherd’s Cross is a working sheep farm, and Heart of the Shepherd is a nonprofit organization that teaches veterinary medicine and animal husbandry around the world. Carolyn regularly worked at both.
“Carolyn is the first of three children to go on to veterinary college,” says Diane. “We put her through the gauntlet. Carolyn worked with me on veterinary missions in different parts of the world, treating water buffalo and cattle. She would always come home and say, ‘Yes, this is what I want to do.’ We wanted to make sure she was going into veterinary medicine because it was what she wanted — not because I am a veterinarian.”
The same was true for where Carolyn would earn her degree.
“We took her to other colleges,” says Diane. “We didn’t want her coming to OSU just because I had.”
“I think most importantly my mom has shown me that having the chance to be a veterinarian is a gift,” Carolyn says. “Not all people are meant to do it. Those of us that are have a responsibility to our patients and our clients to do the best we can. And when medicine fails, to just be there for them and let them know you care about them.”
And with that Carolyn will leave OSU with her DVM degree to join a mixed-animal practice, Skiatook Animal Clinic in Skiatook, Okla. Her mother will continue to work on the farm.
“Words cannot express the joy I feel,” says Diane. “I am so delighted to witness, first hand, veterinary medicine walking into the next generation, especially rural, mixed-animal medicine. In a time when veterinary medicine has met some challenges, I am filled with hope for our profession.”
“I love it all — the medicine, the animals and the clients,” adds Carolyn Dickinson, DVM.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
It’s only been a few short years since Dr. Michael Rogers, Class of 2011, received his DVM degree from Oklahoma State University. On May 9, he hooded his wife, Alisha Rogers, as she earns her DVM degree from OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine with the Class of 2014.
“The thought of b ecoming a veterinarian was something I always considered,” says Alisha. “During my undergraduate studies in zoology at OSU, I was closely involved with many types of animals. After graduating and working for a few years, I decided I wanted to do more than work with animals; I wanted to work on them. Michael and my family convinced me that it was never too late to pursue my dreams.”
Alisha and Michael met working at Walmart while undergraduates at OSU. They started dating in June of 2005 and married April 14, 2007. In the fall of 2007, Michael began his journey to become a veterinarian. In May 2008, the couple began living at the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences Ranch, serving as herdsmen and on-site security for four years, while gaining invaluable experience that would serve them well in the future. By the time Michael graduated in 2011, Alisha had completed her first year of veterinary college.
Michael is currently the resident veterinarian at the Lazy E Ranch in Guthrie, Okla.
“I am blessed to have had Michael’s help academically and his unwavering support,” Alisha says. “Not very many veterinary students are as fortunate as I am to have someone who knows what you are going through and can help along the way.”
“To be a veterinarian, the heart of your career is focused on animals and their health. However, helping someone in the process is what I like the most ab out veterinary medicine,” she adds. “During my senior year I served patients I will never forget; they will always be near and dear to my heart. While on my small animal surgery and internal medicine rotations, I was very lucky to have had a Brussels Griffon by the name of Francis. Francis and his owner, Kassie, are a true blessing. I loved seeing his dapper face p eeking from his ICU cage, which was adorned from top to bottom with photos and quotes from home. My favorite quote in his cage was ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed … nothing will be impossible for you.’ (Matthew 17). Francis truly embodied this scripture, and he taught me to never give up.
“I am indebted to OSU’s veterinary center faculty, house officers and staff for the collaboration, knowledge and experience I gained while in veterinary school at Oklahoma State University. I am excited to start my career as a veterinarian,” says Alisha, who is seeking a position close to their Guthrie home.
“I am happy to have shared this journey with Alisha. It means more to me to hood Alisha than my own graduation. I can’t wait to give her a big hug after hooding her. I look forward to having her as a colleague,” says Michael.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
To read more about Francis’ road to recovery, see pages 19 and 20 in this issue of Vet Cetera
Whitney Fry was speechless when her name was announced as the winner of the 2014 Dean Clarence H. McElroy Award, the highest honor for an OSU veterinary student.
“There were no coherent thoughts,” says Fry. “I’m still trying to process it. It is such an honor and I feel so incredibly grateful. I hope I am able to represent my school and this profession well.”
The award was established in honor of the first dean of OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine (then Oklahoma A&M School of Veterinary Medicine). Faculty members and classmates vote for the honoree, whose selection is based on high academic achievement, leadership and outstanding clinical proficiency.
Whitney grew up in Edmond, Okla. She majored in zoology/biomedical sciences at the University of Oklahoma for her undergraduate degree.
“I found zoology and biomedical sciences interesting, and I also enjoy medicine, so becoming a veterinarian fit,” she says. “There wasn’t a special event or person that helped
influence my career choice. My parents have always encouraged me to do what makes me happy.”
And her favorite memory, as she prepares to graduate?
“There are too many favorite memories to pick one. It’s pretty amazing to look back and realize how far my classmates and I have come,” she says. “I would advise any future veterinary student to work hard without being too hard on yourself. Help each other out and try to maintain a good attitude.
“I just want to thank the OSU Vet Med faculty and my classmates. My experience at OSU has been wonderful overall, and it’s hard to believe that it is coming to an end. I am so grateful for my education and consider myself very fortunate to have had this opportunity.”
Whitney leaves OSU to begin a small animal rotating internship at Tufts University’s veterinary hospital with plans to probably pursue a residency in internal medicine.
Cl/HS
Four of the five students who attained a Research Scholar transcript designation at the 2014 Oklahoma State University commencement ceremonies were veterinary students from OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.
This accomplishment is based on the students’ publications and contributions to original research conducted while in veterinary scho ol.
Drs. Brian Herrin, Luisa Velasquez and Heather Rhoden studied under Susan Little, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM (Parasit), OSU Regents Professor, Krull-Ewing Chair in Veterinary Parasitology and co-director of the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology.
Herrin’s research involved collaborative work to characterize a novel Ehrlichia sp. in horses and determine equine tick burdens. He is now completing graduate school in OSU’s combined DVM/Ph.D. program under Little’s mentorship, investigating the geographic e xpansion of Borrelia burgdoferi in North America.
Velasquez recently published ground-breaking research documenting increased prevalence of heartworm by antigen testing in canine samples after heat tr eatment, and recently accepted a position as an associate veterinarian in Owasso, Okla.
Rho den worked with the NCVP on a number of different parasitology projects, including authoring recommendations for the Companion Animal Parasite Council on Mesocestoides spp., and is now pursuing an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Quinci Layman was mentored by Anthony Confer, DVM, MS, Ph.D., DACVP, Regents Professor and Walter Sitlington Endowed Chair for Food Animal Research. She conducted a retrospective study of 99 equine disease cases associated with infection with various Actinobacillus bacteria. Those data were recently published in the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. Layman has entered a pathology resident/Ph.D. program at Texas A&M University.
Congratulations, Class of 2014!
IN MAY, THE CENTER FOR VETERINARY HEALTH SCIENCES GRADUATED THE CLASS OF 2014 WITH 90 MEMBERS.
Welcome, Class of 2018
CLASS OF 1964 REUNITES IN STILLWATER BY
DERINDA BLAKENEY
When the members of the Class of 1964 graduated with their DVM degree, they numbered 34, with 31 men and three women. In May 2014, 19 of the 29 living class members returned to Stillwater to celebrate the last 50 years. Here are brief summaries of their varied careers as OSU Cowboy veterinarians.
From left, in front: Drs. Terry Beals, Ben Baker, Richard Allen, Gary Tran and Sandra Wilson
Back row, from left: Drs. Gloyd Miller Marvin Adams Clarence Moreton Roy Pool and Deorsey McGruder
MARVIN M. ADAMS purchased the Henryetta (Okla.) Veterinary Hospital less than two years after starting his career there. He practiced there for 34 years and retired to raise cattle. In 2001, he and his wife, Donna, sold their farm and moved to Lake Bob Sandlin in Pittsburg, Texas, where they spend three seasons. During the summer, they stay at their mountain place in Pagosa Springs, Colo., where Marvin loves to fly fish for trout.
RICHARD E. ALLEN joined a small animal practice in North Little Rock, Ark., while the owner ran for state office. When the owner didn’t win, Dr. Allen was out of a job. He leased a clinic, then built his own three years later. He and his wife, Doretta, have worked at the practice together for 17 years and are toying with the idea of retirement. In his spare time, Richard is restoring a 1964 Austin Healey 3000 sp orts car.
BEN H. BAKER worked in Oklahoma for two years before moving to Fort Smith, Ark. He worked for another veterinarian for one year before building his own practice, where he worked until he retired in 2010. He has been active in locally organized veterinary medicine, in their community, and in keeping his classmates connected.
TERRY L. BEALS worked in private practice briefly in Hollis, Okla., before working with the animal disease eradication arm of the USDA stationed in Muskogee, Okla. He was heavily involved in the eradication of hog cholera, brucellosis and tub erculosis in the western U.S. Starting in 1990, Dr. Beals served as the state veterinarian of Texas for 10 years. He returned to Oklahoma for three more years with the USDA before retiring in 2005.
JAMES H. BRANDT moved to Sarasota, Fla., and eventually lived in Nokomis, Fla. He was very active in the community and in organized veterinary medicine, both at the local and national levels. He has received many awards including the 2013 AVMA Award, an OSU Distinguished Alumni Award (2006), the Florida Distinguished Ser vice Award (2003) and Florida Veterinarian of the Year (1993). He is one of three Oklahoma State veterinary graduates to serve as AVMA president and chairman of the AVMA executive board.
RICHARD G. BURCHINA fulfilled his military obligation with two years in the Army Veterinary Corps. After his discharge, he practiced small animal medicine and surgery in Sheboygan, Wis., for 42 years before retiring. He was active in professional organizations and his community. In retirement, Dr. Burchina and his wife, Liz, have traveled throughout North America and as far away as Germany to pursue his interest in riding trains.
JOHN I. FREEMAN, MPH , entered the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. In 1966, he became the state public health veterinarian for North Carolina, serving until 1984. From 1984 until he retired in 1996, Dr. Freeman served as chief of the environmental section. He was very active in state and na tional organized veterinary medicine. He is one of three OSU veterinary graduates to serve as AVMA president and chairman of the AVMA executive board.
JAMES F. GEHRING, DVM , went home to Arkansas after graduation. In May 1966, he was in the Army and assigned to the 4th Medical Detachment in Saigon, Da Nang and Qui Nhon, Vietnam. His responsibilities included taking care of scout and sentry dogs. After the Army, in addition to his two practices, Dr. Gehring became the Arkansas State Racing Commission veterinarian at Southland Greyhound Park in West Memphis. After 27 years, he retired as commission veterinarian but is still active in his private practices and with his herd of British White Park cattle.
LEMUEL G. HALTERMAN, DVM , began his career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service attached to the veterinary epidemiology section of the Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta. After four years, he moved to a small animal practice in Ohio. By 1971, he and his family settled in Hagerstown, Md., where he started his own practice enjoying surgery — especially orthopedics — and mentoring young veterinarians. He retired in 2003 and enjoys traveling with his wife, LeeAnne, and spending time with family and grandchildren.
JOSEPH S. HAYDEN, DVM , joined Ralston Purina in St. Louis, Mo., in 1964 working in the pathology diagnostic laboratory and as a dairy specialist. In 1968, he became production manager of Kleen Leen Swine Corp., a subsidiary of Purina, covering Indiana and Iowa. He also served as chairman of the Swine Genetics Board. In 1976, he was promoted to animal health manager for research and development and served as president of the American Association of Industrial Veterinarians in 1984. Retiring in 1990, he and wife Betty Lou now live near Dallas, enjoying their children and grandchildren.
KEITH O. MARTIN, DVM , practiced for five years in Oklahoma in a primarily large animal practice. He wanted a mixed-animal practice and moved to Cabot, Ark., to pursue that dream. He still lives in Cabot and says he has had a very satisfying, rewarding professional career and wouldn’t change a thing.
JAMES C. M c COY, DVM , practiced in Milan, Tenn., before moving to Buckhannon, W.Va., to work as a veterinarian for the go vernment. After six years, he decided to build his own clinic, which he ran for 35 years. He still does relief work for the veterinarian who bought his clinic. Throughout his career, McCoy was active in his community. In retirement, he and his wife, Joyce, enjoy traveling and sp ending time with their grandchildren.
DEORSEY E. M c GRUDER JR., DVM , took a job in a large animal clinic at the Tuskegee School of Veterinary Medicine for one year. After passing the Texas boards, he opened Southern Oaks Animal Clinic in May 1966, becoming the first African-American veterinarian to practice in Dallas. He was appointed to the Texas Racing Commission-Greyhound Section following Dr. Demarious Frey (OSU CVM 1963) and served from 1993-1999. Throughout his 47 years in practice, he mentored many young people who were interested in veterinary medicine. In 2013, Dr. McGruder retired. He and his wife, Vera, are looking forward to traveling, spending time with grandchildren, resting and gardening.
GLOYD R. MILLER, DVM , began his career in a mixed-animal practice in Warner, Okla., with limited veterinary equipment and a few fabricated pieces to help get the job done. By 1966, his business was 10 percent small animal and 90 percent large animal. In 1972, he built a new building on the south side of Muskogee, Okla., and started a new venture that was mostly small animal medicine. In 1976, he hired OSU graduate Tim Synar, DVM, who became a partner in 1978. They continue practicing today. He and his wife, Dessa, enjoy their grandchildren. Dr. Miller also raises Angus cattle and quarter horses.
CLARENCE M. MORETON, DVM , began his career serving two years in the Army Veterinary Corps. He then operated a solo mixed-animal practice in the Fort Smith, Ark., area for 40 years. He was very active in the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association (program chair in 1997, president-elect in 1998, president in 1999, 12 years as a trustee of the Arkansas VMA). In 2001, he was named the Arkansas Veterinarian of the Year. Dr. Moreton has also been active in the Fort Smith Area Veterinary Medical Association and in numerous civic organizations.
LAURIN L. PATTON, DVM , returned to Ada, Okla., where he entered a mixed-animal practice as the fifth veterinarian. He worked in and owned 1/3 interest in that practice until selling it in 1975. He then worked at East Central University and Robert S. Kerr Ground Water Lab for the EPA from 1976 to 1982. In December 1981, he and his wife, Virginia, opened Arlington Animal Clinic, a small animal practice in Ada. He continues as partner in that practice today.
ROY R. POOL, DVM, PH.D. , spent his career excelling in pathology, attributing much of his success to Dr. Roger Panciera, emeritus professor, and others at OSU. His love of pathology has taken him to the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, IDEXX Veterinary Laboratories, North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell CVM, Mississippi State CVM and finally to Texas A&M CVM, where he works today. His work on the pathogenesis of musculoskeletal disease in horses earned him the International Pegasus Equine Research Award (1991), the first anatomic pathologist to receive it. He has also received the 2013 TAMU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Clinical Service Award and the 2013 Alumni Achievement Award from the UC Davis, among many other honors.
VICKI R. ROBERTSON, DVM , practices at the Airport Veterinary Hospital in Palm Springs, Calif. She is licensed to practice in both California and New Mexico. Throughout her career, she has been involved in organized veterinary medicine serving in leadership positions nationally and locally. Her honors include Outstanding Young Woman of America (1966), National Registry of Prominent Americans (1970) and Community Leaders of America (1971), to name a few.
CHARLES R. SEAGREN, DVM , joined Meriweather Veterinary Supply in Miller, S.D., and became a partner in 1966. He worked there until 1993. Both Dr. Seagren and his wife, Pat, were active in the community. Wanting a change of pace after 29 years, he accepted a position as South Dakota’s assistant state veterinarian and moved to Pierre, S.D. After retiring in 2006 and losing his wife to multiple sclerosis in 2008, he moved to Oakland, Neb., in 2011 to be closer to family.
KENNETH J. SIMS, DVM , was drafted and served as an officer in the Army Veterinary Corps in Louisville, Ky. He and his wife, Carolyn, had a second child who needed pediatric heart surgery, so the family stayed in Louisville to access the children’s hospital there. Dr. Sims joined a practice and later bought it. He was very active in organized medicine serving on Kentucky’s Board of Veterinary Medicine and as an AVMA delegate. Carolyn Sims also served more than 40 years in local, state, AVMA and international auxiliaries. During his career, Dr. Sims has been part of the Cayman Veterinary Practice (1974-2004) and the Turks & Caicos practice (1984-2010).
JAN M. SMITH, DVM , worked at and then purchased Alpine Veterinary Clinic in Alpine, Texas. In 1968, she built a new hospital with both large and small animal facilities. She was honored as the Women’s Veterinary Medical Association’s Graduating Senior, Texas Small Business Association Businessman of the Year, Who’s Who at OSU and more. In 1982, she sold her practice to do relief work and bought a small Texas ranch. In 2003, she sold the ranch and retired, moving to Canon City, Colo., where she works odd jobs. In 2013, she had some major health issues and hopes the future holds more traveling and camping.
LARRY J. SWANGO, DVM, PH.D., served two years in the Army Veterinary Corps at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, involved in research on viral canine diseases. In 1966, he attended Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, earning a doctorate in virology. In 1970, he joined the faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine, teaching and continuing his research. In 1972, he joined the faculty at Auburn University CVM to teach, continue his viral diseases research and provide diagnostic support. In 2000, he retired from Auburn as professor emeritus of pathobiology.
GARY MINH TRAN, DVM , was born Tran Quang Minh in Chau Doc, South Vietnam. He earned his OSU DVM degree under the U.S. Agency for International Development Leadership Training Program. In 1964, he returned to Vietnam, working first at the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Science and later held other governmental positions with increasing responsibility. In 1975, he and his family left Saigon. He spent a year at OSU and then joined the practice of classmate Dr. Ken Sims. After 10 years, he bought Small Animal Emergency Medicine, a night clinic in Louisville, Ky., and still works there today. In 1990, he started teaching Kentucky children in kindergarten through high school math and English reading education using a Japanese learning system.
DALE TURNER, DVM , first worked for the USDA doing poultry inspection in Jasper, Texas. On weekends, he worked for a veterinarian in Alexandria, La., and eventually ran his own practice there. Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosis while in the Air Force, he knew his days as a veterinarian were numbered. He loved practicing veterinary medicine. In the early 1980s, he lost his driving privileges because of the RP and in 1985, he retired. Dr. Turner then devoted his time volunteering in the community and working for the Louisiana Veterinary State Board, being honored as Veterinarian of the Year in 1993. He passed away in 2012.
[INFORMATION PROVIDED BY HIS WIDOW, JAN TURNER]
SANDRA B. WILSON, DVM, was married to Jerry Wilson, DVM (’62), and the two veterinarians left Stillwater in 1964 to practice in Dublin, Va. A year later, they moved to Warrenton, Va., where Jerry was veterinary supervisor for the state of Virginia and Sandra did relief work. In 1967, Sandra opened a solo small animal practice. The couple purchased a farm and spent 18 years raising two girls and Arabian horses. In 1994, Jerry died of a sudden heart attack. In 1998, Sandra was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In 2000, she bought a farm in Elizabethtown, N.C., moved there and retired.
The Class of 1964 faithfully gathers frequently, thanks to class representative DR. BEN BAKER and his wife KAREN . You can usually count on seeing a fine representation of the class at the AVMA’s annual convention!
Cl/HS
When the Class of 1964 returned to Stillwater to celebrate its 50-year reunion in 2014, two classmates took the opp ortunity to take a historic photo with another alumnus. Drs. John Freeman (from left), James Brandt and Joe Howell have all served as American Veterinary Medical Association president and executive board chairman during their careers. Both Freeman and Brandt are from the Class of 1964, while Howell was in the Class of 1972. They are the only OSU alumni to serve as AVMA presidents.
Many classes at the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences tend to be closer than a typical graduating class, and that closeness doesn’t end with the diplomas. Even decades later, members of various classes continue to gather at Oklahoma State University to celebrate their years together and their lives since.
Above, seated, from left: Drs. Eugene Simon and Gerald O’Mealey
Standing, from left: Drs. Thomas Latta, Danny Denham, Daniel Merkey, Mike McCreight and John Howard
At right, seated, from left: Gene Frie Adrienne Ruby Keith Hand and Ken Isom
Standing, from left: Drs. Henry Randazzo, Richard Killough, Mike Thomas and John Hamil
We honor those who have served the profession, our distinguished colleagues and friends.
Dr. John H. Barton, of Waxhaw, N.C., died from complications with Parkinson’s disease on Aug. 14, 2013. He was 79.
He was born in Charlotte, N.C., and was in the first graduating class (1952) at North Mecklenburg High School. He served as student body president and received many awards for his participation in FFA, including as chapter president. He studied pre-veterinary medicine at North Carolina State University and earned his DVM degree from OSU in 1959.
Dr. Barton served two years in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps after graduation. He worked in the research lab at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Md., won awards on the pistol team as a designated sharp shooter and earned the rank of captain.
Following his honorable discharge, Dr. Barton opened Barton-Francis Veterinary Clinic. In 1964, he opened a second clinic, Archdale Animal Hospital. He also established the first emergency veterinary clinic in Charlotte. Dr. Barton retired in 1994.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Freda Holton Barton; three children, Dr. John H. Barton Jr. and wife Betsy of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Susan George and husband Dr. Barry George of Waxhaw, and Becky Addesso and husband Rich of Raleigh, N.C.; seven grandchildren; and three brothers, Paul, Thomas and Charles Barton.
Memorial donations may be made to the Levine and Dickson Hospice House at Southminster, 1420 E. 7th Street, Charlotte, NC 28204.
SOURCE: CHARLOTTE (N.C.) OBSERVER
Dr. William J. Carson, 82, of Miami, Fla. died Sept. 3, 2013. He was 82.
Born in Orange, N.J., his family moved to the Panama Canal Zone when he was 7 years old. He graduated from Balboa High School there. He earned his DVM degree from OSU in 1955.
Following graduation, Dr. Carson served for two years in the Air Force, stationed in Del Rio, Texas. He then worked for the Department of Agriculture for two years in Beltsville, Md. In 1959, he and his wife moved to Miami, where he began working with Charlie Bild until 1978. For the next 35 years, he practiced with Bild Animal Hospital, caring for the animals of South Florida.
Dr. Carson was preceded in death by his son, Steven. He is survived by his wife Katherine; son, William J. Carson III and his wife, Michele; daughter, Stephanie and her husband, Andrew Baumann; and five grandchildren.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Humane Society of Broward County, Wayne Huzienga Shelter, 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312; or the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine, checks made payable to OSU Foundation with College of Veterinary Medicine in the memo line, 308 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078.
SOURCE: MIAMI HERALD
David Cason, DVM, of Wagoner, Okla., died Aug. 7, 2014. He was 59.
Born in Omaha, Neb., he lived in Okay, Okla., and Wagoner all of his life. He graduated from Okay High School and earned his DVM degree from Oklahoma State University in 1981.
Dr. Cason and his wife, Glynda, owned and operated his veterinary clinic, Cason Animal Hospital in Wagoner. Many have been touched by the love and care he showed to their animals.
Dr. Cason was a member of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association. He was the current secretary and Past Worshipful Master of the Wagoner Masonic Lodge No. 98, an A certificate holder and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason. In his spare time, he enjoyed walking, reading, OSU sports, golfing, water skiing and crossword puzzles.
He is survived by his wife, Glynda Cason, a daughter, Amanda Baker and her husband, Toby, of Guthrie, Okla., a son, Buck Cason of Wagoner, two sisters, two brothers and many nieces, nephews and friends who will miss him dearly.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Okay United Methodist Church (Building Fund), P.O. Box 147, Okay, OK 74446.
SOURCE: WAGONER TRIBUNE
John Cathey, former development ambassador for the veterinary center, died Dec. 7, 2013. The Stillwater resident was 83.
Born in Bearden, Ark., he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from OSU. He was in ROTC and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. In 1954, he went to work for Conoco, living in several cities during his 25-year career. In 1982, he retired from Conoco and started a second career with the OSU Foundation.
At the Foundation, Mr. Cathey was assigned to the veterinary center when Dr. Joe Alexander was the dean. He played a significant role in obtaining the funds for many endowed chairs. His wife, Nancy, retired from OSU after serving in the veterinary center’s library. His son Jeff also served as a development officer for the veterinary center, working for the Foundation from 2007 to 2010.
Mr. Cathey is survived by his wife of 54 years, Nancy; sons Mark and his wife, Melinda Cathey of Cottage Grove, Minn., Jeff and his wife, Anita Cathey of Carrollton, Texas; Brian and his wife, Cindi Cathey of Broken Arrow, Okla.; daughter Cindy and her husband, John Bankston of Cypress, Texas, nine grandchildren and many relatives and friends.
Memorial gifts may be made to the John B. and Nancy S. Cathey Endowed Scholarship payable to the OSU Foundation, P.O. Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076, with the scholarship name in the memo line.
SOURCE: FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Dr. Thomas Coffin of Idabel, Okla., died Dec. 29, 2013, in Dallas. He was 72.
Born in Enid, Okla., he graduated from Waukomis High School in 1959. He married Lynda Semrad in 1964 and earned his DVM degree from OSU the next year.
Following graduation, Dr. Coffin served as a captain in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. In 1968, he joined Dr. Lawrence Valentine (OSU CVM ’52) at the Idabel Veterinary Clinic. In 1981, he opened the Coffin Animal Hospital, where he practiced until his 2006 retirement.
Dr. Coffin served on the American Veterinary Medical Association and the McCurtain County Fair boards and was president of the McCurtain County Farm Bureau. He was also a member of the First Baptist Church in Idabel and a Bible enthusiast, collecting and studying many Bible translations.
He enjoyed gardening, camping and raising show sheep with his daughters and granddaughters. Dr. Coffin also coached summer league girls’ softball for many years. His family always came first.
Dr. Coffin is survived by his wife, Lynda, and three daughters: Dayla Marie Sparks and her husband Ronny of Texarkana, Texas; Myndi Lee Bolen and her husband Brent of Idabel; and Ember Ashley Verkuehlen and her husband Dan of Fargo, N.D.; five grandchildren; and numerous relatives and friends. Memorial gifts may be made to Wee Care, 110 E. Main St., Idabel, OK 74745.
SOURCE: THE ENID NEWS AND EAGLE
Dr. Leroy Coggins of Cary, N.C., died Dec. 30, 2013. He was 81.
He was born in Thomasville, N.C., and earned a bachelor’s degree in dairy sciences from North Carolina State University. He earned his DVM
degree from OSU in 1957 and went on to serve as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps from 1957 to 1959. He earned a Ph.D. in virology from Cornell University in 1962.
In 1963, Dr. Coggins began five years of infectious disease research in Kenya with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, focusing on the African swine fever virus. When he returned to Cornell in 1968, he used that knowledge to study equine infectious anemia, a viral disease for which there is no vaccine and no cure. An infected horse may not show symptoms for an extended period and can infect other horses if it’s not isolated.
He created a method that quickly and effectively checks for EIA antibodies in the horse’s blood. The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the test in 1973 and adopted it as the Coggins Test. The test is often required by horse shows and to transport horses across state lines. Some states require a negative Coggins Test before a horse can be sold.
In 1980, Dr. Coggins, one of the founding administrators of the NCSU School of Veterinary Medicine, was appointed as the first head of what was then the school’s Department of Microbiology, Pathology and Parasitology.
He was a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Equine Practitioners, the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases, U.S. Livestock Association and Sigma Xi. In 1978, he received the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Dr. Coggins is survived by his wife, Betty; five children, Dwain Coggins of Saratoga, Calif.; Brenda Newman and Ken Coggins, both of Cary, N.C.; Linda Jones of Ware Shoals, S.C.; and Bill Coggins of Holly Springs, N.C.; and 11 grandchildren.
SOURCES: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND THE NEWS AND OBSERVER
Dr. Marion Pamela Copley, of Manassas, Va., died Jan. 21, 2014, after a 16-year fight with breast cancer. She was 66.
Born in Huntington, N.Y., she graduated from Port Jefferson (N.Y.) High School and Hofstra University with a degree in biology. She earned a Master’s Degree in Animal Husbandry and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1977 from Oklahoma State.
Dr. Copley worked in the Toxicology Department of the Environmental Protection Agency for 30 years, authoring a number of articles in her field and receiving numerous awards before retiring in 2012. She was actively involved in the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation and the Temple Choir as well as other musical groups.
Marion is survived by her husband, Donald F. Copley; two daughters, Cynthia Fleagle and Danielle Copley; and two grandchildren. Memorial gifts may be made to the Oklahoma State University Foundation with Marion P. Copley Memorial Scholarship noted in the memo line, 400 S. Monroe, Stillwater, OK 74074.
SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST
DR. JAMES COUNTRYMAN
James A. Countryman, DVM, of Guymon, Okla., died June 10, 2013, in Elkhart, Kan. He was 79. Born in Raton, N.M., he earned his DVM degree from Oklahoma State in 1960.
Dr. Countryman is survived by his wife and best friend, Dorothy; two daughters, Carol Kutteh, M.D., of Germantown, Tenn., and Maria Tillinghast of Monument, Colo.; a son, Mark Countryman of Cypress, Texas; an adopted son Jon Lyles of Pittsburg, Pa.; and eight grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church, Dr. James A. Countryman Honorary Fund at Oklahoma Panhandle State University Foundation, or Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch in care of Henson-Novak Funeral Directors, P.O. Box 1306, Guymon, OK 73942.
SOURCE: AMARILLO (TEXAS) GLOBE-NEWS
DR. LILLI DECKER
Lilli S. Decker, DVM, 51, of Nesconset, N.Y., died Nov. 8, 2013. She earned her DVM degree from Oklahoma State in 1997.
In preparation of the veterinary center’s 60th anniversary in 2008, Dr. Decker submitted the winning logo design for the center’s year-long celebration.
SOURCE: TRIBUTES.COM
DR. RUSSELL DONATHAN
Dr. Russell Leroy Donathan of Glenpool, Okla., died Nov. 1, 2011. He was 77.
Married to Audrey Gayle Meyers while in school, he earned his DVM degree from OSU in 1959. He began practicing in Checotah, Okla., but soon took over a practice in Okmulgee, Okla., where he stayed for 42 years before retiring in 2001.
Widowed at a young age with three daughters, Dr. Donathan married Shirley Ann Salmon and together they had a daughter and a son. In addition to his veterinary practice, the couple ran a western store on Main Street and rented out several homes in Okmulgee.
In 1990, they moved to Glenpool, where Dr. Donathan opened a satellite veterinary clinic, working in Okmulgee in the morning and in Glenpool in the afternoon.
Dr. Donathan was a self-taught painter and sculptor, proficient in carpentry, plumbing and electrical work, wrote prose and poetry, taught himself to read and write Greek, and was an outstanding biblical scholar. He was an active longtime member of the Second Baptist Church in Okmulgee serving in many leadership capacities. He was a master mason associated with several lodges and a life member of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association. He was preceded in death by his parents, both wives and two daughters.
Dr. Donathan is survived by his children, Phyllis Renee Wilmon and her husband, Michael, of Tahlequah, Okla.; Kelli Dawn Donathan and her husband, Kenneth Johnson, of Glenpool; Dr. Russell E. Donathan and his wife, Cynthia, of Broken Arrow, Okla.; seven grandchildren and numerous relatives and friends.
Memorial donations may be made to your home of worship; the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma, P.O. Box 2406, Edmond, OK 73083; the Sand Springs Home, P.O. Box 278, Sand Springs, OK 74063; Serenity Hospice, P.O. Box 265, Langley, OK 74350; Goodwill Industries, 316 S. Blackwelder Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73108; or the charity of your choice.
SOURCE: JERRY DONATHAN, FACEBOOK PAGE IN A POST TO THE PILGRIMROCK MASONIC LODGE 522 A.F. & A.M. IN TULSA, OKLA.
DR. LLOYD FAULKNER
Lloyd C. Faulkner, DVM, Ph.D., DACT, of St. Clairesville, Ohio, died Dec. 20, 2013. He was 87.
Born in Longmont, Colo., he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He earned his DVM degree in 1952 from Colorado State University and his Ph.D. in 1963 from Cornell University. Dr. Faulkner was a founding diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists.
From 1981 to 1992, Dr. Faulkner served as associate dean of research at OSU’s veterinary center and assistant director of the Oklahoma Agriculture Experiment Station at OSU. In addition, he served at different points as interim head of the Department of Pathology, interim head of the Department of Physiology and interim director of the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. He retired as professor emeritus in 1992.
After leaving OSU, he moved to Poteau, Okla., and consulted for the Kerr Foundation on disease surveillance programs, improving reproductive efficiency in beef herds and sustainable ranching programs.
Dr. Faulkner is survived by his second wife, Margot Faulkner of Clairesville; sons Chad and his wife, Dana Faulkner of Wildwood, Colo., Kurt and his wife, Denise Faulkner of Fort Collins, Colo., Earl Faulkner of Windsor, Colo., Ron and his wife, Louise Faulkner of Parker, Colo.; daughter Vickie Keen of Cameron, Texas; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
SOURCE: HESLOP FUNERAL HOME AND FRIENDS
DR. ROBERT FIELDS
Dr. Robert “Bob” Fields, of Wister, Okla., died April 2, 2014, in Poteau, Okla. He was 60.
Born in McAlester, Okla., he graduated from Red Oak (Okla.) High School. He went on to earn his DVM degree from OSU in 1978. Dr. Fields owned Okie Blue Sky Cattle Co. and Southeast Animal Health and Hardware in Wister.
Dr. Fields was preceded in death by his father, James Fields, and a son, Brad Fields. He is survived by his wife, Donna Fields; children, Bryan and his wife Erin Fields of Poteau, Okla., and Beth and her husband Adam Phillips of Wister; mother, Elsie Mae Fields of Red Oak; three brothers; six grandchildren and numerous other relatives and friends.
Memorial donations may be made to the Brad Fields Memorial Scholarship by contacting Kathy Quirk at Carl Albert State College Foundation, 1507 S. McKenna, Poteau, OK 74953.
SOURCE: GRACE MANOR FUNERAL HOME
DR. JOHN GAMBARDELLA SR.
John Mathew Gambardella Sr., DVM, of Branford, Conn., died May 31, 2014. He was 92.
Born in New Haven, Conn., he graduated from Hill House High School in 1939 and attended Collegiate Preparatory School in 1940. In 1941, he entered the University of Tennessee to study pre-veterinary medicine.
He left college at the outbreak of World War II to join the American Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. Although he was too short to be a pilot, he became an expert bombardier-navigator, mastering the Norden Bombsight, which subsequently earned him two Purple Hearts. Stationed in Kunming, China, he was a member of the Flying Tigers. After he and his crew bailed out of their B24 Bomber over southwest China, John packed up the parachute that had saved his life and mailed it to his then-fiancée, Nina Rose Ardito. She made her wedding gown from that chute and subsequently all seven of their children were baptized in a christening gown made from a piece of that chute.
After the war, he finished his undergraduate degree and earned his DVM degree from OSU in 1953 as part of the third class to graduate from then Oklahoma A&M College. For the next two years, Dr. Gambardella interned with Dr. James Armstrong in Cranston, R.I. In 1955, he opened his first veterinary practice on Main Street in East Haven, Conn. In 1959, he oversaw the construction of his East Shore Animal Hospital in Branford, Conn. It was the first animal hospital of its kind in the state. In 1972, East Shore Animal Hospital became the first veterinary hospital to be certified by the national American Animal Hospital Association. Dr. Gambardella practiced for 44 years being both general practitioner and veterinary surgeon for his patients.
Having played sports, Dr. Gambardella was involved in local booster and gridiron clubs. He was the first Oakley Tiger to receive the East Shore Sandlot League’s annual Golden Football Award. In 2005, he was inducted into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Nina, participated in competitive international style amateur ballroom dancing. Active in the North Eastern Chapter of the American Amateur Ballroom Dance Association (USABDA), he helped launch 23 chapters of the USABDA, many on college campuses. He was active in Lions Club, Animal Haven and Branford Chamber of Commerce. He received the United Way Gold Award. He also received the Gold Plaque
of Appreciation from Tufts University for his efforts in establishing New England’s first regional school of veterinary medicine.
Dr. Gambardella is survived by Nina, his wife of nearly 69 years; six children, Dr. Paul Gambardella (Susan) of Ramsey, N.J.; Andrea Gambardella (Marc Montefusco) of Spring Valley, N.Y.; Mary Gambardella of New York City; Jack Gambardella (Isabel Lane) of Westbrook, Conn.; Mark Gambardella (Cassandra Xiao Xue Wang) of New York City; and Nina Gambardella of Montclair, N.J.; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The couple’s eldest daughter, Lydia, died in 1958.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the St. Mary Building Fund, 731 Main Street, Branford, CT 06405 or to the Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405.
SOURCE: NEW HAVEN (CONN.) REGISTER
James “Jim” Irvin McLaughlin, of Stillwater, died March 4, 2014. He was 70.
Born in Guthrie, Okla., he grew up in Orlando, Okla., and graduated from Orlando High School. He attended OSU, where he was a member of the ROTC, before transferring to Central State University in Edmond, Okla., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1971.
In 1974, Mr. McLaughlin married Dorothy Jo Fansler in Perry, Okla., where they lived before moving to Stillwater in 1991. He worked various jobs including at Bestyet Grocery, as a Noble County sheriff’s deputy, at Ditch Witch and in the oil field. He is best known among faculty, staff and students for the 20 years he spent as a custodial foreman at OSU’s veterinary center before retiring May 1, 2008.
Alumni remember him as being a positive and encouraging individual and bringing candy during late-night study sessions.
In his spare time, Mr. McLaughlin loved car shows and was a member of the Cimarron Starlite Cruisers Car Club in Perkins, Okla. He bled orange right down to the OSU orange truck he drove and loved to share stories and pictures about Pistol Pete, a.k.a. Frank Eaton. He loved watching his granddaughters play sports and was an avid OSU sports fan. He was a member and former officer of the Payne County Historical Society.
Mr. McLaughlin is survived by his wife, Dorothy; daughter, Melissa and her husband, Philip Morse of Glencoe, Okla.; two grandchildren, siblings and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org/donate or to the Veterinary Medicine General Memorial Fund at Oklahoma State University. Checks may be made payable to and mailed to OSU Foundation, P.O. Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076.
SOURCE: PALMER MARLER FUNERAL HOME
Dr. W. Stanley Newcomer died April 15, 2014, in Stillwater. He was 94.
Born in Turbotville, Pa., to Bessie L. (Jarrett) Newcomer and Ocean D. Newcomer, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1941, a master’s degree from Cornell University in 1942, and a doctorate from Cornell University in 1948.
He served in the 9th Station Hospital Division of the U.S. Army Medical Corps during World War II, spending time in India, Burma and Okinawa.
He married Juanita Senyard in Oak Park, Ill., in 1946 and moved to Stillwater in 1950. He was a professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine from 1950 to 1982, then moved to zoology for three years before retiring.
Dr. Newcomer was known at the College of Veterinary Medicine for his research on thyroid function in birds. The National Science Foundation and the U.S. National Academy of Science both supported his research. In its exchange program for cooperative research, the Hungarian Academy of Science sponsored four visits by Dr. Newcomer to the University of Veterinary Science in Budapest. As a result, he was presented the Hutyra Medal by the rector of the university in 1981.
Later in his career, Dr. Newcomer was one of three faculty members to receive a Sarkeys Foundation Fellowship, to study thyrotropin-releasing hormones at the New England Medical Center in Boston.
He also served on a committee chaired by Dr. Wendell Krull that was instrumental in creating a graduate degree program at OSU’s College
of Veterinary Medicine. Throughout his career, Dr. Newcomer spent time in Hungary, England, France and Scotland. He was a member of the American Physiological Society and received many honors and accolades throughout his career in fields of endocrinology, physiology and veterinary medicine.
Dr. Newcomer is survived by two daughters, Barbara McLaughlin and Nancy Baurer and her husband, Hal; son, James Newcomer and his wife, Lori; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. His wife, Juanita, died in 2012.
Memorial contributions may be made to Life Center Adult Day Service, 411 W. Mathews, Stillwater, OK 74075 or the OSU Foundation’s Richard Newcomer Children of Law Enforcement Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076. The scholarship fund was named after Dr. Newcomer’s late son.
SOURCE: STILLWATER NEWSPRESS
DR. WILLARD M. POUNDS SR.
Two days shy of his 88th birthday, Dr. Willard M. Pounds Sr. died April 1, 2012. The New Orleans native and Northshore resident earned his DVM degree from Oklahoma A&M in 1953.
After he graduated from New Orleans’ Fortier High School, he went to Louisiana State University. While at LSU, he enlisted in the Army and was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant. During World War II, he commanded a platoon in the 63rd Infantry Division. After the war, he returned to LSU to finish his bachelor’s degree in animal science before coming to OSU.
He returned to New Orleans to open Pounds Veterinary Hospital, where he practiced veterinary medicine for 28 years. He was a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and a past president of the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Pounds was also a 32nd degree Freemason and a deacon at the First Baptist Church in New Orleans. After retiring, he moved to McComb, Miss., then to Covington, La.
He is survived by three sons, Milton and wife Gayle Pounds, Alan and wife Cyd Pounds, and Jerry and wife Bayne Pounds; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a sister, Peggy Teel. Dr. Pounds’ wife of 60 years, Dimple Dee Pounds, died in 2004.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, which Dr. and Mrs. Pounds supported for many years, at PO Box 4196, Street, Monroe, LA 71211.
SOURCE: E.J. FIELDING FUNERAL HOME
Joe Bills Reynolds II, DVM, of Oklahoma City died Aug. 4, 2014. He was 41.
Born in Oklahoma City, he earned his DVM degree from Oklahoma State University in 2001. In 2002, he completed a rotating internship at Kansas State University followed by a small animal surgery internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgery Center in 2003. From 2003 to 2006, Dr. Reynolds completed a small animal surgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania. He was known as an extraordinary veterinary surgeon. He loved his children and enjoyed hunting and fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Dana McCaffrey Reynolds; two sons, Jake and Jayden; one brother and three sisters; eight nieces and nephews; and many other family and friends.
SOURCE: THE OKLAHOMAN
Dr. William (Bill) Emmett Ryan III, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, died Aug. 12, 2013, at the Friendship Haven Health Center. He was 86. Born in Midland, Texas, he served in the U.S. Army before earning his DVM degree with the first graduating class from the School of Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma A&M College in 1951. He practiced in Midland, Boise City, Okla., and Duncan, Okla. In 1961, Dr. Ryan became the director of advertising and communications at Fort Dodge Laboratories, serving until his
1995 retirement. The next five years, he sold mobile veterinary clinics nationwide for Dodgen Industries.
Very active in the Fort Dodge community, Dr. Ryan held memberships and leadership positions in numerous civic organizations. A founding member of the Fort Dodge Dragoons, he was instrumental in starting the Frontier Days celebration in 1974 and led it for 30 years. He also served in leadership roles with the Iowa Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Professionally, Dr. Ryan was equally involved. He received the Meritorious Service Award and the Veterinarian of the Year Award from the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association. He was president of the American Veterinary Exhibitors’ Association, a member of the Public Relations Committee of the American Equine Practitioners Association and co-founder of the American Veterinary History Society.
An owner and breeder of American paint horses, he served on the board of the American Paint Horse Association in Fort Worth, Texas, and co-founded the Iowa Paint Horse Association. He also served as the Iowa group’s president for three terms.
He was a member of the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association, Harvest Baptist Church, Fort Dodge Crime Stoppers, Daybreak Rotary, the American Legion and many more organizations. Throughout his life, Dr. Ryan experienced life as a cowboy on ranches in three states, a rodeo bronc rider, rodeo clown, sheepherder, lumberjack and a horse farrier as well as a veterinarian.
Dr. Ryan is survived by his wife of 51 years, Joyce; children, Bill IV and his wife, Denise, of Milwaukee, Michael and his wife, Jennifer, of Indianapolis, Sharon and her husband, Richard Ng of Los Angeles, and Erin and her husband, Johnny Walton of Florence, Miss.; 12 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends. Three children, Gregory, Sheila and Timberly, preceded him in death.
SOURCE: FUNERAL INNOVATIONS
DR. ROBERT STEPHENSON
Dr. Robert Dudley “R.D.” Stephenson Jr., of Amarillo, Texas, died Aug. 11, 2013. He was 80. Born in Shattuck, Okla., he graduated from Perryton (Texas) High School and earned his
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from OSU in 1956. After practicing veterinary medicine for three years in Iowa, he decided to return to college and earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1962. Dr. Stephenson practiced general medicine in Spearman, Texas, and Perryton for several years. He was one of the founders of Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton.
Dr. Stephenson decided to specialize in radiology and attended the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, becoming board certified in 1972. He practiced radiology in many small towns in the Texas panhandle.
Dr. Stephenson loved farming, ranching and spending time with his family and friends. He also enjoyed traveling around the world attending continuing education trainings. At age 78, he wrote and published Zoonoses, a book about human illnesses caused by contact with animals.
His survivors include his daughters, Sara Black, Valencia Muniz, Alison Stephenson and Meridith Stephenson, all of Amarillo, and Elise Heil of Idaho; stepdaughter, Tracy Nelson of Amarillo; son, the Rev. Dr. Douglas Stephenson of New Zealand; 20 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. His son officiated at his funeral service. Dr. Stephenson was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Diana Sue Stephenson, and a son, Robert Dudley Stephenson III.
Memorial gifts may be made payable to the Oklahoma State University Foundation, 400 S. Monroe, Stillwater, OK 74074 with a notation in the memo line reading Veterinary Medicine Student Support Fund #28-85500.
SOURCE: ALLOBITS.COM
DR. LOUIS STUBBS SR.
Dr. Louis Dale Stubbs Sr., of De Queen, Ark., died Oct. 17, 2013, following a brief struggle with cancer. He was 85.
Born in De Queen, he graduated from De Queen High School. He served 12 years in the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of chief petty officer. He was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War; during Korea, he was stationed in the Philippines.
Following his military service, he earned a bachelor’s and a DVM degree from OSU, graduating from veterinary college in 1957. Dr. Stubbs continued his post-doctoral studies at the University of San Diego, Texas A&M University and the University of Arkansas.
He practiced veterinary medicine for 10 years in four Arkansas cities before going to work as a research consultant for drug companies Merck Sharp & Dhome and Naremco Inc. For two years, he was director of clinical research for Biotoxicological Research Associates in Ohio. He worked as a supervisory veterinary medical officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for nearly 45 years and served as an equal employment opportunity counselor there for six years.
Dr. Stubbs was very active in community and professional organizations. He was a member of the Geneva Missionary Baptist Church and a member and past president of De Queen Chapter of Rotary International and a 32nd degree Mason (Scottish Rite). He served on many boards and commissions including Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, National Association of Federal Veterinarians (past president) and Southeastern Oklahoma State University Curriculum Advisory Board.
Surviving are his wife of almost 46 years, Sharon Ann Fuller Stubbs; children, Louis Stubbs Jr. and his wife, Sandra, Kenneth and his wife, Linda Stubbs, Kevin and his wife, Genevieve Stubbs, Kimberly and her husband, Kevin Nance, and Charissa and her husband, Stan Womack; 10 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.
SOURCE: CHANDLER FUNERAL HOME
Dr. James Gary Taylor of Ponca City, Okla., died Jan. 6, 2014, after a long battle with cancer. He was 69.
Born in Harrisburg, Ark., he studied at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from OSU. In 1969, he earned his DVM degree from OSU.
Following graduation, he moved to Harrison, Ark., and joined Boone County Veterinary Clinic for one year. He then served as a captain in the
U.S. Army Veterinary Corps for two years, earning the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. In 1973, he and his family moved to Ponca City, where he built Taylor Veterinary Clinic. After 40 years of practice and serving as president of Taylor-Oldfield Veterinary Clinic Inc., Dr. Taylor retired due to his health. Dr. Taylor also enjoyed cattle ranching with his sons in Osage, Kay and Noble counties, attending OSU athletic events with his family and spending time with his grandchildren. He was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, the American, Oklahoma and North Central Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Associations, and Kay County and Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Associations. He was also active in his community, coaching, working with FFA and more.
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; two sons, Ryan and his wife Amanda Taylor of Tulsa, Okla., and Robb Taylor of Perkins, Okla.; five grandchildren; and numerous relatives and friends. Memorial gifts may be sent to the OSU Foundation, 400 S. Monroe, Stillwater, OK 74604 with Dr. James Gary Taylor Memorial Scholarship in the memo line.
SOURCE: GRACE MEMORIAL CHAPEL
Dr. Niles Thomason, of Eagle, Colo., died unexpectedly Dec. 25, 2013, at Carbondale Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Ill. He was 31.
A native of Tulsa, Okla., he married Tiffany Lyn Hinson in 2004. In 2007, he earned his DVM degree from OSU.
For the past seven years, Dr. Thomason worked as a veterinarian for Castle Peak Vet Service in Eagle. He enjoyed snowboarding, hiking and attending concerts.
Dr. Thomason is survived by his wife, Tiffany; his 2-year-old son, Carter Hinson Thomason; sister, Corrie Phillips; parents, Johnny and Teresa Thomason of Tulsa; grandparents, John Thomason and Janet Clee, both of Tulsa; and in-laws, Coach Barry and Angie Hinson of Carbondale.
Memorial donations may be made to the trust account for Carter Hinson Thomason. Checks may be made to Fidelity Investments
FBO Carter Hinson Thomason, care of Steve Streeter, 4111 S. Darlington, Suite 120, Tulsa, OK 74135.
SOURCE: G MEREDITH FUNERAL HOME
Larry Wollard, DVM, 66 of Broken Arrow, Okla., passed away at home on May 30, 2013. Born in St. Louis, Mo., he was adopted and raised by Marvin and Alieen Wollard.
Dr. Wollard was a veteran of the United States Navy having served during the Viet Nam War. In 1971 he married Carolin Phares at the Oakland Naval Hospital.
He earned his bachelor degree and DVM degree from Oklahoma State University. After earning his veterinary medicine degree in 1981, Dr. Wollard soon joined the 71st Street Animal Hospital in Broken Arrow where he worked until he retired in April 2013.
Larry was a practical joker. He enjoyed woodworking, remodeling, traveling and cars. He was a member of the Oklahoma Kit Car Club.
Dr. Wollard is survived by his wife, Carolin Wollard of Broken Arrow; daughter, Carla Wollard (Young Jin Sung) of Broken Arrow; son, Chris Wollard of Tulsa, Okla.; siblings and other friends and family.
Memorial gifts may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 or the SPCA, 2910 Mohawk Boulevard, Tulsa, OK 74110.
SOURCE: BROKEN ARROW LEDGER
CHICKENS AND MORE MAKE UP GILLIAMS’ MENAGERIE
CHICKENS AND MORE MAKE UP GILLIAMS’ MENAGERIE
John and Lyndi Gilliam met their freshman year at OSU. They married four years later — one week before they started at OSU’s veterinary college. They earned their DVM degrees in 2001.
and Paetyn bleed OSU orange like their parents, veterinary medicine alumni Drs. John and Lyndi Gilliam
Brody and Paetyn bleed OSU orange like their parents, veterinary medicine alumni Drs. John and Lyndi Gilliam
John and Lyndi Gilliam met their freshman year at OSU. They married four years later — one week before they started at OSU’s veterinary college. They earned their DVM degrees in 2001.
Today, Dr. John teaches ambulatory food animal medicine and Dr. Lyndi teaches equine internal medicine at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. At home, the Gilliams raise chickens.
Today, Dr. John teaches ambulatory food animal medicine and Dr. Lyndi teaches equine internal medicine at OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital. At home, the Gilliams raise chickens.
They have 35 chickens of different breeds — 20 adults, nine chicks that hatched in their daughter’s schoolroom and six baby chicks they purchased. Daily, they collect 1½ dozen fresh eggs with the help of 4-yearold Paetyn and 2-year-old Brody. The eggs come in green and blue, dark brown and light brown as well as the familiar white.
They have 35 chickens of different breeds — 20 adults, nine chicks that hatched in their daughter’s schoolroom and six baby chicks they purchased. Daily, they collect 1½ dozen fresh eggs with the help of 4-yearold Paetyn and 2-year-old Brody. The eggs come in green and blue, dark brown and light brown as well as the familiar white.
In addition to chickens, the Gilliams are the proud owners of one donkey, three dogs, three horses, two goats and three cats.
In addition to chickens, the Gilliams are the proud owners of one donkey, three dogs, three horses, two goats and three cats.
Oklahoma State University
Center for Veterinary Health Sciences
308 McElroy Hall
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078-2011
Your OSU Alumni Association membership dues directly support: College alumni events; Undergraduate scholarships; Alumni chapters nationwide; Homecoming activities; Student and alumni awards
Learn more about about connecting to the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences through an Alumni Association membership at orangeconnection.org/join.
Connect to the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences with a membership in the OSU Alumni Association .
201 ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center
Stillwater, OK 74078-7043
TEL 405.744.5368 • FAX 405.744.6722
info@orangeconnection.org • orangeconnection.org
sity. OrangeBytes. Affinity Groups. Car Home coming. Student Recruitment. Official OSU ange Savings Connection. STATE Magazine. Clubs. Legacy Program. Alumni Awards. Cowboys Decal. Scholarships. Homecoming. Student OSU Class Ring. Chapters. Orange Savings Connection. Magazine. Car Tag. Watch Clubs. Legacy Program. Alumni Higher Education. Car Decal. Scholarships. cruitment. Official OSU Class Ring. Chapters. Connec tion. STATE Magazine. Car Tag. Watch Clubs. Alum ni Awards. Cowboys for Higher Education. Scholarships. Homecoming. Student Recruitment. Official Chapters. Orange Savings Connection. STATE Magazine. Clubs. Legacy Program. Alumni Awards. Cowboys Decal. Scholarships. Homecoming. Student OSU Class Ring. Chapters. Orange Savings Connection. Magazine. Car Tag. Watch Clubs. Legacy Program. Alumni Higher Education. Car Decal. Scholarships. cruitment. Official OSU Class Ring. Chapters. Connec tion. Magazine. Car Tag. Watch Clubs. Alum ni Awards. Cowboys for Higher Education. Scholarships. Homecoming. Student Recruitment. Official Chapters. Orange Savings Connection. STATE Magazine. Clubs.
