Your legacy. Their future.
Whether you want to support our areas of greatest need or something more personally meaningful to you, an estate gift to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine is an opportunity to shape the future of animal and human health – from the urban and rural landscapes of Wisconsin to communities across the globe. Planned giving allows you to intentionally cultivate your legacy while ensuring the important work that happens here every day is secured for generations to come: potentially life-saving research and clinical trials; leading edge, compassionate clinical care in our teaching hospital; and an unmatched educational experience for the next generation of trusted veterinarians.
What will your legacy be?
To learn more about including the School of Veterinary Medicine in your will, via the UW Foundation, or to discuss other planned gift options (charitable gift annuities, real estate gifts, etc.), visit www.vetmed.wisc.edu/planned-giving or scan the QR code above.
Or contact: Heidi Kramer, Senior Director of Development 608-327-9136 | heidi.kramer@supportuw.org
Community, Service & Unbreakable Bonds: Caring for Wisconsin’s K9 Officers
In 2016, the SVM formalized a program to offer discounted care at UWVC for Wisconsin’s K9 and equine law enforcement officers. Read about K9 Iro, Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, and how UWVC’s physical rehabilitation services were integral to his recovery after being shot in the line of duty.
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Welcome Dean Jonathan Levine
Moving from Texas to Wisconsin was no small decision for Jonathan Levine and his family, who called the Lone Star State home for 22 years. But Levine, who assumed the role of dean on August 1, knew it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
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Iro of the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office faced a long road to recovery after being shot in the line of duty. He’s shown here working diligently on a physical rehabilitation program at UWVC with Dr. Courtney Arnoldy. (Main photo: Seth Moffitt/UW School of Veterinary Medicine; Dean Levine photo: Althea Dotzour/UW Office of Strategic Communication)
Message from the Dean
It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of the fall semester at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and that I’m already several months into my tenure as dean of this incredible community. Before I say more, I want to offer my sincere thanks to Mark Markel and his wife, LuAnn Shay, who have been great friends and mentors as my family and I prepared for our move and started getting settled in Madison. As friends of the school certainly know, Mark’s 12 years of leadership set the SVM on a very strong course as he spearheaded the development of a new veterinary hospital, a revised curriculum, and key expansions in our faculty and staff. Thank you, Mark! We look forward to continued engagement and contributions.
The transition from Texas to Wisconsin has been an interesting and wonderful experience so far! As I like to say, we’ve gone from “y’all” to “ope” and from barbeque to cheese curds. We’re learning how special it is to be Badgers while we get tips from well-meaning new friends about driving in the snow that will inevitably come.
I’m grateful that I’ve already had the opportunity to connect with many of the amazing people who make up our campus and SVM communities through meetings, events, listening sessions and townhalls. I’ve also been walking through our hospital, teaching, and research spaces to meet team members where they are and learn about what they do day to day. It’s been a pleasure to talk with our students and house officers to learn about their interests and future aspirations.
In addition, I’ve had the chance to travel to several different cities – and even the famous Leinie Lodge in Chippewa Falls – to meet with veterinarians and legislators as well as key stakeholders in agriculture, biomedicine, and business. All of these introductions and interactions are helping further shape and inform our shared vision for building on the SVM’s reputation of excellence and leadership.
I believe that open and thoughtful communication are hallmarks of a healthy and thriving organization. As we work together to make progress on key ongoing projects and objectives – ensuring a smooth transition to our new DVM curriculum; making certain our new and renovated spaces support our outstanding people, research and clinical care; and recruiting and retaining the highest caliber faculty and staff – I will continue to seek out efficient and impactful ways for all of us to stay connected and engaged.
I sincerely look forward to the important and exciting work ahead. My early months here have underscored how strong and vibrant our community is and I’m honored to be a part of it.
Until the next time, On Wisconsin!
Levine, Dean @uwvetmeddean
Administration
WINTER 2024-25
Jonathan Levine , Dean
Richard Barajas, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Fariba Kiani , Chief Financial Officer
Lynn Maki , Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs
Nancy Parkinson , Assistant Dean for Human Resources
Peggy Schmidt, Associate Dean for Professional Programs
Chris Snyder , Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Director, UW Veterinary Care
M. Suresh , Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Training
Kristi V. Thorson , Associate Dean for Advancement and Administration and Chief of Staff
Lauren Trepanier , Assistant Dean for Clinical and Translational Research
Editorial
Editor/Writer : Maggie Baum
Contributing Writers: Christina Frank, Simran Khanuja, Grace Bathery, Will Cushman and Ryan Michalesko
Photography : Seth Moffitt
Design : Lexi Swain
Connect with Us
Please send your feedback and comments to oncall@vetmed.wisc.edu, 608-263-6914, or On Call Editor, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706. www.vetmed.wisc.edu
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On Call is also available online at: www.vetmed.wisc.edu/on-call
The printing and distribution of this magazine were funded by donations to the school. To make a gift, contact Heidi Kramer at 608-327-9136 or heidi.kramer@supportuw.org.
Jonathan
Jonathan Levine
Ask a UW Veterinarian
ISTOCKPHOTO:JOSSDIM
Common Cardiac Issues in Cats and Dogs
Heidi Kellihan (Department of Medical Sciences) offered expert advice on common cardiac issues in our furry friends as a guest on Wisconsin Public Radio’s The Larry Meiller Show.
• What are the most common cardiac conditions that you see in cats and dogs? We see a lot of congenital heart disease, meaning that dogs and cats are born with heart disease. We see a lot of congenital abnormalities in specific breeds, such as French Bulldogs. Also, in dogs, we see degenerative or myxomatous mitral valve disease. They get degenerative changes in one of their valve leaflets that causes it to leak and can cause excessive blood volume in their heart. Then they can have problems with fluid, what people commonly know as congestive heart failure.
• Do cats and dogs present cardiac diseases differently? Dogs often present a little more obviously than cats, and often with a cough. Cats are amazing at keeping illnesses secret. It can be difficult to detect, but we’re able to counsel people on what to look for so they’re more able to identify early cues.
• What can I do to keep my animal healthy? A lot of congenital abnormalities we see are not preventable, but we can slow the progression. A good diet is very important, and we know more on the dog front than the cat front. There’s a lot of controversy as to which commercial diets are best. Typically, the catch words are “grain free.” We thought that “grain free” might be a problem in our patients because they
Socializing with the SVM
Friends of the school sharing their thoughts (and pets) on social media...
were getting a lot of heart disease. We realized a lot of times grains were replaced with legumes, pea products, pea proteins, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, potatoes – which we think could be a cause. Also, preventative care is monumental – a yearly exam is key for prevention and detection of certain conditions.
• What are the treatments for heart conditions? We do a lot of medical therapy as well as interventional procedures, such as pacemakers (mainly in dogs). There are several congenital abnormalities we treat in the new cardiac cath lab in our recently opened SVM North building. This state-of-the-art space and equipment allows UW Veterinary Care to do a lot of minimally-invasive interventional procedures to help alleviate congenital heart disease.
Listen to the full interview:
Have a question for our veterinary medical experts?
Send it to oncall@vetmed.wisc.edu . For health issues concerns needing immediate attention, please contact your veterinarian directly.
– Saving Grace Cat Rescue, Inc. Via SVM Facebook (@uwvetmed)
We are excited to introduce our veterinary student 2024 HSVMA Compassionate Care Scholarship recipients! Krista (Yiyao) Li served as treasurer, then president, of the HSVMA student chapter at [UW SVM]. She is passionate about advocating for inclusivity and founded an Anti-Racism Forum Committee to address systemic racism in the profession. (Pictured with her dog, Phoebe)
– Humane Society Veterinary Medical Alliance Via SVM Facebook (@uwvetmed) We are so grateful that we’ve had the opportunity to work closely with the [UW SVM] … their students are able to learn from our cats and kittens and they offer us free or discounted medical care in return. Recently, we sent a group of 15 kittens ages 4-12 weeks so 3rd year veterinary students could participate in the pediatric wellness lab.
Learn how future veterinarians beginning the DVM program at the [UW SVM] will be entering a recently revised, student-centered curriculum designed to foster critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and lifelong learning skills.
– AVMA Journals Via SVM LinkedIn (University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine)
Long-standing partnership with the International Crane Foundation brings conservation medicine experience to UW School of Veterinary Medicine students
by Ryan Michalesko, International Crane Foundation
Considering there are only 831 Whooping Cranes in the world, it’s not often people get to interact with the birds up close. That’s the rare and tangible experience Jessica Landers (DVMx’27), a second-year student at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), had at the International Crane Foundation (ICF) during her summer externship.
“I assisted in [the Whooping Crane] procedure by administering fluids while the crane was under sedation,” Landers says. “And, while radiographs were performed, I had the opportunity to learn how to position cranes for different views as well as how to interpret results.”
The ICF is a not-for-profit working to save the world’s 15 species of cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds, and flyways on which they depend. Their headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, is the only place in the world where all the different species of cranes can be seen. It’s also in Baraboo that ICF works to rear Whooping Cranes to be reintroduced into the wild to restore their extirpated population.
Landers has a variety of interests which include wildlife and conservation medicine. She said her experience at the ICF was a valuable learning opportunity, especially so early in her education.
“Working with the cranes helped prepare me for working with both other birds as well as wildlife in general,” she says. “Birds have many physiologic and anatomical differences compared
As part of a long-standing partnership, DVM student Jessica Landers (in pink scrubs) had the opportunity to complete a summer externship working with the team at the International Crane Foundation, primarily alongside Dr. Diana Boon, the organization’s director of conservation medicine.
to species we commonly focus on in school such as dogs, cats, horses, and cows, so gaining hands-on experience with them was very insightful.”
The experience extended outside of the exam room, as well, including opportunities to learn best practices in how to capture the birds for exam and correctly handle their uniquely shaped anatomy. In addition, Landers was able to observe and participate in other aspects of the ICF such as the daily husbandry of the cranes, crane fertility, managing the public exhibits, and all the other aspects of the organization’s work that support the ultimate goal of reintroduction.
“Cranes are different from other species I’ve worked with due to their territorial nature as well as their relatively large size compared to many of our companion animals,” Landers says, adding that she was also able to learn about how the staff manage this when they need to enter enclosures or restrain the cranes – always with the intention to reduce stress to the crane as much as possible.
While Landers’ experience demonstrates the value for a DVM student interested in wildlife or conservation medicine, the extern partnership is a great benefit for the ICF, as well, according to Dr. Diana Boon, director of conservation medicine. Externships provide an opportunity to expand the reach of those committed to conserving cranes.
“The ICF is a very unique institution that provides exposure
to clinical avian medicine, reintroduction medicine for Whooping Crane chicks, and crane medicine through a well-established One Health practice,” Boon says. “In our work around the word, we approach crane conservation through the lens of One Health, where improvements in environmental, human, and animal health are all intertwined.”
The One Health strategy is an important aspect of the organization’s broader work. The ICF works in more than 50 countries and on all continents where cranes exist. They focus their efforts on uniting people behind the charisma of cranes to inspire international cooperation and meaningful impacts that help improve people’s livelihoods and protect millions of acres of wetlands and grasslands on the five continents where cranes live.
“Once people and students are invested in cranes, they have a closer connection to the species in their local communities as well as a stronger appreciation for conservation that can be applied to other species either in crane habitats or anywhere else,” Boon adds. “This is an important lesson that veterinary students – especially those who are able to gain unique experiences like our externship program offers – can take with them as they graduate and move to different areas.”
The externship program with the SVM has been a long-standing partnership since the very early days of the ICF, according to Boon, who appreciates the collaborative relationship and how it fosters the best care possible for cranes through managing complicated cases together, sharing knowledge and best practices, and developing innovative approaches to care (see sidebar).
Boon said the best way to support their work in saving cranes is to become a member of the International Crane Foundation at www.savingcranes.org and to visit their Baraboo headquarters to view the cranes up close.
At the start of her second year of veterinary school this fall, Landers says she’s inspired to bring her experience with the cranes along throughout the remainder of her education.
“I really enjoyed working with the cranes,” Landers says of her time at the ICF. “Being able to work under many different veterinarians, being able to see up close and participate in the incredible work they do with the cranes, has given me a great foundation and source of motivation as I continue my veterinary medical education.”
Partnership Marks 25 Years in 2025
Barry Hartup (’85 MS’89 DVM’93) provided background about his role in the long-standing partnership:
The veterinary program at ICF was in a period of transition. As Dr. Julie Langenberg was preparing to take the first wildlife veterinarian position with the Wisconsin DNR, she and Dr. Joanne Paul-Murphy (who was SVM faculty) wanted to increase and formalize ties between ICF and the SVM. The partnership would include administering a consulting veterinary position, which I fulfilled from 2000-2023. The focus was on student outreach – classroom work, mentoring fourth year rotations/externships, Summer Scholars, participation in the Wisconsin Zoological Medicine residency program –and improved clinical service for the ICF flock. Research collaboration, primarily with students and residents, contributed significantly to improved clinical care and a better understanding of crane disease epidemiology.
Since my retirement last year, the partnership has changed a bit with the ICF veterinary position no longer being an SVM faculty position. Yet, the externship and Summer Scholars experiences provide great in-depth opportunities for DVM students to learn about avian medicine in a compelling (large animal) model and to provide a window into conservation medicine – where the skills of a veterinarian are integrated into the conservation solutions for threatened species and ecosystems. [The partnership] orients students to the idea of One Health and expands their thinking outside of routine clinical experience.
Hartup served as the ICF director of conservation medicine and as a clinical instructor in exotic animal medicine from 2000-2023. Salary support for this position was provided predominantly by ICF and treated as a research and sponsored program. With this, ICF received 100% clinical service for its crane conservation program. His years of service included mentoring several Summer Scholars and 21 zoological medicine residents and authoring more than 70 peer-reviewed publications.
New Program Offers DVM Students Mentorship, Guidance & Career Connections
by Simran Khanuja
When Shimana Bose (SVMx’26) first filled out her application for the UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s Alumni-Student Mentor Program (ASMP), she was thrilled about the opportunity to seek advice from a veterinary professional.
“As a student who was not very familiar with the veterinary medicine field prior to vet school, the program gave me a launching point for networking and what important events to attend in the field,” Bose says.
Fostering students’ professional and personal growth through one-on-one mentorship, the program emphasizes supporting students, building confidence, and creating a sense of belonging, all to prepare students for their careers post-graduation and to cultivate the next generation of trusted veterinarians. Given these goals, SVM alumni are uniquely suited to guide current students as they navigate school and consider their professional futures.
“This program is a tangible and meaningful example of how engaged our alumni are and the important ways in which they give back,” says Kristi Thorson (MS’97), associate dean for advancement and administration. She notes the SVM Alumni Association helped support and advance the ASMP, adding, “Supporting student success is always top of mind for us, and there is truly no one better equipped than our own graduates to provide this kind of guidance and mentorship to our current students.”
An application window and selection process between June and August sets the stage for the program to be active from October through April each academic year. Any interested alumni are encouraged to apply, and the program is open to current DVM students in their second and third year.
Cecilia Fredel (’20 MS’22), career development coordinator for the SVM, has played a key role in launching and managing the program. She echoes the value of this unique connection and relationship between current students and graduates.
“SVM recognized the need to provide students with additional support within the veterinary medicine industry, helping them build strong professional networks and develop essential career skills,” Fredel says. “This program was designed based on evidence-based models and practices shared across other vet med programs nationwide as well as successful mentorship initiatives at UW-Madison.”
During the program’s first year, the 2023-24 academic year, 46 alumni/student matches (92 total participants) were assigned based on similar career interests and social identities. The initial cohort had a one-to-one mentor-to-mentee ratio, ensuring each student received dedicated personal attention from their matched alumni veterinary professional. Students who participated in the pilot year reported 91% positive feedback in follow up surveys.
Kjerstin Jacobs (DVM’99) says she was delighted to be a part of the program and has applied to be a mentor again for the current school year.
“One thing I enjoyed in an unexpected way was the opportunity to relate with someone decades my junior without the typical employer/employee relationship structure,” Jacobs says. “It was really a breath of fresh air, being able to relate to a future colleague as a big sister figure instead of as a boss.”
Once matches are made, the expectation is that pairs connect virtually or in person monthly. At each meeting, the focus is intended to be on career guidance, leadership, communication, goal-setting and decision-making skills. ASMP also virtually hosts programs — such as the Welcome Kickoff/ Orientation, Wrap-Up Social, and more — to bring together all students and alumni.
With these program events and monthly meetings, alumni mentor Robert Forbes (DVM’06) says it was great to connect with the next generation of his profession.
“The program was a good reminder of how both sides find value in a mentoring relationship,” Forbes says. “It also reminded me that regardless of how long I’ve been out of school, I still need mentors as I look towards the second half of my career.”
Reflecting on the 2023-2024 ASMP cohort, future considerations were made to further improve the program. The topic
of balancing structure and flexibility was raised, such as developing a centralized online resource for participants while offering leeway for their schedules and needs. Additionally, technological support was brought up, including using AI technology to anonymize alumni profiles to improve the matching process and program efficiency.
DVM student Shimana Bose shares feedback about her experience as a mentee during the pilot year of the Alumni-Student Mentor Program with Cecilia Fredel, SVM career development coordinator.
Many success stories have been shared as both mentors and mentees reflect on the program’s initial year. For one, student mentee Brynna Jovanovich (DVMx’26) said her mentor can provide another perspective on challenges she faces and questions she has.
“My mentorship experience was incredibly valuable in that I have made a connection with someone who relates to me,” Jovanovich says. “I would encourage all students to partake in this experience. This single connection may build into future networking opportunities or a lifelong friendship.”
Bits of news from around the school
Kellyne Skillin (DVMx’27) was awarded a prestigious fellowship from the Foundation for Food and Agricultural research (FFAR) to pursue research furthering global food security, sustainable animal production and environmental sustainability. The fellowship provides support for a summer scholars stipend, research supply costs and travel to the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium. Kellyne’s work, with JP Martins (Department of Medical Sciences), focuses on how early pregnancy loss in dairy cows adversely affects overall herd reproductive performance and thus the profitability of commercial dairy farms.
Two SVM students were honored with the Merck Animal Health Bovine Veterinary Student Recognition Award. Matthew Vander Poel (DVMx’25) and Cady McGehee (DVMx’26) were selected based on their academic achievements, career goals, work experience and interest in veterinary medicine. This award was recognized at the 2024 American Association of Bovine Practitioners Annual Conference.
Krista (Yiyao) Li (DVMx’25) received a 2024 Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association Compassionate Care Scholarship. She served as treasurer and then president of the HSVMA student chapter at the SVM, is a passionate advocate for inclusivity, and founded an Anti-Racism Forum Committee to address systemic racism in the veterinary profession.
The SVM is pleased to announce its selection as a recipient of a 2024 Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. This award, presented by Insight Into Diversity magazine, honors health science schools that exhibit excellence in DEI initiatives and strategies. The UW Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy were also recognized.
Peter Halfmann (’01 PhD’08; Department of Pathobiological Sciences) was awarded $4.5 million in funding as part of the FDA’s Animal and Veterinary Innovation Center initiative to support the BRAVE (Building Resistance Against Viral Entities) Innovation Center at the SVM’s Influenza Research Institute. The primary focus of the center is to create chickens that are resistant to infections caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, including the current H5N1 strain.
Correction: In our summer issue article, Advancing Innovative Care for Zoo Animals, a reader pointed out that our reference to Kettle Moraine Equine Hospital and Regional Equine Dental Center should have indicated that those facilities were founded and are led by Jon M. Gieche, DVM, FAVD EQ, Diplomate AVDC EQ. Dr. Gieche played a key role in the surgery of Kendi, a giraffe at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
Menagerie
Community, Service & Unbreakable Bonds: Caring for Wisconsin’s K9 Officers
by Maggie Baum
“You saved dad, and we have to save you.”
These chilling words were captured by the body camera of Deputy Blaine Evans, Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, just moments after his K9 partner Iro sustained life-threatening injuries.
Following an early morning 911 call on October 13, 2023, Evans and Iro were the first responding officers to locate a suspect– who led them on a car chase back to his own garage. With shots being fired toward him, Evans returned fire and deployed Iro, who provided distraction as Evans sought better cover. Iro sustained multiple gunshot wounds before the suspect, trying to flee, crashed into Evans’ squad car.
As back up arrived, it took several tense minutes to secure the scene. Finally, officers determined the suspect had not survived (a later investigation showed the fatal gunshot wound was self-inflicted); Evans was finally able to get inside the garage where he found Iro severely injured.
Thankfully, Fond du Lac police officer Charles Beckford, also a K9 handler, arrived. Beckford had additional training and supplies for critical interim K9 care. As they worked fervently to assess and pack Iro’s wounds, they called in Sheriff’s deputy and K9 handler Michael Vis who helped secure Iro in his squad car and raced to the nearest veterinary emergency center, Blue Pearl Pet Hospital in Appleton. There, Iro’s immediate care team included Ryan Demianiuk (DVM’08) and Bruce Van Enkevort (DVM’91).
At the same time, the Operational K9 Medical Team of Wisconsin (OPK9) was notified. The mission of this independent non-profit organization is to provide point of injury care education and support for those assisting wounded law enforcement K9s. One of the organization’s founders and current medical director is Lisa Converse (DVM’95), a veterinary emergency and critical care specialist with current responsibilities at veterinary medicine schools nationwide, including the SVM.
“Law enforcement K9s put their lives on the line to protect us and our communities,” Converse says. “We work to complete the circle of K9 medical care by training those at the scene to provide life-saving techniques, such as hemorrhage control and oxygen supplementation, as you would a human.”
Rebecca Johnson (PhD’02; Department of Surgical Sciences), UWVC anesthesiologist and SVM faculty member, has a long history of working with K9 law enforcement officers and OPK9. Johnson got to Blue Pearl in
BY THE NUMBERS
In 2016, the SVM formalized a program offering discounts for K9 and equine officers who receive care at UWVC. As the only tertiary care facility of its kind in the region, UWVC is uniquely equipped to provide outstanding care by board-certified experts in more than 20 different specialties. Discretionary gift dollars provided by generous donors help provide a 50% discount on services to care for animals working in Wisconsin law enforcement, along with additional credits for agencies in Dane County.
There are more than 300 K9 officers registered in the statewide OPK9 registry
The average working career of a K9 officer spans about 7-8 years
More than 60 Wisconsin law enforcement agencies have an active agreement for discounted care at UWVC
CARING FOR ANIMALS AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY
When it comes to how Justine Finerty (DVMx’26) got interested in working with K9 law enforcement dogs, it’s personal. Finerty grew up in a Milwaukee community with significant criminal activity, circumstances that instilled a desire to protect and serve. Then her love of animals and work as a veterinary technician led her to pursue her DVM degree. These combined passions inspire her:
Working with OPK9 and K9 officers is my way to give back. Being able to support these dogs with veterinary care is small compared to the service they provide.When treating a K9 officer, I’m helping a dog that has likely taken illegal substances off the street and apprehended criminals, as well as being a family member to their handler – not just a partner.
time to administer the anesthesia for Iro’s initial surgeries.
“It’s been shown time and again that communication between organizations is essential in handling the care and saving the lives of K9 officers,” she says. “Iro’s case is a great example of collaboration and shows how critical response training can be the difference between life and death.”
Finally, after six tenuous days and multiple surgeries, Iro was discharged. As he left Blue Pearl, dozens of officers showed up in solidarity.
With a long recovery ahead, Evans and Iro first visited Courtney Arnoldy (BS’94) in December 2023. Arnoldy, who earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2009, founded the small animal rehabilitation program at UWVC more than 20 years ago. Iro presented with weakness, mobility challenges and body awareness limitations. His extensive rehabilitation program focused primarily on his cervical spine and the significant injuries to his right front and hind legs.
“Our goals have been to restore muscle and joint mobility and to improve strength, balance, and core stability to optimize movement and prevent abnormal compensatory strategies so Iro can safely train and return to the job he loves without
sustaining injury,” Arnoldy says. “It’s been a privilege to be part of Iro’s care team, and to witness the special bond Deputy Evans and Iro have as partners and family.”
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office includes five K9 officers. Evans joined in 2018, and Iro became their first dual purpose K9 officer in 2022 – formally certified through the American Police Canine Association in drug detection, tracking, handler protection, article searches and criminal apprehension. Now four years old, Iro is cleared to return to duty this fall.
According to Fond du Lac Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt, “[K9 officers] are a critical part of our operation. They’re a force multiplier with abilities far greater than we have – they run faster, sniff better and have unconditional love for their handler. Iro totally exemplifies this.”
A year after the events that almost took Iro’s life, Evans reflects, “He greatly reduced the rounds that were coming towards me and going into the neighborhood. Unfortunately, and obviously, that wasn’t the intention. For Iro to still be here … there are just no words for it.”
Opposite page: Iro with his beloved tennis ball; working with his handler Deputy Blaine Evans and Dr. Courtney Arnoldy. Top right: DVM student Justine Finerty is passionate about community service and caring for animals. Bottom left: DVM student Amanda Gimenez (DVMx’25) helped lead Ezmae’s initial wellness exam.
This article is abbreviated from the original online story. Scan to read.
THERAPY DOGS: OTHER IMPORTANT WAYS TO SERVE
Earlier this year, our team had the pleasure of meeting Ezmae, a one-year-old Golden Retriever, during her initial wellness visit to UWVC. Deemed healthy and ready to serve, Ezmae was sworn in as a working therapy dog for the UW-Milwaukee Police Department. Her job is to provide comfort in times of stress or crisis for both officers and the community. Through the generosity of donors, the SVM has been able to provide discounted veterinary medical care to officers such as Ezmae.
Companion Animal Fund Advances Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention: Supporting the Best Possible Care for our Beloved Pets
by Maggie Baum
At the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), we pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional educational experience for the next generation of trusted veterinarians, advancing life-saving research and clinical trials, and providing unmatched, compassionate veterinary care. While we see patients of all breeds and species, the majority we treat in our teaching hospital are companion animals. During the 12-month period ending June 30, 2023, we saw nearly 28,000 patients – including 19,700 dogs and more than 4,600 cats. If you’re one of the many animal lovers reading this, there’s a good chance you have a furry friend not far away.
Our Companion Animal Fund (CAF) recognizes and celebrates the special bond between pets and their people. Gifts to this fund – which come from individuals as well as many of our valued veterinary colleagues around the state (see sidebar) – support a range of critical health care studies designed to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the diseases that afflict companion animals.
We’re incredibly thankful that generous and meaningful donations to the CAF advance incredible SVM research initiatives –from cancer care to the genetics of glaucoma, from better understanding epilepsy to managing pain – that work toward longer and healthier lives for our pets. The following are a selection of projects that CAF funds have supported this year.
Comparison of Gastroesophageal Reflux and Adverse Events in Dogs with Nasogastric Versus Nasoesophageal Feeding Tubes
Principal investigator: Katie Anderson (Department of Medical Sciences)
Temporary feeding tubes, such as nasoesophageal (NE) or nasogastric (NG) tubes, are frequently used to provide nutrition to hospitalized patients that are unable or unwilling to eat. Currently, there is no clear consensus as to which tube type causes more complications. The goal of this study is to compare the frequency of acid reflux and the frequency of clinical complications, such as regurgitation, vomiting, and nausea, in hospitalized dogs with NE versus NG feeding tubes. Determining which feeding tube type is better tolerated may reduce the length of a patient’s hospital stay and improve patient outcomes.
Measuring Reflux Rates of Dogs Using Point of Care Ultrasound
Principal investigator: Kyle Bartholomew (DVM’17; Department of Surgical Sciences)
Many dogs experience gastroesophageal reflux while undergoing anesthesia, a condition where stomach contents flow back into the esophagus. This can lead to serious complications, such as pneumonia, if this reflux reaches the lungs. Determining the risk of reflux is challenging and inconsistent. This study explores the use of a bedside ultrasound tool, known as Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS), to assess stomach content and volume. This tool has been used in human medicine to identify patients with a large amount of stomach contents, which could put them at risk for reflux and development of pneumonia after anesthesia. The study will compare reflux rates in dogs with different stomach contents with the hypothesis that dogs with more stomach content will have higher reflux rates. If proven, POCUS could become a valuable tool for assessing anesthetic risks in dogs and guide decisions of when it is safest for a patient to undergo anesthesia.
AI-Enhanced Detection of Otitis in Dogs and Cats using Computer Vision
Principal investigator: Dörte Döpfer (Department of Medical Sciences)
Otitis is a very common condition in companion animals, particularly dogs and cats. Routinely detected using handheld otoscopes during clinical evaluations, the use of an AI-enhanced camera detection system would support clinicians during diagnostic workups and training efforts. The study set out to collect more than 4,000 images extracted from the videos rendered by otoscopes and selected 1,300 images initially sorted into 3 classes (healthy, otitis and neoplasia) and, eventually, re-labeling them into 12 classes. These images are obtained during diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for managing cases of pets with normal and abnormal ear canals presented at two third line animal hospitals. Data collection has been completed and first
computer vision models are being developed followed by validation in clinical settings and presentation of results to audiences interested in applying this type of technology.
Investigating the Relationship between Vision Loss, Hearing Loss and Dementia in Dogs
Principal investigator: Freya Mowat (Department of Surgical Sciences)
Dogs often develop vision impairment, and a common cause is cataract (an opacity of the lens of the eye). Many dogs undergo cataract surgery to restore vision. Some older dogs have poor outcomes after cataract surgery, which may be due to other health issues such as hearing loss and dementia (cognitive dysfunction). This study investigates how vision loss, hearing loss, and dementia in dogs relate to each other, by asking dog owners to fill out standardized hearing, vision, and cognition questionnaires before and after cataract surgery. We anticipate that restoring vision will improve cognition (reduce dementia), but dogs with co-existing hearing loss will have less improvement. This work will help dog owners and veterinarians have better, evidence-based discussions about the predicted outcomes of cataract surgery and determine how cataract surgery in older dogs impacts quality of life.
The Effect of
Gabapentin
on Blood Pressure in Healthy Dogs and Dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease
Principal investigator: Michael Wood (Department of Medical Sciences)
Gabapentin is a popular drug used to reduce the anxiety dogs experience when being brought to the veterinary office. This drug may have unwanted secondary effects such as blood pressure reduction; however, this effect has not been tested in dogs. This knowledge gap can make interpreting blood pressure measurements difficult in patients that receive gabapentin as an anxiolytic or sedative before their veterinary appointments. The study aims to determine whether a single oral dose of gabapentin significantly affects blood pressure (15-20mmHg change in systolic blood pressure) in healthy dogs and dogs with chronic kidney disease. The first hypothesis is that gabapentin decreases blood pressure in healthy dogs; the second is that the suspected blood pressure-lowering effects of gabapentin will be magnified in dogs with chronic kidney disease because gabapentin is excreted from the body by the kidneys.
Scan to learn more about studies supported by the CAF
Gifts to our Companion Animal Fund offer a meaningful way to:
• Express sympathy to a friend on the loss of a cherished companion
• Thank a veterinarian for their exceptional care
• Honor an individual who loves and values animals
• Welcome a new puppy or kitten home
• Celebrate a special animal or human birthday
COMPANION ANIMAL FUND
CLINIC SPONSORS
Years of clinic participation effective December 31, 2023
30-39 Years
Dodgeville Veterinary Service
Family Pet Clinic
Kaukauna Veterinary Clinic
Layton Animal Hospital
Loyal Veterinary Service
New Berlin Animal Hospital
Northside Veterinary Clinic
Omro Animal Hospital
Oregon Veterinary Clinic
Park Pet Hospital
Shorewood Animal Hospital
Thiensville-Mequon Small Animal Clinic
West Salem Veterinary Clinic
Wright Veterinary Service
20-29 Years
All Paws Animal Hospital
Bark River Animal Hospital
Jefferson Veterinary Clinic
Muller Veterinary Hospital
North Country Veterinary Clinic
Tecumseh Veterinary Hospital
Wittenberg Veterinary Clinic
10-19 Years
Delafield Small Animal Hospital
Lake Country Veterinary Care
Metro Animal Hospital
Northwoods Animal Hospital, Eagle River
Northwoods Animal Hospital, Minocqua
1-9 Years
Birch Bark Veterinary Care
High Cliff Veterinary Service
Southwest Animal Hospital
Scan to learn more about making a memorial gift or a donation in honor of a person, pet or special occasion.
JONATHAN LEVINE
‘Thrilled & Honored’
Moving from Texas to Wisconsin was no small decision for Jonathan Levine and his family, who called the Lone Star State home for 22 years. But Levine, who assumed the role of dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine on August 1, knew it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Along with his wife, Gwen (also a veterinarian who joined the SVM as a clinical associate professor in radiology), and their son, George – plus two beloved dachshunds and one handsome horse – the Levine family spent the summer of 2024 migrating north.
“What impressed me the most about the SVM, and continues to impress me, are the people and the community,” says Levine. “I’m thrilled and honored to be in a place that values collaboration, excellence, and mutual respect. It’s a community that understands the mission of higher education is training the next generation. And all this incredible work happens in the context of a research-intensive environment that blends innovation into the student experience.”
Prior to taking on this new role, Levine was head of small animal clinical sciences and a professor of neurology at Texas A&M University College of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. His research focuses on neurological diseases in dogs, especially those with relevance to human spinal cord injuries and central nervous system tumors. He also served as the president of the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians.
to Assume Role as Dean of UW School of Veterinary Medicine
Between campus meetings and road trips, Levine has held town halls and logged many steps walking the around the School and the teaching hospital – all in an effort to connect with as many people as possible.
“It’s been wonderful to connect with our faculty to hear more about their cases, teaching, and research accomplishments, and to talk with our staff, students and house officers about their interests and aspirations,” says Levine.
UW-Madison Provost Charles Isbell believes that Levine clearly understands the importance of not just the School of Veterinary Medicine, but also how the SVM fits into the university as a whole. “I find him to be a deeply thoughtful person and a very strategic thinker,” Isbell says. “In talking with him, you realize he fully understands and deeply cares about all of the Vet Med community.”
In addition to bringing his own vision to the school, Levine looks forward to building on the key achievements of his predecessor, Mark Markel (Department of Medical Sciences), who stepped down at the end of July. (Markel will re-join the faculty as a professor of large animal surgery and will continue to co-direct the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory.)
While Markel’s leadership was pivotal in revising the SVM curriculum from a traditional one focused on lectures and
by Christina Frank and Maggie Baum
didactic learning to an integrative competency-based model, advancing and implementing it successfully will be a priority for Levine.
“Obviously, students are the center of everything we do in higher education and something that makes this institution really special is how student-centered it is,” he says. “Ensuring ongoing success with our curricular revision is a very key piece for me. We’re at the point that the actual courses, laboratories and learning sessions have to be planned and teachers, educators, and staff have to be brought together. This is a critically important process and I’m excited to help lead it.”
Another priority as Levine begins his tenure is the ongoing phased opening of the school’s expansion and renovation building project. A majority of small animal hospital services opened there this past summer, along with state-of-the-art research lab spaces on the building’s second floor. Additional third floor research space is nearing completion and slated to open in 2025 along with a rooftop terrace, a common outdoor courtyard area linking SVM’s north and south buildings, and a large animal isolation wing and arena. Planned renovations to SVM South will continue until 2025 under Levine’s leadership, as well, modernizing and maximizing all facilities to ensure all students, faculty, staff, and researchers have access to the spaces, equipment, and technology to match the caliber of the work they do every day.
Levine is also passionate about helping to grow some of the SVM’s signature outreach programs such as the Dairyland Initiative, Shelter Medicine, and WisCARES, a clinic that brings together social workers, veterinarians, nurses and pharmacists to deliver low-cost care to pets in underserved areas.
While Levine acknowledges that veterinary medicine and higher education currently face numerous challenges, he also believes this moment is one of extraordinary opportunity.
“There have never been more opportunities in veterinary medicine than there are today for people that are entering the profession,” he says. “There’s record demand for companion animal services, there are new opportunities in global One Health infectious disease research, and there is growing recognition of the importance of food safety. There’s digital technology that allows us to consult remotely on cases from pet rabbits to dairy cattle. I think the role and importance of veterinarians, veterinary staff, and researchers affiliated with veterinary schools is only going to continue to grow, and the SVM plays a key part in meeting that need.”
We’ve got amazing students, faculty, staff, interns, and residents who are incredibly mission-driven. They value excellence and teamwork, and community is core to who they are. And when you have great people and great community, amazing things happen. – Dean Jon Levine
A staunch believer in the importance of open, honest and frequent communication, Levine also acknowledges the importance of caring for the mental health of veterinarians, the challenge of cultivating and supporting an inclusive and diverse community in an ever-evolving world, and recruiting and retaining the highest caliber faculty and staff. These are among the priorities that have served as a guide for navigating his first few months and will form the foundation of his leadership.
“We’ve got amazing students, faculty, staff, interns, and residents who are incredibly mission-driven,” he says. “They value excellence and teamwork, and community is core to who they are. And when you have great people and great community, amazing things happen.”
Opposite page: Dean Levine gets to know everyone’s favorite Badger. Above: At Texas A&M, Levine was head of small animal clinical sciences and a professor of neurology. Below left: Pictured with one of his favorite dog breeds, the current Levine family pets include two dachshunds and a horse.
SVM’s Program for Shelter Medicine Marks 10 Years of Community Engaged Care
by Simran Khanuja and Maggie Baum
In 2016, when the UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s (SVM) Program for Shelter Medicine – in partnership with the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory – identified that H7N2 avian influenza had infected cats in New York City shelters, the outcome looked bleak. With concerns that the disease could spread to humans or other animals, depopulation of animal shelters was suggested as a means of controlling the outbreak. Instead, Shelter Medicine played a key role in mitigating impacts to cats and eradicating the virus through a very different route.
In cooperation with the USDA, CDC, New York State’s Department of Agriculture, and New York City Public Health, Shelter Medicine introduced a life-saving approach to offer free diagnostic testing and open a quarantine facility in partnership with the ASPCA. According to Sandra Newbury (DVM’03), director of Shelter Medicine, the extraordinary initiative – made possible, in large part, by the generous and ongoing support of Maddie’s Fund – saved the lives of thousands of cats and exemplified the benefits of Shelter Medicine collaboration in action.
Newbury felt strongly that depopulating the cats was not the right choice for the animals, the people, or the organizations involved. The Shelter Medicine program has a commitment to support animal lives and well-being. Her experience had shown that life-saving approaches are the best way to increase participation in public health and control infectious diseases. She knew many of the adopters of the more than 1,000 cats who had already left the shelters would not willingly bring their new family members back to be euthanized. Instead, offering free diagnostic testing, quarantine, and treatment worked to control transmission, support the human-animal bond, and boost willing compliance from health agencies and the public. After these life-saving efforts, the virus has not been detected since early 2017.
“[This story] really helped set a precedent that, when you’re trying to manage infectious disease, you need to first set your
goals and figure out what’s possible while thinking through what unintended consequences may come from whichever public health approach you take,” Newbury says as she reflects on this fall’s 10th anniversary of the program. “You have to take human behavior, the value of animal lives, and the strength of the human-animal bond into consideration as you’re thinking about how to respond to public health problems.”
Shelter Medicine works directly with shelters, partner organizations and communities across the country. Since 2014, the program has increased the life-saving capacity of animal shelters, communities and veterinarians through four key facets: education, shelter outreach, development of new knowledge and community engaged care. Recent outreachbased research has included gaining community perspectives on animal law enforcement along with redefining the way shelters respond to infectious diseases and guiding standards of care.
Throughout the 10 years of the program’s existence, its foundational goals have remained central to the mission. Shelter Medicine continues to strive for the development of meaningful relationships with students, veterinarians, shelters and communities. The program also continues to advocate for well-being, life-saving, and community engagement to be fundamental components of any plan for animal services, shelter care, or infectious disease outbreak response.
All current DVM students with a small animal focus now experience clinical practice through a Shelter Medicine rotation, which includes guided clinical experience at Dane County Humane Society and community care experience through house calls in neighborhoods with low access to veterinary services in Madison and Milwaukee.
Students have reported gaining valuable experience through this contextualized care approach, being able to learn to
match their care plan to the animal, the person, and the environment. Nandita Chittajallu (DVMx’26) said that one of the most valuable skills she has gained from working with the Shelter Medicine program is gaining a deeper understanding of the experiences of shelter medicine staff.
“The staff experiences some of the highest highs and lowest lows, yet they show up every day with unwavering dedication to care for and advocate for the animals,” she says. “Their focus is always constructive and supportive, which reinforces for me the importance of interpersonal communication and how crucial of a tool it is when trying to elicit change. This is a key takeaway for not just future experiences as a veterinarian, but life in general.”
As the program has grown and as the world comes out on the other side of a global pandemic, the importance of prioritizing knowledge of, and experience with, infectious disease continues to grow. At the same time, the broader veterinary medical field of Shelter Medicine is evolving. Currently, several residents from the program have graduated to become board-certified in Shelter Medicine, which was only just recognized as a specialty in 2014.
With great progress there have also been some challenges. With a shortage of veterinarians in the United States, interest in veterinary post-graduate training programs has also diminished. To address this, Shelter Medicine recently expanded focus on their fellowship programs with an aim to train and build community among veterinarians and leadership staff working in shelters and community organizations. The program has grown from offering one fellowship of six fellows annually to now offering three fellowships with a total of 18-24 fellows each year.
Looking ahead to the future, Newbury said that the most pressing issue for the program, not surprisingly, is funding.
“Grants and private donations are what allow us to do the outreach, teaching, research and community engaged care work that is central to our mission, and critical for animals, organizations and communities we serve,” Newbury says. “It
is also what allows up to support the students, shelter staff and veterinarians who learn from the work we do.”
As Shelter Medicine marks the milestone of 10 years, Newbury – who has led the program since it’s inception at SVM in 2014 – is grateful for strong and longstanding support from key funders which has been instrumental in supporting and advancing the program’s work: Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, which supports many different aspects of the program; Maddie’s Fund, a family foundation that has generously supported educational and outbreak response work; and Jeff (83’) and Sara Wiesner (’85), active volunteers in shelter and rescue organizations for almost two decades who were early supporters of the program.
“We’ve seen first-hand the extraordinary impact veterinarians can have in improving outcomes for animals in shelters,” says Sara Wiesner. “Access to basic veterinary care, coordinated spay and neuter programs, and infectious disease treatment are among the examples where vets make a huge contribution. It’s game changing.”
Adds Jeff Wiesner, “When we first started working with [the SVM], there wasn’t a formal Shelter Medicine program. It has been incredibly rewarding to partner with the school and see the program grow into one of the best in the country under Sandra’s leadership.”
Looking ahead to what the next 10 years might bring, Newbury cites a significant and growing need for community engaged care in all aspects of veterinary medicine: more focus on the human-animal bond, as well as increased community engaged access to care and services to support both pets and the people who care for them. Shelter Medicine has recently expanded direct access to care outreach work through partnerships with Native Nations.
“It’s about listening and understanding what your community wants,” Newbury says. “If New York City shelters had been told to depopulate [due to the influenza outbreak], there would have been heartache. Instead, if we offer free quarantine facilities along with diagnostic testing and treatment, that’s a different scenario. We’re fortunate to have donors that will support that kind of intervention, and the results show what can be accomplished when you’re taking that kind of community-focused, engaged approach.”
The Shelter Medicine team works on-site and off-site, from shelters to neighborhoods to Native American reservations, wherever the need arises for community engaged care.
Comparatively Speaking
A stealth fungus has decimated North American bats but scientists may be a step closer to treating white-nose syndrome
by Will Cushman
An invasive fungus that colonizes the skin of hibernating bats with deadly consequences is a stealthy invader that uses multiple strategies to slip into the small mammals’ skin cells and quietly manipulate them to aid its own survival. The fungus, which causes the disease white-nose syndrome, has devastated several North American species over the last 18 years.
Scientists have learned much about the fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, since it was first documented in a New York cave in 2006, including where it thrives, its distribution, and clinical features. But exactly how the fungus initiates its infection has remained a “black box — a big mystery,” says Bruce Klein, a professor of pediatrics, medicine and medical microbiology and immunology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
That dearth of understanding has made it challenging to develop countermeasures to treat or prevent infections.
Now, Klein and Marcos Isidoro-Ayza, a PhD candidate at Klein’s lab, have for the first time been able to study in detail how the fungus gains entry and covertly hijacks cells called keratinocytes at the surface of bats’ skin.
The researchers found that P. destructans uses infected cells as a refuge and prevents the cells from dying, which in turn thwarts the bats’ immune system and allows the microbial invader to continue growing and slip into more cells.
To do so, Klein and Isidoro-Ayza created the first-ever keratinocyte cell line from the skin of a little brown bat. Further, they successfully mimicked the conditions of hibernation, which are marked by wide body temperature fluctuations that accompany periods of torpor — when the animals’ metabolism slows and body temperature drops — and arousal.
This is crucial to understanding P. destructans infections because the cold-loving fungus gains its foothold during the chilly conditions of torpor and is able to persist during arousal, when the bats’ body temperature increases.
Klein and Isidoro-Ayza have already identified how the fungus gains its stealth entry into cells: by co-opting a protein on their surface called epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR. Mutations in the same receptor in human cells drive certain lung cancers and these cancers are treated with an existing drug called gefitinib, opening the possibility it could be used
to treat or prevent white-nose syndrome.
“Remarkably, when we inhibited the receptor with this drug, we stopped the infection,” says Isidoro-Ayza. “This is an FDA-approved drug that could potentially be used in the future for the treatment of susceptible bat species.”
While EGFR’s precise role in infection is not yet completely clear, Klein and Isidoro-Ayza have learned much about how the fungus works.
Its initial entry occurs during torpor, when bats’ immune systems are dormant and their body temperature is in an ideal range for P. destructans to germinate and grow. During torpor, the fungus penetrates bats’ skin cells with its hyphae — slender filaments through which it grows and gathers nutrients — without breaking the cells’ membranes. Doing so would trigger the cells’ death and expose the fungus to the bats’ immune system.
Klein and Isidoro-Ayza also found that the fungus employs multiple strategies that allow it to continue its invasion during periods of arousal, despite the bats’ higher body temperatures and reactivated immune system.
First, during arousal periods, the fungus manipulates the cells so they engulf the fungus in a process known as endocytosis, rather than the fungus using its hyphae to penetrate the cell.
Second, they found that the fungus spores — microscopic particles by which it reproduces — are coated in a layer of melanin that protects them from the cells’ strategies for killing invading microbes.
“That allows the spore to survive that period of arousal, and when the bat goes back into torpor, the spores inside of its cells start germinating again and keep colonizing the skin,” explains Isidoro-Ayza, who is a student in the UW–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine’s comparative biomedical sciences graduate program.
P. destructans’ final infection strategy is to block apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death, which is a defense
mechanism cells use to expose pathogens so immune cells can root them out and destroy them.
“By not killing the cells, the fungus can linger in the tissue and go into deeper layers of the skin,” says Isidoro-Ayza.
With this new knowledge in hand, the researchers are hopeful that treatments and a potential vaccine are closer to becoming reality.
These findings are just one product of a collaboration between Klein and Isidoro-Ayza and scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison. The effort received $2 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and Paul G. Allen Family Foundation in 2023 to search for better insight into how P. destructans causes infection and develop treatment and prevention strategies against white-nose syndrome.
The research is valuable not only for the conservation of bats, which provide a number of benefits including as pollinators and insect predators, but because fungal pathogens are a growing problem for many species.
The CBMS program kicked off Fall Semester with a welcome event for graduate students entering our program in 2024 or those who will be entering in January 2025.
We are pleased to welcome the following students (mentors provided in parentheses):
Fall 2024:
• Druthi Suresh (Mehta laboratory)
• Cole Knuese and Natalia Betancourt Rodriguez (Zamanian/Osorio laboratories)
• Clara Cole (major professor TBI)
Spring 2025:
• Tim Xiong (Bresnick laboratory)
• Gopi Thirumoorthy (Mehta laboratory)
• Emily Smith (Turner laboratory)
These students, Susan Thideman (graduate program manager) and I were thrilled to have Kristen Bernard (MS’92 PhD’95; chair, Department of Pathobiological Sciences) and Marulasiddappa Suresh (John E. Butler Professor in Comparative and Mucosal Immunology
From other page: This image shows a hibernating little brown bat infected with white-nose syndrome. The feat is detailed in the July 12, 2024, issue of Science. (Credit: Jonathan Mays)
From left to right: Bruce Klein | Marcos Isadora-Ayza
Below: These images show the hyphae and spores of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (in green) invading the lab grown skin cells of little brown bats. (Credit: Klein Lab / UW–Madison)
“There are fungal diseases causing epidemics and pandemics in different types of organisms, including plants, invertebrate animals, amphibians, reptiles and bats,” says Isidoro-Ayza. So, any mechanism that we discover or better understand in this disease could have implications for the conservation of other species too.”
and associate dean for research and graduate education) join our welcome event and share the experiences that brought them to graduate studies and on to their current positions.
Dean Jon Levine joined us, as well, and had the opportunity to hear about the varied research projects these students will be working on – from vampire bat vaccines to the interplay between the replisome and Human Papilloma virus.
The research aspirations and plans of these students represent the breadth and diversity of our graduate program. Let me extend a welcome to SVM alumni and friends to see and hear more about the groundbreaking research that CBMS students are doing: every Wednesday noon, we gather for the PBS930 seminar in SVM South. Every student in the program rotates through the role of presenter in this seminar series. Feel free to reach out to me at lbartholomay@wisc.edu for more information.
Lyric Bartholomay (PhD’04)
Professor, Department of Pathobiological Sciences
Director, Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program
Dr. Bernard C. Easterday Professor in Infectious Disease
Charting New Paths and Giving Back to the School
How does a busy veterinarian working in multiple specialty areas at two different practices relax and unwind on weekends? By doing more veterinary work, of course.
Though she splits her time during the week between Midwest Veterinary Specialists in Greenfield and her private practice, Capital Performance Veterinary Services in Blue Mounds, on weekends Jennifer Lorenz (DVM’09) can often be found caring for equines who participate in horse endurance rides.
And, just like these 25- to 100-mile rides can be filled with twists and turns, Lorenz’s career trajectory has not necessarily been linear.
“I’m always fascinated by people’s paths, and the more you talk with others the more you learn it’s OK to change your mind and be open to where your career may lead you,” she says. “If someone would have told me 15 years ago I’d be doing acupuncture on dogs, I would not have believed it.”
With both parents in the United States Navy, Lorenz moved around a bit growing up, and her family landed in Madison during her middle school years. She went on to attend Edgewood High School and then UW-Madison. And, although she says it took her “a bit to get in,” she was admitted to the SVM and received her DVM in 2009.
Her first love and primary interest being horses, she thought she would focus on equine practice forever. After living for a time in Pennsylvania, she returned to Wisconsin and launched an equine ambulatory business. As she developed that area of practice, she realized there were not many veterinary providers
performing acupuncture. She became certified in veterinary medical acupuncture through Colorado’s Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians in 2013 and, following that, in veterinary spinal manipulation through the Healing Oasis in Wisconsin.
In the years since, her practice naturally evolved to include additional focus on physical rehabilitation – she earned a certification as a canine rehabilitation practitioner through the University of Tennessee – as well as an expansion toward seeing more small animal patients. This led to a shift with Capital Performance Veterinary Services becoming a parttime job and taking a full-time position as a small animal rehabilitation specialist with Midwest Veterinary Specialists.
While she still sees large animal patients in private practice, much of her work with equines comes in endurance riding circles and at competitive events. Both leading equine endurance riding organizations – American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) and Upper Midwest Endurance and Competitive Rides Association (UMECRA), of which she has served as a board member – require veterinary presence and vet checks on-premise to ensure the health and safety of horses.
Still, Lorenz finds time to actively participate and take on leadership roles within the SVM Alumni Association (SVMAA), including working on alumni newsletters, planning reunions, serving as secretary in the past as well as president and helping establish an alumni awards program.
“Learning about service was a big part of my high school experience at Edgewood, and I’m a fourth generation UW
alumna,” Lorenz says. “My great grandfather helped found the psychology department, and all that history has always made me interested how we do things and how we can improve for future generations.”
One of Lorenz’s lasting legacies as an alumna and SVMAA member has been to spearhead the development of a class gift fund that supports the Divine Service Dog Scholarship. With the permission of a classmate who is legally deaf and had a service dog named Divine, the annual scholarship supports a student with an interest in service animals.
“I encourage people to get and stay involved however they can,” she says. “Maybe that’s monetary, maybe its signing up to be a mentor or maybe it’s serving on a board. It’s easy to focus on what school cost, but the SVM gives its graduates an invaluable tool and it’s important to give back however we can.”
When there is time for a little rest and relaxation, Lorenz and her husband love to camp with their dogs, kayak and go fishing. But, most of all, they enjoy their small farm in Blue Mounds with its many animals, including – of course – sport horse ponies.
by Maggie Baum
A Message to DVM Alumni
Supporting Sheep Production at the SVM
Teaching how to support sheep production, a new Small Ruminant elective course – which works with the UW-Madison Sheep Unit shepherd, Todd Taylor – provides DVM students with hands-on instruction on breeding soundness exams, pregnancy detection and more.
This one-credit laboratory course is offered for fourth year SVM students. Combining case-based work and didactic learning, this elective provides students with the opportunity to gain experience in small ruminant surgical and medical procedures, including routine and emergency reproductive procedures, locoregional anesthesia and foot care — techniques that are core to the general practice of large animal veterinarians.
“Small ruminant and camelid ownership is a relatively small community in Wisconsin and access to veterinary care can be hard to come by in some parts of the state, so we’re trying to help owners and producers by offering this elective with further training in the husbandry and veterinary medical care of these animals,” says course coordinator Paul Merkatoris (BS’12 DVM’16; Department of Surgical Sciences).
Katie Tredinnick (DVM’24) was part of the inaugural Small Ruminant elective course in spring of 2024. She says choosing the course gave her a focused opportunity to become a more prepared and confident small ruminant practitioner and recommends the offering to current students.
“This course gives practical experience with cases you’ll encounter in the field and provides the opportunity to discuss questions with board-certified surgeons and internists,” says Tredinnick. “The instructors’ passion and enthusiasm for small ruminants makes the course a sweet respite during the home stretch of the DVM program.”
by Simran Khanuja
Dear alumni — One of my favorite events of the year is our tailgate, when we welcome you and your fellow classmates back to the school in a quintessentially Wisconsin way - complete with brats and Bucky Badger. And while it is hard to top Bucky, what I enjoy most is seeing everyone having fun and connecting with friends and former SVM faculty and staff.
Another annual highlight is recognizing the recipients of our SVM Alumni Association (SVMAA) Distinguished Alumni Award winners. This year, we honored Jeff Zuba (DVM’87; SVM Board of Visitors) and Rebecca Johnson (PhD’02). Both are exceptionally deserving, and we hope you will read more about each of them at go.wisc. edu/2024svmawards. Also, we invite you to nominate alumni for the 2025 awards so be on the lookout for information on that front early next year.
Prior to the tailgate we were pleased to have participants join the SVMAA meeting both in person and remotely. Dean Jon Levine , who officially started on August 1, joined to share what excites him about the SVM and the opportunities he sees for the school and the profession. This led to a great discussion and highlights the important role of alumni in providing feedback to the school and
partnering to support our students in our advancement efforts.
Our SVMAA meeting was just one of many conversations Dean Levine has had with alumni and Wisconsin veterinarians this fall. He has been around the state visiting clinics as part of the UW-Madison 175th anniversary statewide celebrations and as part of local WVMA events … with more still to come! We’re so grateful to all those who have participated so far. Your feedback and insights have helped Dean Levine learn about the opportunities and challenges for the School and will help shape the SVM’s next strategic plan.
We appreciate you staying connected with each other and with the SVM – whether through in-person events, the SVMAA, participating in our mentorship and speakers programs, submitting class notes, or reaching out with a question or suggestion. Your engagement makes a difference, and we thank you for it!
Kristi V. Thorson Associate Dean for Advancement and Administration
Join or Renew your 2024-25 SVMAA membership today
Poppy Captures Hearts at UWVC and Around the World Patient Profile
When Lisa Edge first met Poppy Grace, she knew she’d become part of her family. Poppy, an American Bulldog mix, was found by Edge’s daughter on the Iowa County Humane Society’s website last summer, having been rescued from the side of the road by an Avoca police officer. Emaciated and neglected, she carried a mere 64 pounds on her large frame. She was hairless, diabetic, and blind and faced a host of other critical health conditions.
“I didn’t stop thinking about her – I felt she needed me, and I needed her,” Edge recalls. After adopting Poppy, “I slept with her on the floor for the next eight months knowing it was possible she wouldn’t make it.”
Poppy suffered abuse at the hands of her original owner for the first six years of her life. Later, that Avoca resident plead no contest to Negligent Intentional Mistreatment of an Animal and received a 10-day jail sentence.
“The district attorney said this never happens; I started receiving messages from police officers that the sentence was unprecedented,” Edge says. “Poppy made history that day.”
After adopting Poppy last summer, Edge brought her to a local veterinary clinic where the team didn’t provide much hope and recommended Poppy be euthanized. Edge refused to give up and followed through with a referral to UW Veterinary Care (UWVC). There, she found hope as Poppy’s care team started to systematically address her many needs.
Vanessa Bruneau, a resident in small animal internal medicine, has been one of Poppy’s primary veterinarians at UWVC and helped address everything from hypothyroidism to a life-threatening complication of diabetes called ketoacidosis.
“With medication adjustment and a lot of nursing care, Poppy pulled through and has only been getting better,” she says. “It’s amazing to see how loving and trusting she is after everything she’s been through, and seeing the beautiful community surrounding Poppy shows us of the importance of dogs in peoples’ lives and reminds us why we all wanted to work in veterinary medicine in the first place.”
Poppy isn’t the first dog with serious challenges that Edge has cared for. She fostered her first blind dog 17 years ago and currently has five other dogs she cares for along with Poppy, most either blind or missing legs.
“I don’t know what it’s like to have a full dog,” she jokes.
But, in all seriousness, Edge is grateful to see Poppy starting to thrive with loving care from her and UWVC. She has gained 30 pounds to get to a healthier weight, grown back fur and been treated for her most immediate needs. She is finally
almost healthy enough to get spayed and have her diseased eyes removed.
In addition, Poppy has garnered quite a following on the Noah’s Legacy Facebook page, where Edge has been sharing stories of her special dogs for nearly 10 years – starting with a blind pup named Noah. Noah’s Legacy has attracted nearly 35,000 followers, with many checking in on Poppy’s adventures almost daily.
As Poppy’s journey continues, Edge remains focused on giving her the quality of life she deserved all along.
“Poppy’s story has given thousands of people hope – some are fighting illnesses, some are lonely and some have been at a point where they wanted to give up,” she says. “Enter Poppy, a survivor who has defied all odds. She is the poster pup for hope.”
by Grace Bathery
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Poppy, now recovering and thriving, is shown here with her biggest champions: Lisa Edge, who adopted Poppy after her original owner was charged with negligence and mistreatment; and members of her compassionate UWVC care team.
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Madison, WI 53706-1102
A HOLIDAY CARD that helps advance animal health
The holiday season is near and the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) has a unique gift for the animal lovers on your list – one that truly helps those special animal companions in our lives.
The SVM is pleased to present original artwork for its holiday card fundraiser each year. This year, “Patiently Waiting,” right, features the work of Wisconsin artist Betty Casper. For a suggested $10 donation per card, the SVM will send a holiday card to the recipient of your choice — a thoughtful gift for family, friends, neighbors, veterinarians, or even pets. These heart-warming, full-color cards will include a greeting stating that a donation was made to the school in the recipient’s name and that proceeds will support projects that advance animal health.
There are also opportunities to purchase packs of 10 cards for $35.00 with “Happy Holidays” on the inside. They will be sent to you to send out as you please.
You can purchase cards online or download an order form at www.vetmed.wisc.edu/holidaycard
Questions? Contact Sarah Ryan at 608-262-5534 or scryan2@wisc.edu.
Meet the Artist
Betty Casper is a self taught artist from Almond, WI who has used both acrylics and oils for her realistic paintings.
“ Patiently Waiting” depicts her dog, Buck, as a tuckered out puppy waiting for Christmas morning.
