Week 5: Flipping Sheep, Parvo Treatment and Disease of the Adrenal Gland
This week started off with our first exam! It was based on the first 21 lectures and 3 labs which was essentially a review of genetics, cell biology, chemistry, microbiology, and some histology with different application points relating it back to veterinary medicine. It covered a decent amount of information but was a fair exam and I think it went well!
The rest of Monday involved a few more lectures and then we were done for the day! One of my classmates, Gabi, invited me to a HOT YOGA class after the exam as a way to “chill" which at first sounded absolutely crazy considering that it was already about 95 degrees outside. To my surprise, the class was an absolute blast and my body felt great afterwards!
Tuesday was full of lectures covering some histology and cell regulation. During lunch we had some Elanco Reps come and talk about their new monoclonal antibody that has been used to successfully treat parvo. For those of you that may have never heard of parvo, or are unfamiliar with the disease, here is a little background information. "Parvo" is short for canine parvovirus and is typically referring to type II since it is the most prevalent variant in the states. Once the virus has entered the host, it induces destruction of rapidly dividing cells including those that line the intestines. This leads to a disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier as well as exhaustion and destruction of the villi that help with nutrient absorption. This causes a decrease in white blood cells (cells that fight infection) and decreased absorption leading to hemorrhagic (bloody) diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy. Since these dogs are constantly vomiting and having diarrhea, they become extremely dehydrated. Up until now, the prognosis for parvo puppies has been poor and the only treatment has been supportive care which is expensive for owners. It is also detrimental to hospital staff since parvo is extremely contagious and the tech that works on the case is often unable to interact with other patients that may be at risk. This takes valuable staff away from an already understaffed clinic which causes stress on other staff members. The consequences of parvo are detrimental for all parties involved but there may be a better solution on the rise. Elanco has formulated a monoclonal antibody that has been seen to improve survival rates and help ease the symptoms of this aggressive disease leading to a quicker recovery. You can find out more about this product by clicking here. The afternoon rounded out with a horse handling lab focusing on basic horse safety and maintenance!
Wednesday was a short day with just three lectures in the morning. The rest of the afternoon was spent studying and then I did ANOTHER hot yoga session. For those of you that don't know me, I'm a triathlete that likes to just go and not really think about anything. Although yoga does not fit the go, go, go mentality, I am drawn to things that challenge me and so now I'm determined to get better at yoga. I also enjoyed the focus on body awareness and breath work and feel like this is a good way to relax and get myself in the right headspace.
Thursday started out with an engaging histology lab focusing on the adrenal glands and kidney. Once we had the basic histological anatomy down for a “normal” adrenal gland, we were given three different cases and were asked to match them to a disease. The diseases we had to choose from included; Cushing’s Disease, Idiopathic Addison’s Disease, and Iatrogenic Cushing’s disease. I loved this activity because I was able to understand the histological and physiological changes that occur with these diseases that are commonly seen in a clinical setting. For a deeper dive into those diseases and the histological appearance of the affected adrenal gland, you can check out these notes. During lunch we had a discussion on the Purina cardio health diet. The presenter emphasized the important role that diet has on the cardiac health. Some of the key nutrients that can help support heart health include medium chain triglycerides, lysine, methionine, taurine, fish oils, antioxidants (vit. E) and magnesium.
The afternoon started off with a sheep handling lab where we were taught how to successfully restrain and handle sheep. Part of this lab was learning how to flip them and cut their hooves. That was an experience in itself and slightly more challenging than it looks. Later that afternoon my parents flew in and we celebrated my 23rd birthday. We went to dinner with Morgan and Katelyn and spent some time exploring Davis.
The next morning, we walked around the arboretum, got breakfast and then they headed back home and I headed to class. It was so nice to see them and spend time together!
Friday morning we had another case-based learning session that stemmed off of the case from last week. This week we were still dealing with Spotz but had gotten back the pathology report and were asked to come up with a new list of potential causes for his systemic infection. The remainder of the afternoon consisted of a lecture on hemorrhage, thrombosis, and tissue response and finished up with a lab focused on connective tissue and smooth muscle while also tying in knowledge from the previous labs. The night ended with yet another hot yoga session and a little swim.
This weekend started off with a beautiful bike ride and some quality time with my pup. There is another exam this week so the remainder of the weekend was used to organize notes and study! The notes page of this website will soon be populated with recaps from this past week of lectures so stay tuned!
P.S. Since the VMCAS deadline is tomorrow, I wanted to congratulate all of you that just finished up that process! It is a big deal just applying to vet school so take a deep breath and know that you have done everything you can do, and it is no longer in your hands. You all will end up where you are supposed to be so just try to enjoy this exciting time!
Quote of the week: “Vet school is a runaway train of cortisol release.” -Dr. Woolard
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