S2 Week 6: The Five Pillars, Tendon Anatomy, and Weekend Visitors
Our musculoskeletal block is officially over on Tuesday meaning that we are already 1/3 of the way done with the semester!
This week started off with a lecture on tendon anatomy which transitioned straight into soft tissue diagnostic imaging. After that, more information was released regarding our problem-based-learning session that we started the week before. This time we were given ultrasound videos and were able to use our knowledge from the previous two lectures to formulate a fairly solid diagnosis. The afternoon concluded with a lab focused on diagnosing muscle disease. This lab was centered around two cases and pulled from information that we had learned the previous week. I always enjoy these sessions because they are based on clinical scenarios and are a great way of connecting topics and understanding their relevance.
Tuesday began with a lab on tendon sheaths and bursas. This was a fun way to physically see and touch what we had learned in lecture. We were able to palpate different structures on equine limbs and understand their orientation in the body. We then transitioned into a radiology case discussion. We were given a set of cases and worked through each one, pointing out the abnormalities and coming up with a list of differential diagnoses as a class. It is nice to see that after 6 weeks we are all getting better at identifying the abnormalities on a radiograph and things are starting to come a little more naturally.
The afternoon consisted of a recap of the problem-based-learning session that we had been working on for the past two weeks. This was a great way to ensure that we had all gotten the intended information out of that case and check to see if our hypothesized diagnosis was correct. The day finished up with a lecture on the topographic anatomy of the lumbosacral plexus and vessels of the thoracic limb.
Wednesday began with a hot yoga session followed by a swim. Our first lab wasn’t until 11:00 so it was nice to be able to get in a longer workout! The lab was a series of rotations focused on identifying the different nerves and blood vessels of the thoracic limb. There were roughly 6 stations and we had 7 minutes at each station. This was a great way to bring the lecture material from the previous day to life and help solidify those concepts! The rest of the day was blocked off for exam preparation. Churro also got to enjoy some nice gifts sent from his second set of parents back home ;)
That evening I attended a webinar focused on “Living with Cats with Claws” by Dr. Saffire, who is a veterinarian that took her interest in felines to the next level and is now a boarded feline practitioner. She focused on addressing the behavioral issues that many pet owners face regarding their cats and the little daggers that reside at the ends of their toes. Contrary to popular belief, cats are not inherently evil little creatures that are constantly plotting ways to destroy thing that their owners love. They are in fact just looking for ways to add a little excitement into their lives and the evil behavior is typically tied to a lack of enrichment, environmental stress, or physical discomfort.
During Dr. Saffire’s talk she educated us all on the “5 Pillars of Environmental Enrichment".
Here is a quick overview:
Pillar 1: Provide a safe place.
This place should be private and secure and may be an elevated location. It should allow cats to retreat and feel protected. If there are multiple cats in the home, there should be multiple “safe places” with multiple entries so that access cannot be blocked.
Pillar 2: Provide multiple, separate key resources.
Key resources include things like food, water, toileting space, resting/sleeping areas, and scratching areas. These resources should be strategically placed separately and in multiple locations. This placement is key because it allows cats to have free access to these resources without being challenged or bothered by people or other pets in the home. It is also important to note that the rule of thumb for litter boxes is +1 litter box per cat in the household. For example, if you have three cats, you should have four litter boxes in the house.
Pillar 3: Provide opportunities for play and predatory behavior.
A cat has a natural need to hunt and as their owner it is up to you to help fulfill this need. This can be done by using interactive toys, food puzzles (yep, they work for cats too), or scheduled play sessions. During scheduled play sessions it is important to not use hands, feet, or clothing because this trains the cat that it is ok to “attack” these things and can lead to unwanted behavior when it is not a scheduled play session.
Pillar 4: Provide positive, consistent, and predictable human-cat interactions.
I’m sure all of you cat owners know that every cat has individual preferences on human interactions and that must be respected. Know what your cat likes and let them initiate the type of human contact they want. Don’t try to force it and when the cat ends the interaction by moving away, do not try to force further contact. It is hard for humans to leave cute fluffy things alone but trust me, this will save you unnecessary bloodshed.
Pillar 5: Provide an environment that respects the importance of the cat’s sense of smell.
Sense of smell is used by the cat to evaluate their surroundings. They often mark their scent by rubbing their faces and bodies onto objects in the home. Synthetic pheromones can be used to help provide a calming effect in stressful or unfamiliar situations and reduce anxiety.
Source: Dr. Saffire, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Feline Practice)
Thursday was a day full of studying for the upcoming exams. That afternoon there was an anatomy study session and then Morgan, Haley, Lindsey, and I filmed a short little intro for the 2025 SAVMA Symposium video! The rest of the afternoon was spent walking Churro and studying.
Friday morning started off with a fun run with Churro and then the morning was spent reviewing for the practical exam. After the exam was over, I meet up with Kaitlyn, one of my best friends from high school and we were able to catch up for a while!
Saturday started off with a run with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. I brought Kaitlyn and introduced her to this wonderful activity. After that we got breakfast with my cousin and then I went home and studied for a good chunk of the afternoon. That evening we went to the Ruhstaller Farm for some kombucha then went to dinner. It was really awesome to spend some quality time with them since we are all busy people and don’t get to see each other that often!
Sunday consisted of a 10-mile run with Churro and some studying for the final exam on Tuesday!
Quote of the week: “We are going to talk about it from my perspective, which is the best…” -Dr. Vernau
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