Y3S1 Week 16: Canine Aggression, Thanksgiving, and a Christmas Tree with Character!

We are down to the final few weeks of the semester and time is flying by! This week started off with a quick 3 miler around the park with Churro followed by the GI final exam. This was a comprehensive exam covering all the material we learned surrounding the GI tract. This encompassed internal medicine aspects, surgery, anesthesia, and radiology. Like I say after every exam, it is pretty fun to see just how much we have learned and how much more our exams are testing our application of knowledge instead of just recalling facts. I then had the chance to run to the rec center and get in some interval training before heading back to campus for a lecture on anxiety in companion animals.

During lunch I took a stroll around the arboretum and the rest of the afternoon included a three-hour discussion on canine aggression. This session included some group collaboration regarding a case study followed by a class discussion and recap. It was nice to have the opportunity to apply what we had learned in lecture to clinical cases and practice formulating behavior modification plans. The rest of the afternoon included some time with Churro on the field and an interview prep session with an awesome UC Davis undergraduate.

Tuesday started off with a quick whirl around the park with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. I then spent some time packing before heading to class for some lectures on feline behavior. We covered kitten wellness/behavior, inappropriate marking, and feline aggression. These lectures were engaging and covered the majority of the issues that people ask regarding feline behavior issues. Understanding the underlying issues that can lead to these undesirable behaviors is key to stopping them early and redirecting the behavior into something more pleasant for the owner.

Lunch consisted of a nice walk around the arboretum before heading back to campus for a discussion on puppy and kitten care. We practiced walking through different cases and came up with preventative care plans based upon the needs of that specific animal and owner. This is something that we will be expected to know how to do as soon as we graduate, so this was a nice way to put some of that clinical knowledge to the test.

That afternoon I quickly finished some final packing and then Churro and I hit the road and drove straight home. A quick 8 hours later we were home and Churro was ecstatic to see my parents!

Wednesday morning started off with a quick run around the block with Churro followed by a swim session with the RAQ master’s team. I love hopping back in with the team, and it is always a blast to have some fast training partners! The rest of the morning included a few lectures, which I watched from home. I am typically someone who attends every lecture in-person, but it is nice to have the opportunity to join in on the livestream, and that flexibility allowed me to spend a little extra time at home with my family. The morning lecture series started out with a lecture on point-of-care testing for infectious diseases. This topic is super important to understand because point-of-care tests are commonly used in general practice and knowing what the test is testing for (antigen vs antibody etc.) and what the results mean is crucial for proper treatment. During that lecture we went through multiple case studies and learned about the limitations of these tests and how that can impact patient care.

The subsequent lecture was on senior health management, which is a topic that is becoming more mainstream in veterinary medicine. Our patients are living longer, thanks to the advancements in veterinary medicine, so it is important that we know how we can best support senior patients and their owners as they age. One key point in the lecture was the topic of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS). This is a disease that appears to parallel Alzheimer’s disease in humans and is starting to become recognized in our animal patients. As they age, pets may begin to become more anxious, disoriented, experience behavioral changes such as inappropriate urination, vocalization, and sleep/wake cycles. Understanding the signs along with the lifestyle changes that we can implement to support our aging pets is key to enjoying their senior years.

The last topic of the morning was on end-of-life issues. While this can be a challenging topic to discuss, it is important to understand how to assess a patient’s quality of life and discuss these topics with owners.  Veterinarians are trusted to help owners understand when their pet may be suffering and act as a resource during this challenging period. Euthanasia at its core means “good death” which may elicit a new perspective. Oftentimes our patients are in pain near their final days and having the opportunity to give them peace at the end is a gift. It also allows for their passing to be planned in a way that helps the owner and family have closure. After those morning lectures, we were officially on Thanksgiving break. I had the chance to work on scholarship applications and then spent some time with my family.

Thanksgiving morning started off with an 11-miler with my dad. Every year we do a long, hilly trail run called Raptor Ridge, and it is always my favorite way to get the day started. The rest of the morning consisted of some downtime watching a sermon on gratitude by Megan Fate Marshman. This  message was a wonderful reminder of how much we truly have to be grateful for regardless of our current circumstances. Looking at life with the perspective that everything we have is a gift, not something we are entitled to, leads to a heart of gratitude. If you are interested in listening to that message, you can click here.

Raptor Ridge Run!

That afternoon, we headed to a family Thanksgiving celebration where we had the chance to reconnect with multiple extended family members. It was wonderful spending time with family I don’t get to see as often as I would like. As everyone gets older, the ability for all of us to be in the same place at the same time gets increasingly limited, so I cherish events like this.

Family ♡

Last week I stumbled upon a gratitude list I made during my first year of vet school and had some fun reflecting on where I was during that season of life. I am someone who considers themselves an optimist and think living a life of gratitude makes a lot of things better. I firmly believe that being here is a gift and there is a purpose behind it all. Of course, things are not always smooth sailing, and we were never promised that life would be easy, but at the end of the day what a privilege it is to be here and have the opportunity to follow my dreams! This year I have specifically had the opportunity to get to know many people on a deeper level and watch the grace of God work through them in incredible ways. It is a pretty fun little life we all get to live and approaching things with gratitude instead of an attitude of just getting through the day makes things a whole lot better! Moving your body also helps and is something that I have personally seen make a huge difference.

Friday began with a nice swim with the RAQ master’s team followed by a quick visit to my hometown clinic. Churro had gotten some lab work done over the summer and I wanted to do some follow-up testing which gave me an excuse to see my favorite work family. It was great to spend a few hours at the clinic with the team while also getting Churro’s labs done. Every time I go back I feel as though my knowledge base has grown and I am able to dive into cases at a deeper level.

Our "Special" Tree

The rest of the afternoon included a trip to the Christmas Tree farm with the family. Every year we go to the same tree farm and get to cut down a tree. It is a tradition that everyone enjoys, and it always creates a memorable experience. After scanning the lot for the perfect tree, we settled on one with a little character. After putting it up in the house and decorating it, we agreed that this tree is one to remember and even though our angel looks like it has vertigo, it is a beautiful tree. The rest of the evening involved some quality time relaxing with the family.

Saturday began with a nice 7-mile trail run with Churro followed by a 22-mile bike ride with my family. One of my favorite things about being home is the ability to run beautiful trails with hills as well as join in on the weekly family bike ride. I am so blessed to have parents who also prioritize being active, and I cherish the time I get to spend working out with them. The rest of the morning involved a family breakfast followed by some decorating. Once the house was decorated for Christmas, my sister headed back up to UCSB and I did a little packing.

Family Bike Ride!

Sunday started off with a fun 5-mile loop around the neighborhood with my dad and Churro. Running with my dad is something I have done since I was in elementary school, so it is always a blast to be able to get in a few runs together while I’m home. After the run I threw a few final things in the car and hit the road. After a quick 9 hours and a pup-cup stop, I was back in Davis.

The afternoon consisted of some unpacking, grocery shopping, meal prepping, and an interview prep session for Cal Poly student. This was a fun session since I had formally worked with this student during my time at Cal Poly and I am excited to see them crush their interview! The rest of the evening consisted of some relaxing with Churro and an early bedtime.

Quote of the week: “It’s like a party, but people should be sane” -Dr. Sina Marsilio on the diversity of the gut microbiome