Y3S1 Week 17: PetVet365 Events, Evermore Lunch Talk, and ASCI 101 Presentations!

We are down to the final two weeks of the semester, and things seem to be going at a million miles a minute. Monday began bright and early with a quick 3 miler with Churro. I then headed to campus to meet my surgery team and start prepping for the afternoon procedure. My role for this surgery was anesthetist, and so the morning prep session involved drawing blood and running some preliminary lab work to make sure that our patient was healthy for surgery. We then transitioned into two lectures on canine and feline vaccines, along with vaccine adverse events.

These lectures were nice reminders of the appropriate vaccination schedule for animals depending on their lifestyle. It was also important to discuss adverse reactions since this is something that owners commonly ask about. The rest of the morning included a comparative species section focused on welfare and environmental optimization. We were given a case regarding dairy cattle and worked as a team to brainstorm how we could improve the environment for this animal, and then we discussed how we could relate this to companion animals such as dogs and cats.

We then transitioned into our pre-surgical rounds discussion, where we evaluated our patient’s lab work and made sure that they were a good surgical candidate. Once we finished discussing our patient, we were ready to start prepping her for surgery. Gaby nailed the surgery, and our patient handled the anesthesia fairly well. She was holding her breath for a decent portion of the procedure, but with the help of the anesthesiologists and through some careful monitoring, we were able to get her to breathe more consistently on her own. At the end of the procedure, she recovered well and woke up smoothly. The rest of the afternoon included a little playtime on the field with Churro followed by a tutoring session for a Cal Poly student. Gaby and I returned to campus that evening for the 9pm check, and our patient was still doing well and did not seem to be in any discomfort.

Tuesday morning started with a quick run around the block with Churro, followed by a nice hot yoga session. The morning lectures consisted of some parasitology review and practice cases. We then had a lecture on pyoderma, demodex, and other skin mites. During lunch I had the opportunity to learn from Dr. Donna Raditic and Dr. Joseph Bartges about the impact of ultra-processed pet foods on companion animal health. The talk started by discussing the detrimental impact that ultra-processed foods have on human health and then translated that to what we commonly see in our veterinary species. The high levels of processing associated with certain pet foods can lead to an increase in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which, over time, can wreak havoc on the body. This lunch talk was sponsored by Evermore Pet Food, which does a wonderful job of gently cooking their food and delivering high-quality nutrition to companion animals. If you would like to learn more about Evermore and the impact that they are making in animal nutrition, you can click here.

The rest of Tuesday included a lecture on chronic pain management followed by two lectures on anal sacs, cat bite abscesses, and foxtails. These are all super common problems seen in general practice, so understanding how to address and treat them is crucial. The evening consisted of some quality time with Churro on the field followed by a final study session for the Cal Poly ASCI 438 course. This session covered renal physiology and endocrinology, and the students came with great attitudes, and I have no doubt that they will nail their upcoming final exam!

Wednesday morning was kicked off with a nice 2 miler with Churro, followed by some interval training at the rec center. This session felt harder than usual, but it was still nice to get in some solid speed work. Once I got back home, I took Churro for some extra playtime on the field, and when I looked down at my feet, I realized I had two different shoes on. I have no idea how I missed that, but I guess when I put them on early in the morning, I wasn’t paying close enough attention. That could have been a reason that the interval session felt more challenging, and it also gave me a good laugh. The moral of the story is to not take yourself too seriously and to always make sure your shoes match.

Shoe mismatch

The morning lectures included two lectures on atopic dermatitis, followed by one on cutaneous adverse food reactions. This lecture was super interesting and was co-taught by our nutritionist, Dr. Larsen, and our dermatologist, Dr. Outerbridge. Having this topic discussed from two different perspectives helped clarify the condition and allowed us to understand how to properly identify food allergies in our patients. One of the key takeaways is the need for proper communication with the clients. During diet trials, everyone has to be on board, and the animal is not allowed to eat anything besides their approved diet. This includes treats, flea/tick preventatives, and flavored medications and typically lasts a handful of weeks. Without proper communication, and working with the owner to manage expectations, this can be a tricky path to go down.

During lunch I went for a walk at the arboretum and ran into Morgan. We finished our walk together and got to catch up, which was nice since we are no longer in the same classes. That afternoon we had a behavior lab where we had the chance to work with a few different dogs and teach them how to pay attention to the handler while other dogs were around them. We also worked on teaching a dog how to lay his chin on a fleece, which can be beneficial in a veterinary setting and facilitate low-stress handling.That afternoon, Churro and I spent some nice time on the field and did some studying.

Thursday morning started off bright and early with a quick run around the park with Churro, followed by a hot yoga session. This hot yoga session was a little extra special because I was joined by Dr. Sarah Hilliard, an amazing PetVet365 owner in Colorado. I had the privilege of meeting Sarah during the summer of my first year of vet school and visiting three PetVet365 locations. If you have been following my blog since the beginning, you have heard about PetVet365 and the positive changes they are making within the veterinary world. They are the only completely Fear Free Certified hospital network and pride themselves on developing a healthy workplace culture. A full overview of my hospital visits can be found here.

Hot yoga!

Our morning lectures were centered around dermatology, and then at lunch, Sarah gave a wonderful presentation. She discussed her path through vet school, internship, and residency experience. She vulnerably shared all aspects of her story, from the highs to the lowest of lows and what ultimately led her to where she is today. Her talk dove into the struggles she faced and how her past has fueled her purpose. She went through different aspects of creating a culture of wellbeing and the impact that it can have on the veterinary profession as a whole. While intentionally creating this culture can be a lot of work, the benefits outweigh the costs of toxicity in the workplace. Sarah has a way of making people feel heard and valued, which is not always the easiest thing to do in a room packed with vet students, and it was a gift to have her present.

The rest of the afternoon included a lecture on canine genetics followed by a two-hour dermatology case discussion session. This was a great way to tie in previous lecture concepts and review material that we had learned earlier this week.

That evening, I spent a little time on the field with Churro before heading over to Ruhstaller’s for Sarah’s dinner event. This was a casual discussion with an outline of “what I wish I would have known in vet school”. Sarah shared more of her story along with some of the main things that she wished someone had told her before diving into the “real world”. This event was a wonderful way to connect with people on a deeper level and discuss some of the more challenging topics people don’t typically talk about in vet school.

PetVet365 Dinner Event with Sarah!

Friday morning began with a quick run about the block with Churro, followed by some strength training at the rec center. I then had a lecture on small mammal dermatology, followed by a two-hour comparative species discussion on dermatophytosis. We worked through some cases as a group and will have the chance to revisit these topics on Monday during our follow-up session.

That afternoon I got in a quick chiropractor appointment followed by lecture on client communication. I then had the chance to present to another Cal Poly ASCI 101 class and talk to the first-year students. 111 students joined the Zoom and the had a lot of wonderful questions at the end of the presentation. This is always one of my favorite presentations, and I love seeing all of their bright and excited faces. I remember being in their seats 7 years ago and it is crazy to reflect on how fast the time has flown! The rest of the evening included a study session with a Cal Poly student followed by some dermatology studying and an early bedtime.

Cal Poly ASCI 101 Zoom!

Saturday started off with a nice 7 miler with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. I then stopped by the farmer’s market before heading home. The majority of the day was spent studying for the upcoming dermatology exam. The last week of the semester is a little packed so getting a solid grasp of the material over the weekend will help make the week a little smoother. Churro and I spent some time playing on the field in the afternoon and then busted out some additional studying before calling it a night.

Sunday started off with a nice 3 miler with Churro followed by a hot pilates class with Raymond. It is always nice to get in a good sweat to start the day and pilates is also a great way to cross-train for other activities! I then went to church followed by some grocery shopping. The afternoon consisted of some studying and a trip to the Davis craft fair. It was fun to look around and look for some Christmas gifts. The rest of the evening included some meal prepping and some quality time with Churro.

Quote of the week: "I trust everyone I just don’t always believe what they are saying." - Dr. Outerbridge