Y3S1 Week 5: First Junior Surgery, CVF and Turning 25!
- Izzy Pulido
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
Week 5 in the books and some major milestones were reached!
Monday morning started off bright and early with a quick run with Churro followed by our first junior surgery pre-surgical exam. During this session we got to meet our patient and make sure that he was fit for surgery. Ari, Gaby, and I lucked out with the absolute sweetest little hound shepherd mix named Asher. After our initial pre-surgical exam, we headed to class and dove into ophthalmology. This is a quick two-week sub-block jammed packed with everything you could ever want to know about the eyeballs. After a few lectures on eye anatomy and some common diseases of the eye, we transitioned into our comparative species course where we also discussed eye diseases. This was a nice way to build off the prior lecture material and develop some knowledge of other species.
We then had a quick lunch break where we discussed lab work abnormalities with an internal medicine specialist. We also had the opportunity to discuss any pertinent findings from our earlier physical exams before heading into surgical prep. Once everything was ready for surgery, Gaby and I got ready to scrub in while Ari kept our patient anesthetized. Performing the neuter was such a great experience and I couldn’t have asked for a more supportive team by my side.
Although we had practiced on models and cadavers, nothing truly compares to the real thing and doing it “by yourself”. I am inherently a perfectionist but tried my best to approach this procedure with the realization that this is my first time doing the whole surgery alone and it is ok if it doesn’t look perfect. As long as the patient stays safe and things get done properly, that is all that matters! Smooth technique, speed, and beautiful closures come with time and practice. After the castration was completed, we recovered our patient and made sure that he was comfortable for the rest of the afternoon.
We then had a brief break to head home and finish the surgery record. I also spent some quality time with Churro on the field before heading back to campus for the evening check. The main goal of this check was to make sure that little Asher was recovering well from surgery and to feed him dinner. All went well while we were there so after a quick physical exam and potty break, we put him back in his kennel for the night.
Tuesday morning started off with a quick 3 miler with Churro followed by the morning surgery check. Little Asher was doing well, and his incision was still clean and dry! After completing his physical exam and getting everything verified by the faculty, he was cleared for discharge meaning that he would be heading back to the shelter and put up for adoption! We then had an hour break before our morning lecture sessions, so I went for a quick swim. It was fun to stretch out and the sun had just started to shine by the time I had hopped in which made for a beautiful swim.
The rest of the morning included three ophthalmology lectures, two on the lacrimal system and one on the cornea. After those sessions we had an introductory lunch talk for CVF which is the Christian club on campus. We had a PACKED room full of students which was super encouraging to see, and I am excited to see what God has instore for us this year! The rest of the afternoon included some lecture review and a nice walk with Churro. That evening the CVF officers and I met with Curtiss, our region rep for CVF, and discussed our plans for the upcoming year. It was so nice to be able to meet as a group and brainstorm ideas and hopes for the future of the club.
Wednesday morning started off with a quick run with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. We then had another lecture on the cornea followed by a discussion on how to approach ophthalmic disease which helped us put the past few lectures into practice. I then attended one of our school’s town hall meetings to hear the new updates and see what the upcoming plans include. The rest of the afternoon included some quality time with Churro on the field followed by some studying. That evening, I had the opportunity to have dinner with Dr. Pawlowski and Abi to discuss ways to increase student involvement/educational experiences within his local hospital.
Thursday morning started off with a nice 5 miler with Churro followed by our last lecture on the cornea. We then had two lectures on the anterior uvea followed by a quick break before our ophthalmology surgery lab. During lunch I had the chance to hear about a new diet from Purina that is focused on helping dogs with food allergies. We reviewed the three most common causes of allergic dermatitis in dogs and the clinical signs we should have on our radar. These causes include flea allergy dermatitis, atopy (environmental), and food allergies. While flea allergy dermatitis and atopy can be linked to flea infestation or a certain season, food allergies typically have clinical signs year-round. It is important to note that these allergies can develop at any age, may occur in conjunction with atopic dermatitis, and the clinical signs may be dermatologic and/or gastrointestinal. The body is experiencing an immune-mediated adverse food reaction and interestingly, it was noted that otitis externa or an ear infection, may be present in 56-80% of food allergy cases.
Elimination diets are usually needed to identify the allergen and help improve the animal’s quality of life. These trials are lengthy (up to 16 weeks) and involve intensive owner cooperation. Purina’s approach to this issue was an amino acid diet with amino acids that are <200 Dalton’s meaning that they are so tiny, they don’t need to be digested in the gut. The diet is also non-antigenic, and the amino acids are made in a lab so there is no risk of cross-contamination. I think that this is an interesting concept that may be able to work for some owners. It is also important to note that another “gold-standard” way to do an elimination diet is to home cook your pet’s meal. While this is a fantastic option and is often much healthier than processed kibbles, it is crucial to make sure that these diets are properly balanced so that your pet does not develop any nutritional deficiencies over the course of these trials. Many of you know I have a strong interest in animal nutrition and while I am not always a huge fan of processed diets, I think that there is a time and place for everything and if this is something that helps owners and pets, then that is great.
That afternoon we had our eye surgery lab where we had the opportunity to perform five surgical procedures on a cadaver head. We did a temporary tarsorrhaphy, Holtz-Celsus procedure, wedge resection, grid keratotomy, and a lateral enucleation.
Here is a brief overview of what each procedure is used for:
Temporary Tarsorrhaphy: a surgical procedure that temporarily shuts the eyelids together to protect the eye from irritation/further injury
Holtz-Celsus: A surgical procedure to correct entropion (where the eyelid rolls inward)
Wedge Resection: This involves cutting a piece of the eyelid with the intent of removing a mass
Grid Keratotomy: Surgical procedure to treat non-healing corneal ulcers (indolent ulcers). It involves removing the loose epithelium from the surface of the eye then scratching the cornea in a grid-like fashion to break up scar tissue and stimulate the growth of new epithelium that will be able to adhere to the stroma.
Lateral Enucleation: The process of removing an eye
This was a fun way to get some hands-on experience with these procedures and understand the eye anatomy on a deeper level. The rest of the afternoon included some time on the field with Churro followed by a quick swim and some evening studying.
Friday morning started off with a quick run around the block with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. We then had a two-hour discussion on corneal ulcers followed by our comparative species course. The topic this week was also focused on the eye so we learned about how systemic diseases can manifest as ocular disease. During lunch I had the opportunity to run to the gym and do some strength training before the afternoon law session. This session covered the legal aspects of the Veterinarian Client Patient Relationship (VCPR), medical records, and drug counseling. I know I am starting to sound like a broken record but this class proving to be extremely helpful. There are so many things that have been explained in a way that I never understood before and being in this course will prevent unintentional incompetency regarding the legal aspect of veterinary medicine.
The rest of the afternoon included a meeting followed by some playtime with Churro on the field. We also had some special visitors (my parents) come into town for the weekend, so we went out to dinner and spent some quality time together.
Saturday morning began with a nice 6.4 mile run with my dad followed by a hot yoga session with both of my parents. We then made our way to the Farmer’s Market and grabbed breakfast downtown. It was a beautiful morning, and it was super fun showing my parents my weekend routine while exploring Davis. The rest of the day was spent doing a little shopping in Roseville and the afternoon ended with some playtime with Churro, a grocery store run, and dinner downtown.
Sunday kicked off with a fun 8.3 mile run with my dad and Churro followed by church with my parents. We then had a nice breakfast before heading back to the house to spend some time together before their afternoon flight. It was so nice to be able to spend my birthday with them and I am so incredibly blessed to have them in my life. Every year they have made it a priority to spend my birthday with me, and I truly cherish the time we have together. Schedules are busy and coordinating times when we can all get together is hard so when we do have that special time together, I focus on being 100% present and soaking it all in! In the daily rhythm of life, it is always nice to take a step back and focus on the things that truly matter and spending time with my family is at the top of that list. I also had the opportunity to briefly catch up with my sister who is currently in Iceland!
The rest of the day included some meal prepping and getting a few things done around the house to prepare for the upcoming week. I also was able to get in some studying and some extra time on the field with Churro.
That evening, I had some time to reflect on life and how fortunate I am to have such wonderful people in my corner. It has also been so encouraging to see how God has continuously been at work in my life, and I am excited to see how He leads me in this next chapter. I think that birthdays can serve as a nice reminder to take a moment and appreciate the people around you and the role that they have played in your journey. I have been blessed with an incredible support system, and I can say, without a doubt, that I would not be where I am today without them. If you are reading this, you have played a role in that process, so thank you.
As a side note, tomorrow is the VMCAS deadline. For all of you applying this cycle, congratulations! Simply submitting the application takes a huge amount of courage, commitment and grit. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to work with some of you on your application and I am excited to see what the future has in store. Regardless of what the next few months hold, know that you are enough and your worth is never dictated by an admissions decision (or anything else for that matter). I am proud of all of you and believe that things will work out how they are supposed to and regardless of the path you take, if you truly want to become a veterinarian, you will find a way ♡
Quote of the week: “Back in my day… well, it’s not your day anymore” -Dr. Grant Miller