Y3S2 Week 4: Critical Incident Debrief, USDA Presentations and Cardio Final!

We officially put a bow on the cardio block and are headed into endocrinology, renal, and reproduction block on Monday!

This week started off with a quick run with Churro around the park followed by a treadmill interval session and swim to stretch things out. The first lecture of the day was on endocarditis, which is fairly uncommon in companion animals but if it does occur, it is important to address it quickly! We then had a two-hour session on papilloma across a variety of species including humans. We had briefly learned about papilloma viruses in earlier parts of our curriculum, so this was a nice way to review and connect the concepts across different species.

Morning Swim!

That afternoon I attended a critical incident debrief workshop put on by Dr. Olstad and Dr. VanHoy. They walked through the importance of debriefing after difficult situations and gave us an outline for this process. We then had a period where we could practice this process within a small group and run through the steps. I think that this session was beneficial, and I am grateful that it was offered as a supplemental session for students, faculty, and staff. The rest of the afternoon included a chiropractor appointment, some time with Churro on the field, and a little studying.

Tuesday morning began with a quick whirl around the park with Churro followed by a hot yoga session. We then had a lecture on acute and chronic nasal disease followed by a two-hour case-based discussion on how to work-up these cases. This was a great way to immediately apply the concepts that we had learned and help flush out any areas of misunderstanding.

During lunch we had a wonderful CVF meeting on chapter 7 of Relaxed. This chapter focuses on trials and what it means to "find joy" in trying times. Megan dissects the commonly quoted verse from James 1:2-4, which states, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Off the bat, this verse can be hard to grapple with. It seems a little wacky to be told to be joyful in the midst of suffering, but if you dive a little deeper, things start to make more sense. It says whenever you face trials, not if ever, and it's what we do with these trials that matter. In this life, suffering is unavoidable. It is, unfortunately, a part of the human experience and a reminder that this world is not as it should be. Trials provide us with an opportunity to rely on God and produce a perseverance that can only be brought about after the illusion of self-sufficiency has been wiped away. Megan followed this up by mentioning that "perseverance is not something we do, it's something we need to let God do to us as we give up trying to figure it all out on our own." We do not need to walk through these trials alone; we have a God who desperately wants to walk with us through life, and all we need to do is let go of the need to do it all on our own. 

There were a lot of great points brought up during the discussion, and it is always a privilege to spend time with all the awesome members!

The rest of the afternoon included two lectures on heartworm disease, which is extremely preventable with monthly oral medication. When this disease goes unchecked, it can wreak havoc on the pulmonary arteries and ultimately cause a lot of issues for the animal. Heartworm disease can be treated, but it is a lengthy process that requires a lot of effort from the owner and can also be quite painful for the animal. The simplest way to avoid unnecessary stress on either side is to use heartworm preventative as well as perform yearly testing so that any infection can be caught in the early stages!

The rest of the afternoon included a nice walk with Churro followed by some studying.

Wednesday morning began with a nice 5.5 miler with Churro followed by two two-hour case-based discussions. The first one involved some canine cardiorespiratory cases, and the second one mimicked the same format but had feline-based cases. Both sessions were great ways to pull together material from the past four weeks and demonstrate cumulative knowledge of a variety of different cardiorespiratory diseases. That afternoon Churro and I went on a nice walk before I met with a student for an interview practice session. This was a referral from one of my previous professors at Cal Poly, and it is always a privilege to work with pre-vet students. These sessions also seem to happen at just the right moments when I need a reminder of what a gift it is to be exactly where I am right now and that a few short years ago, I was in their shoes interviewing and wondering what the future would look like. Staying present instead of always looking at the next steps in my career path is something I am trying to work on, and these sessions help facilitate a mindset of gratitude and presence.

Thursday morning began with a whirl around the park with Churro followed by a hot yoga session and swim at the rec. We had the day blocked off to prepare for the upcoming exam so most of the day was reviewing. In between studying, Churro and I played on the field and enjoyed the sunny weather.

Friday morning began with a quick 3 miler with Churro followed by a little review before the final exam. This exam covered the past four weeks of the semester and consisted of 92 questions spanning all the cardiorespiratory material. It was a fair assessment of our knowledge, and it was fun to see how much my cardiology knowledge has grown over the past month! I then had the chance to run to the rec center and get in fun a 45-minute spin session before heading home to prepare for our USDA presentations. The rest of the afternoon consisted of our USDA presentations on animal transport. As a group were all assigned, an international and interstate scenario that walked through the process of certifying the animal for transport. This assignment demonstrated the numerous steps involved in animal transport and the multitude of ways things can get messed up and prohibit the animal from traveling with the owner. Over the course of our careers, we will be asked to fill out these forms and help advise owners on the animal transport process, so this was a nice way to practice. The rest of the afternoon included some time with Churro on the field and an early bedtime.

Saturday started with a nice 7 miler with Churro followed by a hot yoga session and a trip to the farmer’s market. The rest of the morning involved some reading and catching up on a few things from the past week. Churro and I went for a nice walk around the arboretum, and I did some grocery shopping before taking him to Pet Food Express for a bath. This was not his favorite part of the day, but it was necessary, and despite what he may say, I think he feels better because of it.

Sunrise Run!

Sunday started with a quick whirl around the park with Churro followed by a hot Pilates session. I then went to church and hit Costco on the way home. The afternoon consisted of a 43-mile bike ride followed by some time on the field with Churro and an early dinner.

Bike Views

Quote of the week: “Naked is when you don’t have any clothes on, necked is when you’re doing something nasty” – Dr. Woolard

*The Notes page has been updated with all the notes up through the cardioresp block!