Spay-and-neuter operations are one of the most common procedures performed at the Kabul University Veterinary Faculty Animal Health Clinic in Kabul, Afghanistan. Below, an assistant at the clinic holds a stray kitten, which was captured for the operation. With the recent help of U.S. veterinarians, the clinic has provided hands-on training opportunities for the nearby Kabul University veterinary students.
U.S. veterinarians help jump-start Afghan animal health clinic
Clinic provides hands-on training opportunities for Kabul University veterinary students
Armed with a desire to help rebuild the veterinary infrastructure in Afghanistan, Dr. Susan B. Chadima recently volunteered her veterinary expertise at the Kabul University Veterinary Faculty Animal Health Clinic in Kabul. The clinic reopened in January 2005 after it was destroyed in 1992, reportedly by fighting between Mujahadeen factions.
As a small animal practitioner, Dr. Chadima primarily trained the university's faculty and fourth- and fifth-year veterinary students in small animal procedures during her six-week trip, ending in December 2005. In Afghanistan, students start the veterinary curriculum directly after high school, or after passing an entrance exam, and then complete five years of studies.
Having arrived at the end of the academic year, Dr. Chadima provided mostly hands-on clinical training, such as physical examinations, sterile procedures for surgery, and basic anesthetic protocols. “Small animal services, as we know them, are essentially nonexistent in Afghanistan,” she said.
Dr. Chadima founded the Androscoggin Animal Hospital in Topsham, Maine, in 1985. She serves as the AVMA House of Delegates alternate delegate from Maine.
In Afghanistan, Dr. Chadima worked with the Kabul clinic's staff to offer basic small animal health services for a fee to the public. “Historically (in Afghanistan) veterinary services … were provided by the government,” she said. “One of the goals (of the clinic) is to introduce the whole concept of fee-for-service, both for large and small animal services.”
Dr. Susan Chadima stands with a cow that was brought to the Kabul University animal health clinic for a pregnancy examination.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Located less than two miles from Kabul University's main campus, the clinic is staffed by three of the university's veterinarians, a veterinary assistant, and a paraveterinarian. It is open six days a week. The clinic provides small animal services, including rabies and distemper vaccinations, spay-and-neuter operations, deworming, and microchips for animal identification.
For farm animals, the clinic offers vaccinations, parasite control, pregnancy diagnosis, simple surgery, and more. The clinic features seven rooms, including a large-animal examination room, small-animal examination room, small-animal surgery room, classroom, and storage room. All animals are outpatients because the clinic doesn't have boarding facilities.
Developing the clinic
Dr. Chadima became interested in volunteering in Afghanistan after attending an Iraq and Afghanistan strategic working group session at the AVMA Annual Convention/28th World Veterinary Congress in July 2005. At the meeting, she met with William Bell, Maine VMA executive director, who had recently spent time working with the Afghan Veterinary Association.
Bell introduced Dr. Chadima to Dr. David M. Sherman, country program director for the Dutch Committee for Afghanistan. It was Dr. Sherman who presented Dr. Chadima with the opportunity to work at the Kabul clinic.
Dr. Sherman was the state veterinarian in Massachusetts. After taking a one-year leave of absence to work in Kabul, he resigned from his post in 2005 to stay in Afghanistan and continue to build a national network of veterinary field units to serve the needs of livestock owners. The DCA has offered aid and assistance to the population of Afghanistan by improving the health and productive output of the local livestock for more than 16 years.
In January 2005, the DCA closed a nearby clinic that it had operated to train paraveterinarians and shifted the staff, equipment, and clientele to the Kabul clinic. The DCA wanted to help reestablish practical, clinical training for the veterinary students. In addition, Dr. Sherman said, the DCA gives modest supplemental salary support to the clinic staff members, and a vehicle and driver to bring faculty and students from the main campus to the clinic.
“DCA is the main actor in setting up private veterinary clinics in Afghanistan,” Dr. Sherman said. “We wanted the (Kabul clinic) to be managed as a self-supporting, fee-for-service enterprise so that the veterinary students would not only learn clinical medicine, but would be exposed to the principles of practice management … to better prepare them to enter the private sector after graduation.”
The DCA's activities at the clinic represent less than 1 percent of its efforts in Afghanistan, as measured in budgetary allocation, Dr. Sherman said. The primary focus of the DCA is to work with several other organizations on implementing the $11.9 million United States Agency for International Development's Rebuilding Afghanistan's Agricultural Markets Program project on veterinary privatization.
Prior to the DCA's involvement, the Ministry of Higher Education, Kabul University, and the Mayhew Animal Home in the United Kingdom funded the clinic's reconstruction, which was completed in 2004. Since that time, Dr. Sherman said, the Mayhew Animal Home has renewed its support for the clinic by providing some equipment.
The U.S. Army also provided supplies. Drs. Michael Lennon and Mark Martinez—both lieutenant colonels for the U.S. Army—helped organize the efforts.
“Task Force Victory facilitated the delivery of a large amount of donated medical material from both the University of Oklahoma veterinary school and the (Massachusetts VMA) to the veterinary school in Kabul,” Dr. Lennon said. “We also supplied a lot of excess Army medical equipment—for example, surgery tables, surgery sets—and the vaccines, and medications to get the clinic up and going.”
Unlike a U.S. clinic
Along with overseeing Dr. Chadima's trip, Dr. Sherman organized a nine-week volunteer stint for Dr. James Q. Knight, director of animal sciences at Becker College. He arrived at the clinic in May 2005.
During his visit, Dr. Knight demonstrated surgery and sterile techniques to groups of about 40 fourth- or fifth-year veterinary students from the university. He performed hernia repair surgery on a calf, which was done in the large-animal room. He operated on several chickens, spayed and neutered some animals, and put a cast on a puppy's fractured limb.
Dr. Knight's array of patients represents the two types of clients the clinic supports: area villagers with livestock and foreigners with companion animals.
Along with tending to the animals, Dr. Knight worked with the staff to set a fee schedule for all clients. The fee schedule approximated roughly half of what practitioners would charge in the United States, but nearly 10 times what Afghans would typically be charged. The foreigners were willing to pay the costs, Dr. Knight said, and so the clinic started generating approximately $100 (U.S.) a day.
Dr. Knight also treated several animals at the Kabul Zoo and began weekly rounds for the veterinary students there in conjunction with the zoo director and veterinarian.
One of Dr. Knight's main challenges at the clinic was getting veterinary supplies. Before he left for Afghanistan, he worked on sending an anesthetic machine to the clinic, only to find that the machine could not be shipped from the United States because of U.S. regulations. He finally obtained a machine for 10 days from a nearby human hospital in Kabul.
Dr. Chadima also ran into problems. “Electricity is by generator only so, it's seldom turned on,” she said. “It was a 15-minute procedure just to turn on a microscope.” Heat was also a concern, considering it was winter.
Despite the challenges, Drs. Chadima and Knight agreed they benefited as veterinarians from the experience.
Dr. Chadima said, “It really reemphasized the important role that veterinary medicine plays in both human health and animal health, and how critical it is to the economic survival of so many people in the world in a way that we're not used to thinking about in the United States.”
“It was a refreshing change for me,” Dr. Knight added. “You start out working in the field—performing surgery out in a pasture or desert—so you get used to dealing with what you have. This was sort of like stepping back 30 years.”
Though the efforts of Drs. Chadima and Knight are appreciated, Dr. Sherman said, the DCA is not sure they will continue to use volunteers. The DCA anticipates funding from other agencies will soon become available to support the recruitment of paid teaching clinicians and other academic advisers for the veterinary faculty.
—ALLISON REZENDES
FDA report shows how company missed toxin that killed dogs
The Food and Drug Administration has found that Diamond Pet Foods failed to follow company guidelines for aflatoxin testing prior to shipping contaminated products that apparently killed dozens of dogs.
Diamond voluntarily recalled the products on Dec. 21. According to statements from the company, Diamond cooperated fully with the FDA and supports the findings of the investigation.
“The company has taken the necessary actions to prevent these oversights from happening in the future,” according to the company.
The FDA inspection showed that 16 batches of Diamond pet food manufactured between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, 2005, at a plant in Gaston, S.C., contained aflatoxin in amounts meeting or exceeding the action level of 20 ppb—with one sample reaching 376 ppb.
Aflatoxin, which can cause severe liver damage, is a byproduct of the growth of certain fungi on corn and other crops. Corn is an ingredient in many Diamond pet foods, and the company tests incoming shipments for aflatoxin. However, the FDA found that four shipments of whole corn between Sept. 16 and Nov. 21 at the Gaston plant showed high aflatoxin concentrations— ranging from 90 ppb to 1,851 ppb.
The FDA also found the following:
• Records for incoming shipments didn't always document whether anyone conducted aflatoxin testing or whether the test was performing properly.
• Confirmatory testing of corn samples for aflatoxin showed four false-negative tests and two false-positive tests.
• More than half the retention samples were missing for corn shipments between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30.
In response to the situation, according to the company, “Diamond has strengthened its testing procedures on incoming shipments of corn and initiated final product testing as an additive step to its procedures. This additional step will provide an extra layer of protection prior to the bagging and shipping of products.”
Details about the recall are available from Diamond at www.diamondpet.com. Details of the investigation are available from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine at www.fda.gov/cvm/.
The FDA regulates pet food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Other manufacturers have voluntarily recalled pet food for various reasons, such as Salmonella contamination, in the past several years. The Center for Veterinary Medicine also posts recall notices on its Web site.
One of the goals of National Pet Week is to educate the public about responsible pet ownership.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
AVMA to roll out National Pet Week campaign
In recognition of National Pet Week, the AVMA recently announced it would roll out a national campaign targeted to first-through fifth-grade students. National Pet Week takes place May 7-13, 2006.
First-through fifth-grade students will be encouraged to submit essays and drawings about their relationship with animals for a national contest that will be funneled through schools or directly to the National Pet Week Web site, www.petweek.org, said James Flanigan, director of marketing for the AVMA. National winners will be chosen and announced later in the year.
In addition, classroom activities for teachers that fulfill national standardized teaching standards in mathematics, language arts, and science will be available at no charge through the National Pet Week Web site.
The AVMA will offer veterinarians practice guides and other materials, including a sample Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, to help them build community awareness about their practices and the increasingly complex veterinary care they provide. The materials will be available in late March at the event's Web site.
Subaru of America and Novartis Animal Health's Growing Up With Pets.com have signed on as presenting sponsors of the event. Their commitment will allow the AVMA to expand its outreach in support of the event's three goals, which are to educate the public about responsible pet ownership, celebrate the human-animal bond, and promote awareness of veterinary medicine's impact on animal and human health.
The AVMA and the Auxiliary to the AVMA jointly founded National Pet Week in 1981. The Auxiliary offers its own promotional campaign for the event (see JAVMA, Jan. 1, 2006 issue, page 13).
Zoonoses resources for the companion animal practitioner
You have expressed some concern about companion animal practitioners' awareness of zoonotic diseases. Why are you concerned?
Dr. Henry E. Childers, AVMA President, responds:
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
New and emerging zoonotic diseases are increasing in prevalence. Obviously, veterinary medicine is the profession concerned with the identification and management of zoonotic diseases. We're also the profession responsible for educating the public about zoonotic pathogens.
Approximately 70 percent of our veterinarians are in companion animal practice and devote their continuing education to small animal medicine. Although veterinarians are educated to diagnose and treat conditions in all species of animals, after years of companion animal practice, many of these practitioners don't feel confident discussing some zoonotic diseases with the public. The veterinary profession is not truly aware of just how much companion animal practitioners know about these threats to human and animal health.
Additionally, many public health officials are unaware that veterinarians can and should serve as a primary resource. My concern is that there are not enough food animal and public health veterinarians to adequately update the public concerning zoonoses, and companion animal practitioners are the segment of the profession that is most likely to be in contact with the public.
Why should veterinarians stay current on the latest information on zoonoses?
We are the first line of defense. We have the responsibility of keeping the public informed concerning zoonotic diseases. Companion animal veterinarians comprise 70 percent of the veterinary workforce and are in constant contact with the public. Also, veterinarians are members of the public health community.
Veterinarians serve as the intermediate contact between clients, the public, and public health officials. Biosecurity and preparedness for zoonotic disease outbreaks, whether naturally occurring or intentional, are enhanced if veterinarians are involved in the planning processes. Veterinarians would also be credible sources to clear up misinformation on many issues concerning public health medicine, such as food safety and bioterrorism.
What resources would you recommend to AVMA members?
Journal articles and textbooks—the AVMA Council on Public Health and Regulatory Veterinary Medicine and the Journal of the AVMA have partnered for the past 20 years to publish articles about the most prevalent and relevant zoonotic diseases. To date, two monographs of the articles published in the JAVMA between 1986 and 1995 have been published all of which are posted on the AVMA's Web site at www.avma.org.
The council is again working with the JAVMA editors to publish a totally new series of articles on zoonoses that have current and potential public health concerns. To date, 18 articles have been published on a variety of topics, many of which are relevant to companion animal practice. These reports are available in the print and online versions of the JAVMA and will be complied once the full series has been published.
Other sources include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Health Organization's Zoonosis and Veterinary Public Health Web site, and textbooks, several of which have been reviewed in the JAVMA book review feature. Another resource private practitioners can take advantage of is the Agriculture Department's impending accreditation program. Veterinarians will be required to have a strong understanding of zoonotic diseases to be accredited by the USDA.
Additionally, Dr. James Roth, director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, is producing “Zoonotic Diseases Manual for Companion Animal Practitioners.” I expect this to be a valuable resource that will include diagnostic-quality, color images.
—INTERVIEW BY R. SCOTT NOLEN
AVMA preserves pieces of the Past
A gold-and-gem brooch just joined the collection
Dr. Janet Willetts received this gold, diamond, and emerald brooch depicting the old veterinary emblem as a graduation gift in 1945. Dr. Willetts' sister, Marjorie Maiden, donated the pin to the AVMA after the veterinarian died last year.
At AVMA headquarters, the halls and the walls are full of historical artifacts with stories to tell.
From conventions come pins, medallions, stuffed animals, paper hats, sepia photographs, programs, and even menus. From around the globe come statues, banners, awards, documents, a musical clock, and other gifts and greetings. From down the decades come books, journals, proceedings, directories, and a printing block for a newspaper advertisement.
“Artifacts are the tangible reminders of our reason for existing,” said Diane A. Fagen, AVMA librarian.
The House of Delegates amended the bylaws last summer so members can celebrate the 2013 sesquicentennial convention in Zone 2, home of the AVMA— reordering the regular rotation among three geographic zones. And historical artifacts will play a part in commemorating 150 years of veterinary medicine.
One veterinarian's story
Many of the AVMA artifacts bear the original emblem of the profession, including one precious piece of the past. The most recent addition to the collection is a 60-year-old brooch depicting the former emblem in gold, diamonds, and emeralds.
Like every AVMA artifact, the pin also tells another story. The brooch once belonged to Dr. Janet Willetts, who died last year at age 82 after a long career in veterinary medicine.
Dr. Willetts started down the path toward the profession as a young girl, said her sister, Marjorie Maiden. The future veterinarian walked all of the neighbors' dogs in the mountains near Montreal, and she decided to become a dog nurse. When she learned that the job just didn't exist, she decided to become a veterinarian.
Dr. Janet Willetts received this gold, diamond, and emerald brooch depicting the old veterinary emblem as a graduation gift in 1945. Dr. Willetts' sister, Marjorie Maiden, donated the pin to the AVMA after the veterinarian died last year.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Willetts attended Cornell University at first, but she and other female students felt they ran into resistance from the male students. For example, the male students who corrected the papers allegedly threw away the female students' papers. At about the same time, Maiden said, Dr. Willetts started going by “Kerry” because the name could be a man's or a woman's.
Nevertheless, Dr. Willetts chose to return to Canada. She earned her degree from Ontario Veterinary College in 1945. As a graduation gift, her parents commissioned a pin from Birks of Montreal.
The brooch soon accompanied Dr. Willetts to Los Angeles, where Maiden had built her a hospital. The sisters ran the clinic together for years. Dr. Willetts, who loved acting as well as animals, met movie stars who brought their pets to the practice.
Along the way, Dr. Willetts also befriended several veterinarians from Sweden, including Drs. Sten-Erik Olsson and Gunnela Ljunggren. She traveled to Sweden and learned to speak the language. She insisted that if her Swedish guests in California spoke to her in English, they had to buy dinner.
Dr. Willetts offered rabies clinics at night across California, too, and she was active in the Southern California VMA. Through the SCVMA, she also started going on house calls. Under pressure by developers to sell her property, she closed her practice in the early 1970s and started making house calls exclusively while Maiden went to work for the SCVMA.
Veterinary technicians Karen Johnson and Fay Nykerk worked with Dr. Willetts for decades as she crisscrossed Los Angeles on house calls.
“I grew up with her,” Johnson said. “I started with her when I was a teenager.”
Dr. Willetts saw a variety of clients and patients, including the poorest and the sickest. Johnson said the veterinarian was passionate about animals and inspired a similar passion in the technicians. And Dr. Willetts never really retired.
“I think her last call was from the hospital bed,” Maiden said.
After Dr. Willetts' death, Maiden donated the veterinarian's pin to the AVMA.
A profession's history
Fagen, the librarian, said that the AVMA is really not so far from its beginning back in 1863. Some living members are able to remember meeting veterinarians born when the AVMA was also in its infancy.
Fagen is always interested in learning about convention pins, convention collectibles, portraits of past presidents, books by past presidents, old directories, and anything bearing the original or current veterinary emblem.
The collection already contains notable artifacts, ranging from a spay/neuter postage stamp from the U.S. Postal Service to the pen with which President John F. Kennedy signed a 1963 proclamation of Veterinary Medicine Week during the AVMA centennial. Among other artifacts, Fagen is looking for items from two Chicago veterinary colleges and the Aftosa Commission.
The Chicago colleges closed in the 1920s, but Fagen believes their records still exist somewhere. Fagen also has found Chicago Tribune articles about an alumna who was one of the first female veterinarians, relating how the veterinarian held Christmas celebrations for the animals in her care and how her husband and his classmates paraded down State Street to see her after his graduation—each leading an animal.
Fagen said the Aftosa Commission existed in the late 1940s and early 1950s to eradicate an outbreak of foot- and-mouth disease in Mexico, where the disease is known as aftosa. The librarian has found books and photographs about the commission. She said ranchers attacked veterinarians for killing cattle, so the commission actually had a song composed to explain the program to the people.
Fagen added that the history of the AVMA and veterinary profession isn't important only because members can learn from past successes and failures.
“The vitality and the direction of the organization is always referenced by looking at its roots,” Fagen said.
—KATIE BURNS
Is disability insurance right for you?
Ongoing dialogue about key insurance needs recommended
While most veterinarians are quite confident about their medical judgment, making decisions about insurance protection sometimes seems more difficult. Disability insurance, in particular, is an often overlooked or misunderstood protection.
Health insurance is generally a given—virtually everyone uses health care several times during their life. Life insurance is also fairly straightforward, and individuals with dependents generally understand the need for it.
But what about disability insurance?
What are the odds of needing disability insurance? When and how do the benefits begin? What if the insured can work but only a reduced schedule? What if the insured cannot practice veterinary medicine but is able to work in another profession? These are all excellent questions for an AVMA Group Health & Life Insurance Trust representative.
“I tell veterinarians every day I don't know how to spay a cat; they shouldn't have to know all about insurance,” said AVMA GHLIT representative Wes Hentges. “I have great regard for what veterinarians do. I hope they see me as an adviser.”
Hentges strongly recommends that every veterinarian maintain an open dialogue with his or her agent.
Dr. Robert A. Dietl, president of the Minnesota VMA and former AVMA Executive Board member, agrees. “It all boils down to communication,” Dr. Dietl said. “Talk to the AVMA GHLIT. Let them know what's happening. Remember the GHLIT is your advocate.”
Dr. Dietl speaks from personal experience. He spent nearly two months in 2004 recuperating from back surgery and was able to draw disability benefits during that time. As he gradually regained his health, Dr. Dietl was able to work only part time at first return. His AVMA GHLIT disability claims examiner, Ralph Motto, reminded Dr. Dietl that, even though he was able to work, he was still eligible for residual benefits, which help make up the difference when you cannot draw your full salary.
“I could see a vet going back to work on a part-time basis after a disability and not even thinking to let the GHLIT know they were not working full time,” Dr. Dietl said.
Understanding how one's benefits work is where the AVMA GHLIT can be helpful. In Dr. Dietl's case, he was guided through the paperwork the insurance company required to approve his claim for residual benefits.
“But I never felt like I was dealing with the insurance company,” Dr. Dietl recalled. “I was dealing with the AVMA GHLIT. They were my advocate, helping me get the right paperwork together.”
As a former chair of the AVMA Insurance Liaison Committee, Dr. Dietl might be better informed than the typical AVMA member. Still, he thinks not only is it important for members to understand how the benefits work, but also why members need them.
Dr. Dietl is of the opinion that disability insurance is one of the most important kinds of coverage a young professional can own. “I think it's more important than life insurance,” he explained. “If I were to die, I would not be a liability to my family. They would miss me, but I'd be gone. If I were disabled, they would have to look after me. It may be a grim way of saying it, but you'll only use your life insurance once. Your disability insurance could be used a number of times.”
Statistics support Dr. Dietl's contention. According to 2004 figures released by America's Health Insurance Plans and Society of Actuaries, the risk of experiencing a disability lasting 90 days or longer during one's working years is surprisingly high. At age 35, the risk is 21 percent for men and 27 percent for women; at 45, the risk is 18 percent for men and 22 percent for women; by age 55, the risk is 14 percent for men and 15 percent for women.
Dr. Corrina Lester, a 1995 graduate of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, is a prime example of these statistics. Her health problems began when she was just 32. Dr. Lester had purchased disability insurance right out of school because she was concerned about being injured by an animal in her practice. The thought of being diagnosed with a disabling disease at a young age was not on her mind, however.
Two years of unexplained but tolerable pain escalated in the fall of 2004 with the onset of exhaustion, depression, and anxiety attacks. Dr. Lester was diagnosed with endometriosis and fibromyalgia the following year. She was forced to give up the practice she had built with a partner, but the insurance did bring some peace of mind.
“In my case, if I had not had it, I would have gone downhill much faster,” Dr. Lester said. “It helped ease the financial stress … that was one more thing I didn't have to worry about.”
Dr. Lester and her partner also carried Professional Overhead Expense insurance, which enabled her partner to keep the business open during her absence and eventually buy her out. Professional Overhead Expense insurance is designed to cover a practice owner's business expenses to help keep the practice open when a veterinarian is unable to work because of a covered disability.
“My advice is to regularly review your coverage to make sure it's up to date,” Dr. Lester advised. “Our POE insurance was very helpful, but now I wish we would have had a little bit more.”
Dr. Lester credits her AVMA GHLIT representative, Frank Allen, for helping her make the right decisions. “Making the investment in the insurance programs Frank recommended was one of the best financial decisions I have made to date,” she said.
To summarize, understand your needs to make wise insurance decisions. Understand the insurance protection you own. Rely on the Trust and its representatives for insurance expertise. Remember that needs change, so review your protection on a regular basis.
“Veterinarians helping veterinarians” is how Dr. Dietl summarized the AVMA GHLIT advantage.
For more information on the GHLIT disability plans—including exclusions, limitations, rates, eligibility, and renewal provisions, call the Trust office at (800) 621-6360.
—PREPARED BY THE AVMA GROUP HEALTH & LIFE INSURANCE TRUST
Education council schedules site visits
The AVMA Council on Education has scheduled site visits to eight colleges or schools of veterinary medicine for the remainder of 2006.
Site visits are planned for the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, April 9-13; University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, April 23-27; University of Glasgow Veterinary School in Scotland, May 7-11; University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, May 21-25 (consultative site visit); Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, Sept. 17-21 (consultative site visit); University College Dublin Veterinary School in Ireland, Oct. 8-12; The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Oct. 22-26; and Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine, Nov. 5-9.
The council welcomes written comments on these plans or the programs to be evaluated. Comments should be addressed to Dr. Donald G. Simmons, Director, Education and Research Division, AVMA, 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360. Comments must be signed by the person submitting them to be considered.
news update
Horse slaughter will continue despite new law
The Department of Agriculture in February said it would allow three foreign-owned processing plants to continue slaughtering horses despite a federal law intended to temporarily halt operations.
Some 70,000 horses are slaughtered annually at the plants—two in Texas, the other in Illinois. The horsemeat is sold as food for U.S. zoo animals and overseas for human consumption.
Federal law requires inspections of livestock before slaughter to ensure that the animals are treated humanely. Late last year, Congress passed agriculture appropriations legislation prohibiting federal funding for the 2006 fiscal year for inspections of horses slaughtered for human consumption (see JAVMA, Nov. 1, 2005, page 1389).
Since there would be no money to pay inspectors, the expectation was that the three processing plants would have to suspend horse slaughter operations when the legislation took effect on March 10, 2006. But in an effort to save their $41 million a year industry, the plants petitioned the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service to allow the plants to pay the inspectors' salaries under a fee-for-services system used for elk, reindeer, and rabbits.
The FSIS sided with the petitioners, stating: “While the appropriations bill prohibited appropriated funds from being used to pay for ante-mortem inspection, it does not eliminate FSIS' responsibility under the (Federal Meat Inspection Act) to carry out post-mortem inspection of carcasses and meat at official establishments that slaughter horses.”
That decision, announced Feb. 7, angered politicians and animal welfare groups who accused the department of failing to implement a congressional mandate.
“It is beyond our imagination in the U.S. Congress that the USDA would flout its mandate and spend tax dollars … to circumvent this law,” said New York Rep. John Sweeney, who sponsored the funding ban. “Even our most hardened opponents knew that the purpose of the amendment was to stop horse slaughter— there was never any question about that.”
The attempt to block federal inspectors is part of a broader effort in Congress to permanently end in the United States slaughtering of horses for human consumption.
USDA distributing $1.2 billion in hurricane aid to producers
The Department of Agriculture is providing $1.2 billion in aid for ranchers and farmers who fell victim to the 2005 hurricane season.
The USDA will distribute $250 million in disaster assistance to agricultural producers in the categories of livestock, aquaculture, feed, crops, and trees.
The USDA Farm Service Agency's Livestock Indemnity Program will provide payments to producers whose livestock died as a direct result of the hurricanes. The FSA will base payment on 75 percent of the mean sales price for each type of livestock.
The Department of Agriculture will provide block grants to states that suffered aquaculture losses during the hurricanes. Additional FSA indemnity programs will provide payments for losses of feed, crops, and trees.
The USDA is also distributing more than $900 million to agricultural producers through conservation and watershed programs.
The Emergency Conservation Program includes payments to producers for rehabilitating oyster reefs, refurbishing oyster beds, cleaning up structures such as barns and poultry houses, providing water to livestock, and removing carcasses and other debris from poultry houses.
The Emergency Watershed Protection Program provides financial and technical assistance for removal and disposal of debris and animal carcasses that could adversely affect health and safety.
Aquatic antimicrobial use guidelines released
A reference and educational resource guide for veterinarians administering antimicrobials to food fish and other aquatic animals recently became available. The release of the new guide, Judicious Use of Antimicrobials for Aquatic Veterinarians, was showcased at an AVMA booth during the Aquaculture America meeting in Las Vegas in February.
The AVMA Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Committee and the Aquaculture Working Group of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine developed the guide.
The guide was prepared to help veterinarians treating aquatic animals, primarily for food production, with their efforts to use antimicrobials judiciously. The goal was to maintain the effectiveness of the drugs in the treatment and prevention of bacterial diseases in aquatic animals, while minimizing the development of antimicrobial resistance in human and animal pathogens.
“The publication of this document is timely, considering the fact that the newest antimicrobial approved for use in aquaculture is available only to veterinarians as a (veterinary feed directive) drug,” said Dr. Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the FDA-CVM. “This reference will be a substantial resource to aquatic veterinarians.”
In October 2005, the FDA approved florfenicol (Aquaflor) for enteric septicemia in catfish as a veterinary feed directive drug, resulting in an increase in therapeutic options for aquatic veterinarians. Florfenicol is the first drug designated under the Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Health Act, which the AVMA supports, and the first antimicrobial approved for finfish by the FDA in more than 20 years.
In 1998, the AVMA started a profession-wide initiative, including companion and food animal practitioner groups, to develop and implement judicious use principles for the therapeutic use of antimicrobials by veterinarians. The Executive Board approved a general set of judicious use principles in November 1998, which were updated and reapproved in 2004.
The guide for aquatic veterinarians uses the general AVMA judicious therapeutic use principles, with specific examples relating to aquatic animals.
For a copy of the guide, contact the AVMA at (800) 248-2862, Ext. 6670.
Canadian BSE case sparks investigation
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has launched a comprehensive investigation after bovine spongiform encephalopathy was detected this January in a cow born and raised in Alberta.
No part of the animal entered the human food or animal feed systems, according to the Canadian agency.
The infected animal, an approximately six-year-old crossbred cow on a dairy farm, was discovered through Canada's national surveillance program, which targets cattle at highest risk of being infected with BSE. More than 87,000 animals have been tested since Canada's first BSE case in 2003.
The geographic location and age of this animal are consistent with the three domestic cases previously detected through the national BSE surveillance program and the current understanding of BSE in Canada.
The CFIA, in conjunction with the producer and the province of Alberta, are trying to determine the source of the infection. On-farm feeding regime and storage practices are being evaluated, as well as the production and source of feeds delivered to the farm.
Definitive conclusions regarding the source of infectivity cannot be made until the investigation is complete; however, it is probable that the source is contaminated feed, according to the CFIA.
Consistent with international standards, the CFIA will identify cattle born on the farm within 12 months before and after the affected animal, as well as offspring of the affected animal born during the past two years. Any live animals found from these groups will be segregated and tested.
As the investigation progresses, information will be posted on the CFIA Web site, www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml, as it becomes available.
accolades
Government
Dr. R. Mark Simpson (GA '81) recently received a Director's Merit Award and a Mentor of Merit Award from the National Institutes of Health. He received the recognition for integrating a training program for molecular pathology into the NIH Graduate Partnership Program and for working with trainees.
The Graduate Partnership Program supports veterinarians who want to pursue graduate study or a residency at a university simultaneously with research training through the NIH. The NIH also sponsors research opportunities for veterinary students through externships and internships.
Dr. Simpson is a director of the graduate pathology program, which leads to a PhD and eligibility for specialty certification. The partners in the program are Michigan State University; University of Maryland; North Carolina State University; University of Illinois; National Cancer Institute; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases; and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Dr. Simpson is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.
Organizations
Dr. R. K. Anderson (COL '44) has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He directs the University of Minnesota's Center to Study Human-Animal Relationships and Environments.
Dr. R.K. Anderson
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Early in his career, Dr. Anderson served as the director of veterinary public health for Denver. He also was director of animal control for Denver during an outbreak of rabies in dogs.
Dr. Anderson later became a professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health. He has been president of both the Colorado and the Minnesota public health associations. He is also a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.
Dr. Ronald M. Kelpe was named president of the Southern California VMA. A 1984 graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Kelpe practices small animal medicine in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., at the Santa Margarita Animal Care Center.
Dr. Ronald M. Kelpe
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Kelpe joined the association in 1989 and has chaired the SCVMA Council for two years. He also served as president of the Saddle-back-Capo Valley Chapter in 2000.
Maggie Milligan has stepped up to the role of executive director for the Arkansas VMA . She replaces Jennifer Coleman, of Coleman Management Resources Inc.
Maggie Milligan
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Most recently, Milligan served as assistant director at the association for three years. She owns Milligan Management Services, which oversees three other associations.
Academia
Dr. Alex Hogg (KSU '50) recently received a 2006 Alumni Recognition Award from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine . Dr. Hogg began his career at a mixed practice in Coin, Iowa. He earned a master's degree in veterinary pathology from Iowa State University in 1970.
Later, Dr. Hogg became a Nebraska extension swine veterinarian and a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is a past president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians as well as the group's original secretary-treasurer.
After retiring from teaching, Dr. Hogg was a consultant for MVP Laboratories in Ralston, Neb.
college news
Oregon State names interim dean
Oregon State University has named George R. Holdren, PhD, to be interim dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Holdren, the university's senior associate vice president of research, succeeds Dr. Howard Gelberg, who had been dean since 2001 and recently transitioned to a faculty position as a professor of veterinary pathology.
Previously, Holdren was vice provost for research. He has held management posts at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., and ManTech Environmental Technology in Corvallis, Ore. He has also served as an associate professor of crop and soil sciences.
Holdren earned his doctoral degree in geochemistry from Johns Hopkins University in 1977.
Purdue receives $1 million gift toward radiation therapy facility
Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine has announced a $1 million gift from Linda and William Fleischhauer toward a radiation therapy facility to treat cancer in small animals.
The university completed construction of the Linda and William Fleischhauer Radiation Therapy Facility in December. The 2,300-square-foot addition to Lynn Hall cost about $1.4 million, plus another $500,000 to equip.
Dr. Elikplimi Asem, interim dean of the veterinary school, said that former dean Dr. Alan Rebar started working on the project about a decade ago. Dr. Rebar, now head of Purdue's Discovery Park for interdisciplinary research and entrepreneurism, met the Fleischhauers through mutual acquaintances who had to travel to a neighboring state for radiation therapy for their dog. The Fleischhauers also have Purdue alumni care for their two Maltese dogs.
Other gifts and university funds will help pay for Purdue's radiation therapy unit. Dolores McCall, an oil and gas investor from Midland, Texas, is giving the school a $1 million deferred gift to support research on cancer and other diseases in small animals. An additional $1 million cash gift from McCall, whose cats benefited from the care of a Purdue alumnus, will finance a professorship for a radiation oncologist to work in the new facility.
Dr. Mimi Arighi, director of the veterinary hospital, said she expects to treat approximately 140 animals per year at the new facility.
The Fleischhauers, of Lafayette, Ind., and Naples, Fla., have been in the student housing business in West Lafayette for three decades.
assemblies
Chicago VMA
Event: Winter Gala, Jan. 28, Chicago
Business: The Chicago VMA donated almost $29,000 for Hurricane Katrina animal relief to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
Dr. Bruce Little
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Awards: Lifetime Merit Award: Dr. Bruce Little. A 1965 graduate of Kansas State University, Dr. Little practiced in Illinois at Normal and later Bloomington. He joined the staff of the AVMA in 1985, and became the assistant executive vice president in 1986. In 1996, he was named AVMA executive vice president. Dr. Little has been active through the years in the McLean County VMA, the Illinois State VMA, and finally the Chicago VMA. He has served as a trustee to the Professional Liability Insurance Trust and the Group Health and Life Insurance Trust. Dr. Little was a primary force behind the AVMA's purchase of buildings in Schaumburg, Ill., and Washington, D.C. He has overseen various activities to enhance the AVMA's communication with members, the general public, and pet owners. Merit Award: Dr. Susan Ferraro. A 1988 graduate of Ross University, Dr. Ferraro owns the Lincoln Park Dog & Cat Clinic. She is a past president of the Chicago VMA and a current member of the AVMA Committee on the Human-Animal Bond. Service award: Patricia Montgomery. Montgomery joined the staff of the Chicago VMA as director of public education in 1993. She became executive administrator in 1998 and executive director in 2002. She also works with Dawn's Clinic, a spay/ neuter and wellness clinic in Costa Rica.
Officials: Drs. Jagit Brar, president; Kathleen Heneghan, president-elect; Shannon Greeley, secretary; Larry Fox, treasurer
International Embryo Transfer Society
Event: Annual conference, Jan. 8-10, Orlando, Fla.
Program: The meeting included 645 delegates, 17 exhibitors/ sponsors, 382 poster presentations, and representatives from 35 countries.
Dr. Duane Kraemer
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Awards: Pioneer Award: Dr. Duane Kraemer, College Station, Texas. A 1966 graduate of Texas A&M University, Dr. Kraemer is a professor there in the College of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology. He is a world leader in embryo transfer technology and reproduction and is an integral member of the research team at Texas A&M who has successfully cloned four species—cattle, goats, a deer, and a cat. He has worked with embryo transfer technologies since 1959. In 1971, Dr. Kraemer performed the embryo transfers that resulted in the first purebred calves to be produced by a commercial embryo transfer company. In 1991, he helped establish Project Noah's Ark to collect and preserve eggs, semen, embryos, and DNA from endangered mammals, birds, and reptiles. Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Victor Shille, Gainesville, Fla. A 1958 graduate of the University of California, Dr. Shille has served as a professor at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine and as editor-in-chief of the journal Theriogenology. He is a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists.
Officials: Takashi Nagai, PhD, Japan, president; Matthew Wheeler, PhD, Urbana, Ill., immediate past president; Naida M. Loskutoff, PhD, Omaha, Neb., vice president; Dr. Richard A. Fayrer-Hosken, Athens, Ga., secretary-treasurer
Veterinary Dental Forum
Event: 19th annual forum, Oct. 13-16, 2005, Orlando, Fla.
Program: More than 600 participants from 18 countries attended the forum, co-sponsored by the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry, the American Veterinary Dental College, and the American Veterinary Dental Society. Twenty-five wet laboratories and several lectures on basic and advanced dentistry were offered. There was a keynote address by Dr. James Gutmann on “Scientific perspectives and clinical realities in the delivery of successful endodontic procedures.”
American Veterinary Dental College
Dr. Mark Smith
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Anson Tsugawa
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Fraser Hale
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Awards: AVDC Peter Emily Service Award, sponsored by Virbac Animal Health: Dr. Mark Smith, Blacksburg, Va., for outstanding contributions made to further the field of veterinary dentistry. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the AVDC, Dr. Smith practices at the Center for Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery in Gaithersburg, Md. He is the editor of the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry and co-author of the text “Atlas of Approaches for General Surgery of the Dog and Cat.” AVDC Outstanding Candidate Award, sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health: Dr. Anson Tsugawa, Playa Vista, Calif. A diplomate of the AVDC, Dr. Tsugawa is head of the veterinary dental and oral surgery department at the California Animal Hospital and Surgical Group in Los Angeles.
New diplomates: Drs. Larry Baker, Decatur, Ill.; Eric Davis, Fayetteville, N.Y.; Sharon Hoffman, Jacksonville, Fla.; Lee J. Huffman, Madison, Wis.; John Lewis, Philadelphia; Colleen O'Morrow, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Keith Stein, Worthington, Ohio; and Eric Van Nice, Tustin, Calif.
Academy of Veterinary Dentistry
Awards: AVD Fellow-of-the-Year Award, sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health: Dr. Fraser Hale, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, in recognition of his service to the veterinary dental community. A diplomate of the AVDC and secretary of the AVD, Dr. Hale practices at Hale Veterinary Clinic in Guelph. 2005 AVD Fellows of the Academy: Drs. Brett Beckman, Punta Gorda, Fla.; and John Koehm, Reno, Nev.
American Veterinary Dental Society
Awards: AVDS Education and Research Award, sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition: Dr. Loic Legendre, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for outstanding contributions in the area of veterinary dentistry education and/or research. A fellow of the AVD and a diplomate of the AVDC, Dr. Legendre offers referral dentistry in the state of Washington and Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.
Officials: American Veterinary Dental College — Dr. Barbara Stapleton, Barrington, Ill., president; Academy of Veterinary Dentistry—Dr. Tom Cusick, Watertown, Mass., president; and American Veterinary Dental Society—Dr. Robert Boyd, Houston, president
Kansas VMA
Event: Annual meeting, Jan. 20-22, Topeka
Awards: Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. Davy Harkins, El Dorado. A 1971 graduate of Kansas State University, Dr. Harkins has owned the El Dorado Animal Clinic since 1976. He volunteers at the El Dorado Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and the KVMA/Kansas State University Veterinary Medical and Birthing Center at the Kansas State Fair. Dr. Harkins also teaches veterinary science courses and offers his services to 4-H Club members.
Officials: Drs. Steve Joseph, Council Grove, president; Candace Layton, Baldwin City, president-elect; Robert Gentry, Beloit, vice president; and Randy Smith, Beloit, treasurer
Michigan VMA
Event: Annual meeting, Jan. 27-29, Lansing
Dr. Nancy Kelly
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Paul Mesack
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Stephen Steep
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Program: There were more than 1,600 attendees. One hundred fifty continuing education sessions were offered. Demonstrations were held on canine and feline agility, animal massage, and animal behavior.
Awards: Business Services Award: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc., won this award, given to companies that have promoted the veterinary profession in any of its many facets. Hill's has supported the MVMA for several years, providing sponsorships and speakers at the Michigan, Mackinac Island, and Nine States veterinary conferences. In 2005, Hill's contributions amounted to more than $17,000. W. Kenneth McKersie Service Award: Dr. Nancy Kelly, Jasper, was recognized for her services and accomplishments benefiting the veterinary profession, the community, and the association. Owner of Kelly Veterinary Clinic in Adrian since 1984, Dr. Kelly has served on the MVMA board of directors and Insurance Committee, and assisted with the Ethics and Grievance Committee.
Officials: Drs. Paul Mesack, Grayling, president; Stephen Steep, Eastpoint, president-elect; Hylon Heaton III, Flint, first vice president; Paula Rode, Chelsea, second vice president; and Anne Hale, Stockbridge, immediate past president
Missouri VMA
Event: 114th annual meeting, Jan. 20-22, Branson
Dr. Clark K. Fobian
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Roger G. Dozier
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Dr. Michael B. Pfander
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Program: There were more than 700 attendees at the meeting, which offered 70 continuing education lectures.
Awards: Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. Clark K. Fobian, Sedalia. A 1977 graduate of the University of Missouri, Dr. Fobian owns Thompson Hills Animal Clinic. Earlier in his career, he was in mixed practice in Nevada and Marshall, Mo. Dr. Fobian is past president of the MVMA and a member of the American Animal Hospital Association and the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practitioners. President's Award, given to individuals who are instrumental to the MVMA president's efforts to advance the veterinary profession for the betterment of animal health in the state: Dr. Ronald Palmer, St. Joseph. A 1979 graduate of the University of Missouri, Dr. Palmer co-owns East Hills Animal Clinic. He is a member of the Veterinary Critical Care Society. Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Roger G. Dozier, Jefferson City. A 1966 graduate of the University of Illinois, Dr. Dozier owns Southwest Animal Hospital. He serves as president of the MVMA. Honorary Membership Award of the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practice: Dr. Taylor Woods, California, for distinguished, meritorious service to the veterinary profession. A 1959 graduate of the University of Missouri, Dr. Woods serves as assistant state veterinarian. He is an honorary member of the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practice; ex-officio member of the MVMA Animal Health and Regulatory Medicine and Emergency Management and Public Health committees; and previously served on the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board.
Officials: MVMA—Drs. Roger G. Dozier, Jefferson City, president; Michael B. Pfander, Springfield, president-elect; Steve Strubberg, Hermann, vice president; Kara Amstutz, Springfield, secretary-treasurer; and Allen G. Robinson, executive board chair. Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practice—Dr. Sarah Bonstead, St. Peters, president; Dr. Kenneth M. Vroman, Glascow, president-elect; Dr. Jonathan Renfrow, Richmond, vice president; and Richard Antweiler, Jefferson City, executive secretary-treasurer. Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation—Dr. V.M. “Mac” Wilt, Paris, chairman; Dr. William J. Shore, St. Louis, vice chairman; Ann White, Perryville, secretary-treasurer; and Dr. James Howard, Jefferson City, museum director
Nebraska VMA
Event: Annual meeting, Jan. 18-20, Omaha
Dr. Dee Griffin
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 228, 6; 10.2460/javma.228.6.825
Awards: Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. Paul Lambert, Ord. A 1951 graduate of Colorado State University, Dr. Lambert co-founded Ord Animal Clinic in 1959, practicing there until retirement. He served as president of the NVMA in 1977. Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Dee Griffin, Clay Center. A 1975 graduate of Oklahoma State University, Dr. Griffin is a professor in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Nebraska. A past president of the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, he serves on the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Animal Health, Drug and Biologic, and Meat Inspection subcommittees and the NCBA Beef Quality and Safety Assurance Advisory Board.
Officials: Drs. Jay Stewart, Grand Island, president; Ken Mertens, Bloomington, president-elect; Ron Wallman, Seward, secretary-treasurer; and Oliver Holbein, Cozad, immediate past president
obituaries
AVMA Honor Roll Member AVMA Member AVMA Nonmember
Raymond D. Askey
Dr. Askey (KSU '65), 74, Austin, Texas, died Jan. 1, 2006. He owned Jayhawk Mobile Veterinary Service since 1991. Following graduation, Dr. Askey practiced large animal medicine in Arlington, S.D., for 18 years. He then moved to Chamberlain, S.D., where he owned Corvis Creek Veterinary Clinic. Dr. Askey served on the South Dakota Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
His wife, Clare; three daughters; and a son survive him.
Herbert S. Carlin
Dr. Carlin (MID '44), 85, Chestnut Hill, Mass., died July 29, 2005. He was a small animal practitioner.
Eric R. Carlson
Dr. Carlson (OSU '83), 48, Surry, N.H., died July 19, 2005. A small animal practitioner, he owned Surry Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Carlson's daughter survives him. Memorials may be made to Fast Friends, 17 Main St., Marlborough, NH 03455; or Bristol Baptist Church Renovation Fund, c/o Debbie Avery, 239 Dick Brown Road, Bristol, NH 03222.
Lee H. Darrow
Dr. Darrow (CAL '53), 81, Sedona, Ariz., died July 29, 2005. He practiced small animal medicine.
Robert G. Helfer
Dr. Helfer (WSU '44), 91, San Clemente, Calif., died July 15, 2005. He was a small animal practitioner.
Harlan E. Jensen
Dr. Jensen (ISU '41), 90, Fort Worth, Texas, died Dec. 30, 2005. He was professor emeritus in the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Following graduation, Dr. Jensen practiced small animal medicine in Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, California, and Texas. He joined the Missouri faculty in 1965. During his tenure there, Dr. Jensen served as professor and chief of ophthalmology. He also served as a visiting professor at the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands for six months.
Dr. Jensen was a charter diplomate and past president of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. He also served as president of the American Veterinary Radiology Society and the American Veterinary Ophthalmology Society. Dr. Jensen was a member of the Missouri Ophthalmological Society, American Animal Hospital
Association, and the Illinois State, Missouri, Ohio, and Texas VMAs. In 1973, he received the AVMA Gaines Award, recognizing his contributions to the advancement of small animal medicine and surgery. The University of Missouri established the Harlan E. Jensen Ophthalmology Award, given each year to a fourth-year student at the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Jensen's wife, Naomi; two daughters; and a son survive him. Memorials toward the Naomi and Harlan Jensen Fund (for nursing education) may be made to the Texas Presbyterian Foundation, 3500 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 300, Dallas, TX 75129; or memorials may be made to Texas Partnership for End of Life Care, 3701 Cedar St., Box 22, Austin, TX 78705.
James F. Mann Jr.
Dr. Mann (OSU '49), 82, Lewisburg, W.Va., died Dec. 17, 2005. Prior to retirement in 2004, he practiced in Lewisburg for 55 years. Dr. Mann also raised Hampshire sheep and Standardbred horses.
A past president of the West Virginia VMA, he served on the West Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Mann was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners, and West Virginia Sheep Association. He served as director of the American Hampshire Sheep Association and was a committee member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.
In 1990, Dr. Mann received the West Virginia VMA Veterinarian of the Year Award. His wife, Julia; a son; and a daughter survive him. Dr. Mann's son, daughter, and niece— Drs. Robert S. Mann (OSU '87), Mary Ann Mann (OSU '84), and Lynn Beard (OSU '78)—are veterinarians in Covington, Va., Lewisburg, and Chatham, Va., respectively.
Memorials may be made to the Lewisburg United Methodist Church, 214 E. Washington St., Lewisburg, WV 24901; Greenbrier Valley Theatre, 113 E. Washington St., Lewisburg, WV 24901; Greenbrier Valley Hospice, 540 N. Jefferson St., Lewisburg, WV 24901; or West Virginia Veterinary Medical Foundation, 35 Turner Road, Elkview, WV 25071.
Louis W. Marion
Dr. Marion (MSU '48), 82, Gary, Ind., died July 29, 2005. He owned Animal World Hospital, a small animal practice, in Gary. Dr. Marion was a veteran of the Army. His wife, Rosemary, and a daughter survive him.
Charles C. Morrill
Dr. Morrill (MSU '33), 97, Fort Myers, Fla., died Sept. 12, 2005. From 1955 until retirement in 1973, he was professor and chairman of the Department of Pathology at Michigan State University. Earlier in his career, Dr. Morrill served on the faculties of Kansas State University and the University of Illinois. He was a diplomate and past president of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Dr. Morrill also served as president of the Illinois State VMA.
He received MSU's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1970. In 1980, Dr. Morrill was the recipient of the Michigan VMA Merit Award, in recognition of his book “Veterinary Medicine in Michigan: An Illustrated History.” His wife, Leona; two sons; a daughter; and a stepson survive him. Donations in his memory may be made to the Missions Fund at Trinity Church, 3355 Dunckel Road, Lansing, MI 48911; or Hope Hospice, 9470 Healthpark Circle, Fort Myers, FL 33908.
Robert O. Rydell
Dr. Rydell (ISU '34), 94, Turtle Lake, N.D., died Nov. 12, 2005. Prior to retirement in 1981, he owned a practice in Turtle Lake. Earlier in his career, Dr. Rydell worked as a state field veterinarian in Minnesota, taught at Iowa State University, and worked for the federal meat inspection service. He also participated in government disease-control projects.
Dr. Rydell was a lifetime member of the Minnesota VMA. His two sons and a daughter survive him.
Melvin J. Swenson
Dr. Swenson (KSU '43), 88, Ankeny, Iowa, died Nov. 7, 2005. He was professor emeritus at Iowa State University since 1987. Following graduation, Dr. Swenson worked briefly as an instructor at Louisiana State University. He then served in the Army Veterinary Corps, attaining the rank of first lieutenant.
From 1949-1956, Dr. Swenson was a member of the veterinary faculties at Iowa State and Kansas State universities. He next served as a professor of physiology at Colorado State University, before rejoining ISU in 1957. During his tenure at ISU, Dr. Swenson was a professor of veterinary anatomy, pharmacology, and physiology, and headed the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology for 16 years.
He served on the former AVMA Committee on Nutrition from 1949–1953, chairing it the last two years. Dr. Swenson also served on the AVMA Council on Research from 1953-1959. He was a member of the American Society of Veterinary Physiologists, Iowa VMA, and American Association of Veterinary Nutritionists. Dr. Swenson helped establish the Christian Veterinary Fellowship, active in several schools and colleges of veterinary medicine. He edited four editions of Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals. In 1998, Dr. Swenson received KSU's E.R. Frank Award for his contributions.
His two daughters survive him. Memorials may be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214; or Saylorville Baptist Church, 6429 N.W. 6th Drive, Des Moines, IA 50313.
Jay C. Wallis
Dr. Wallis (WSU '47), 86, Hemet, Calif., died Nov. 29, 2005. From 1950 until retirement in 1997, he owned Hemet Animal Hospital. A member of the California VMA, Dr. Wallis served on its ethics committee for several years. He was also a member of the American Animal Hospital Association and Southern California VMA, and was a past president of the Orange Belt VMA.
Dr. Wallis served as a volunteer veterinarian for the Riverside County Farmer's Fair and donated his services to Hemet Search and Rescue, Future Farmers of America, and the 4-H Club. His wife, Jeanne; two sons; and two daughters survive him. Dr. Wallis' cousin, Dr. Charles E. Childs (WSU '51), is a veterinarian in Rialto, Calif.
Memorials may be made to Daybreak Adult Day Services, 1075 N. State St., Hemet, CA 92543; Family Services Association of Riverside County, Riverside, CA 92503; or Southern California Veterinary Medical Association Animal Health Foundation, 8338 Rosemead Road, Pico Rivera, CA 90660.
