JAVMA News

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.248.7.724
Volume/Issue:
Volume 248: Issue 7
Online Publication Date:
01 Apr 2016
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MAKING HISTORY, QUIETLY

Joe Kinnarney is the first openly gay AVMA president

By R. Scott Nolen

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Dr. Joe Kinnarney, current AVMA president, at an AVMA Board of Directors meeting during his 2007–2013 Board term representing veterinarians in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

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Dr. Joe Kinnarney delivers his acceptance speech to the 2014 AVMA House of Delegates in Denver after his election as AVMA president-elect. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

When the AVMA House of Delegates elected Dr. Joe Kinnarney AVMA president-elect in 2014, it was a victory for a man whose career in organized veterinary medicine had started nearly four decades earlier at Cornell University as a member of the Student AVMA.

Gay and lesbian veterinary professionals celebrated, as one of their own would ascend to the AVMA's highest office. And the House of Delegates proved that character and vision are what matter when choosing a future president.

Over the course of the AVMA's 153-year history, leadership positions within the organization have been held almost exclusively by white, presumably straight men who, until relatively recently, constituted a majority of the veterinary profession. The most high-profile exceptions have been Drs. Mary Beth Leininger, Bonnie Beaver, and René Carlson, the only women to serve as AVMA president.

Dr. Kinnarney is the first openly gay AVMA president, a distinction he considers incidental compared with his agenda for increasing AVMA's membership value. “I don't see myself as a pioneer or a role model or as having shattered any ceilings,” the 62-year-old mixed animal practitioner from Reidsville, North Carolina, said. “Unless someone asks me, I don't think about being gay. It's just my life. It's who I am.”

During the yearlong presidential campaign, Dr. Kinnarney didn't make his sexuality an issue but instead focused on his plans to address skyrocketing veterinary education debt, depressed starting salaries, and professional wellness. Neither did Dr. Kinnarney hide his relationship with then partner and now husband Bradley Marlow-Kinnarney, his constant companion on the campaign trail.

Since assuming the presidency last July, Dr. Kinnarney has come to understand that his casualness about his sexuality is not universal. Several gay and lesbian veterinary students expressed their surprise and delight over a gay man being president of their professional association. One particular encounter was especially poignant for Dr. Kinnarney.

“This student, he was so in the closet, afraid and scared to death to come out. Then when he saw me, he said, ‘You changed my life, and you changed the way I see my profession.’ It made me realize that I've been very fortunate, but other people are still struggling,” he said.

For Dr. Beth Sabin, AVMA associate director for international and diversity issues, the encounters described by Dr. Kinnarney perfectly illustrate why inclusion is a core value of the Association. “If you don't see yourself in a particular profession or leadership position, then it's harder for you to access that” as a possibility, Dr. Sabin said. “The significance of being the first anything may not be obvious to that leader, but it's important to those who identify with that person.”

Dr. Kinnarney, a 1980 Cornell graduate, went through personal struggles, though much later in life. It was the late ‘90s, around the time he was AVMA vice president and married to a woman with whom he had had two sons, that he began questioning his sexuality. “I spent my whole life thinking I was no different from anyone else,” he explained, “and then I began having some challenges understanding who I was.”

He started seeing a therapist, who helped bring him to realize that he is homosexual. “I wonder if I would be where I am today if, 30 years ago, I knew I was gay and was openly gay,” Dr. Kinnarney said. “Would I have been as successful as I am today? That's a question you just can't answer.”

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Bradley Marlow-Kinnarney and Dr. Joe Kinnarney at their wedding reception in August 2015

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

Supporting veterinary professionals who are also members of the LGBT community is the sine qua non of the Lesbian and Gay VMA, according to co-founder Dr. Ken Gorczyca. Since its inception in 1993, the LGVMA has worked to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members of the veterinary profession, which Dr. Gorczyca described as having a record of “conservatism and exclusion” dating back to its agrarian roots in rural America.

Discrimination against members of the LGBT community is not a fixture of the past, however. “Until 2003, with the landmark ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, many states had antisodomy laws, forcing many individuals to remain in the closet, out of real fear for themselves,” Dr. Gorczyca said. “Even today,” he continued, “after same-sex marriage has been legalized, there are still an unbelievable 27 states that do not guarantee freedom from employment discrimination, meaning it is perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.”

Employment protection laws are specifically banned in Arkansas and Tennessee, Dr. Gorczyca added. He praised the AVMA Board of Directors for supporting the federal Equality Act of 2015 (HR 3185/S 1858), which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. “This is a very significant symbol of where the profession is today,” he said.

Dr. Gorczyca was “pleasantly surprised” when he learned Dr. Kinnarney was a candidate for AVMA president-elect. “I first heard of Dr. Kinnarney back in 2007 after he was elected to the AVMA Board,” he said. “Our LGVMA board recognized that Dr. Kinnarney's Facebook page included mention and photos of his same-sex partner. So we all watched in awe as Dr. Kinnarney quietly rose within the AVMA ranks.”

At the time, Dr. Gorczyca was uncertain whether the House of Delegates would elect a gay man president. That it was even a possibility is a credit to former AVMA presidents Douglas Aspros and Ted Cohn, who showed their support for LGBT inclusion by becoming members of the LGVMA, he said.

“Their support surely helped pave the way for Dr. Kinnarney's presidency,” he said. “It was, however, Dr. Kinnarney's lifelong leadership and professionalism that made him a good candidate.”

Even though Dr. Kinnarney spent 14 years in the HOD as North Carolina's delegate or alternate delegate, he wonders whether he could have been elected AVMA president 10 years ago.

He believes the stigma against homosexuality is being eclipsed by increasing public acceptance for same-sex relationships, which was boosted by the 2015 Supreme Court ruling against state bans on gay marriage.

“My sexuality may have been an issue for the House of Delegates once,” Dr. Kinnarney acknowledged. “All in all, the majority of our AVMA delegates are there for the best of the profession. Coming to them as I did with a vision and how to implement it, I had every confidence they'd make their decision accordingly.”

Stricter pathogen limits imminent for poultry

By Greg Cima

Most chicken products and some turkey products will need to meet stricter standards on Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination starting in May.

New federal standards governing chicken pieces and ground chicken and turkey are expected to prevent about 50,000 illnesses yearly. In implementing the new standards, federal food safety authorities plan to disclose to the public more information on how well individual poultry processors meet the pathogen reduction standards, according to a Federal Register notice published Feb. 11.

The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service will, effective May 11, start evaluating whether poultry producers meet the new standards for controlling contamination in chicken pieces and ground chicken and turkey products. By setting the new limits on acceptable amounts of contamination, the agency intends for poultry producers to improve sanitation and other interventions enough to prevent about 43,000 illnesses connected with chicken parts, 4,000 with ground chicken, and 3,000 with ground turkey.

Those figures would represent a 30 percent decline in salmonellosis, a 32 percent decline in Campylobacter-related illnesses connected with the chicken products, and—because Campylobacter prevalence already is low in turkey—a 19 percent decline in Campylobacter-related illnesses associated with ground turkey.

The standards on chicken parts alone will affect about two-thirds of the poultry sold in the U.S., according to USDA data.

In addition, the agency plans to disclose to the public whether each poultry producer meets the standards, falls short, or is considered to be a top performer. The top performers would be those with no more than half the allowed number of samples positive for the pathogens.

The agency is considering additional standards on pathogen reduction for mechanically separated poultry, particularly if it is being added to ground raw meat sold to the public, February's notice states. The decision will depend in part on whether agriculture industries work to reduce contamination by early 2017.

“FSIS is concerned about the ongoing wholesomeness of this product if establishments do not take steps to reduce the high frequency of contamination of mechanically separated poultry,” the Federal Register notice states.

Veterinarian alleges retaliation for reporting mistreatment

A veterinarian claims he was wrongly fired from a job overseeing research animal care after he reported animal welfare violations and refused to participate in misleading budget activity.

Dr. Brian E. Gordon filed a federal lawsuit against the University of Texas Medical Branch, where he had worked as executive director of the Animal Resources Center and attending veterinarian from March 2013 to June 2015. He alleges that the institution fired him in retaliation for reporting violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act to the UTMB's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

He alleges that the firing also was a response to his refusals to support violations of federal and state laws governing animal treatment, to mislead authorities in charge of ensuring compliance with federal laws, and to mischaracterize animal care costs as higher than reality to secure a higher reimbursement rate from the federal government. The complaint accuses university officials of defaming him with false statements to an unnamed science editor after his firing.

A UTMB spokeswoman declined to comment on the pending litigation, and the university had not filed a response to the court by press time.

Dr. Gordon's complaint indicates in part that UTMB researchers failed to report when eight of 12 monkeys experimentally infected with Marburg virus died, even though the research protocol called for euthanasia of the animals if they became gravely ill. Once he learned about the deaths, he told IACUC members the deaths had occurred and UTMB had violated the Animal Welfare Act, the document states.

He also alleges that superiors denied him and IACUC members access to audit results from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which funded the Marburg research.

Among other findings, the NIAID audit report states that clear signs of decline before the monkeys died should have prompted increased observation.

Dr. Gordon's complaint indicates that, after he was told of his pending termination last June, he told the IACUC chair in a phone conversation that UTMB deficiencies jeopardized animal care and were illegal. And he filed a complaint with the Department of Agriculture in September 2015, the document states.

World Veterinary Day promotes continuing education in one health

On April 30, World Veterinary Day 2016 will promote continuing education for veterinarians in one health.

The World Veterinary Association created World Veterinary Day in 2000 as an annual celebration of the veterinary profession, falling on the last Saturday of April. Each year, the WVA and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) choose a theme for the event.

“The recent Ebola epidemic as well as the too numerous human deaths caused each year by rabies, dreadfully remind us of the strong links existing between the health of people, animals and environment and consequently the need for multi-sectoral approaches illustrated through the ‘One Health’ concept,” according to the announcement for World Veterinary Day 2016.

The announcement states that the theme for the year “focuses on how veterinarians continue their education efforts to increase their expertise on One Health topics, such as zoonotic diseases, food safety or antimicrobial resistance, and how they collaborate with the human health sector to tackle these issues.”

The WVA and OIE confer the World Veterinary Day Award for the most successful contribution on the annual theme by a WVA member association working alone or in cooperation with other veterinary groups.

In 2015, World Veterinary Day raised awareness of vector-borne diseases with zoonotic potential. The College of Veterinarians of Costa Rica and Costa Rican National Animal Health Service won the 2015 World Veterinary Day Award for a campaign to promote awareness and prevention of equine encephalitis and West Nile fever.

Details about World Veterinary Day and the World Veterinary Day Award are available at www.worldvet.org.

FDA warns makers of unapproved thyroid drugs

The Food and Drug Administration has approved one canine hypothyroidism drug and warned six manufacturers that their similar drugs were unapproved and illegal.

Agency officials announced in late January that Thyro-Tabs Canine, from Lloyd Inc., was the first levothyroxine sodium drug approved for thyroid hormone replacement in dogs with diminished thyroid function. A separate announcement indicates the agency sent warnings that the following levothyroxine sodium products, as well as at least one similar but unnamed product, were unapproved: Leventa, Levocrine, Soloxine, Thyroid Chewable Tablets, ThyroKare, ThyroMed, Thyrosyn, ThyroVet, and Thyroxine L.

“If a company continues to manufacture an unapproved levothyroxine product, the agency may take enforcement action, such as seizing the illegal product, filing for an injunction to prevent further sale of the product, or both,” according to a Jan. 29 letter to veterinarians, available at http://jav.ma/fdathyro.

The unapproved drugs are made by six pharmaceutical companies for sale under their own brands and the brands of other companies, and the names of some of those other companies have been redacted from versions of the letters provided by the FDA.

The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists and Stokes Pharmacy announce the ninth annual national event to provide free eye examinations for service animals in May. Animal owners and handlers can register in April at www.ACVOeyeexam.org.

The manufacturers that received warnings are Dechra Veterinary Products, Diamond Animal Health, Merck Animal Health, Neogen Corporation, Quality Animal Care Manufacturing, and Virbac Animal Health. The letter to Neogen indicates the prohibition also applies to an unnamed similar product the company manufactures for MWI Veterinary Supply Co., and purchaser names are redacted from letters to Neogen, Quality Animal Care Manufacturing, and Virbac Animal Health.

Owners report cats on diets actually display more affection

Owners of cats on diets reported that the cats actually displayed more affection than before the diet, according to a study in the January-February issue of the Journal of Veterinary Behavior.

Many of the cats also had intensified appetitive behaviors such as begging, following, meowing, and pacing before each meal. The cats did not begin to beg earlier before each meal, however.

Researchers at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and Hill's Pet Nutrition published these findings in “Owner's perception of changes in behaviors associated with dieting in fat cats” (J Vet Behav 2016;11:37–41).

“Owners tend to anthropomorphize their cats and, therefore, are afraid to reduce the cat's food intake because they think the animal will become vindictive,” according to the report. “It should be easier to convince owners to put their cats on a reducing diet, if the owners know that the cats will not snub them for it or exhibit undesirable behaviors.”

The study involved 58 obese cats on one of three equal-calorie diets: a high-fiber diet, a control diet formulated to maintain weight in adult cats, or a low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet. The type of diet did not affect appetitive or satiated behaviors.

At four weeks, affectionate behavior increased in most cats, and cats increased two satiated behaviors, jumping in the owner's lap and using the litter box. At eight weeks, the changes in behaviors generally followed the same patterns, except that an increase in post-meal purring became significant, and both begging and using the litter box lost significance.

Experts offer consensus on 25 behavioral signs of pain in cats

A new paper from the University of Lincoln in England offers a consensus from 19 international veterinary experts in feline medicine on signs of pain in cats.

“Behavioural signs of pain in cats: an expert consensus” appeared Feb. 24 in PLOS One, a multidisciplinary online journal of the Public Library of Science.

According to the abstract, “Twenty-five signs were considered sufficient to indicate pain, but no single sign was considered necessary for it.” The signs are as follows:

  1. 1.Lameness
  2. 2.Difficulty jumping
  3. 3.Abnormal gait
  4. 4.Reluctance to move
  5. 5.Reaction to palpation
  6. 6.Withdrawn or hiding
  7. 7.Absence of grooming
  8. 8.Playing less
  9. 9.Appetite decrease
  10. 10.Overall activity decrease
  11. 11.Less rubbing toward people
  12. 12.General mood
  13. 13.Temperament
  14. 14.Hunched-up posture
  15. 15.Shifting of weight
  16. 16.Licking a particular body region
  17. 17.Lower head posture
  18. 18.Blepharospasm (eyelid contractions)
  19. 19.Change in form of feeding behavior
  20. 20.Avoiding bright areas
  21. 21.Growling
  22. 22.Groaning
  23. 23.Eyes closed
  24. 24.Straining to urinate
  25. 25.Tail flicking

The study concludes: “Twenty-five behavioural signs were considered by experts to be reliable and sensitive for the assessment of pain in cats, across a range of different clinical conditions. Some of these signs have been highlighted in previous scientific literature, but some arose from the experience and knowledge of experts. These results improve our knowledge of this topic, but further studies are necessary in order to evaluate their validity and clinical feasibility (especially in relation to different intensities of pain) to help vets and caregivers of cats recognize pain in this species effectively and as early as possible to maximise cat welfare.”

The study is available at http://jav.ma/painincats.

Veterinary education expanding in Texas

Two universities jockey to meet increasing “student demand and industry needs” in the state

By Malinda Larkin

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This rendering depicts the new Veterinary and Biomedical Education Complex at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, which will house classrooms and teaching laboratories to enhance the learning environment for students. Some of the possible features include simulation laboratories and distance-learning technology. (Images courtesy of Texas A&M CVMBS)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

Further proposals for increasing veterinary student numbers have recently emerged. This time they come from two Texas institutions—Texas A&M University, which wants to expand its College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences as well as partner with other institutions in the state, and Texas Tech University, which would like to create a new veterinary school.

The former says it wants to expand to boost enrollment of minority and rural students “and to increase the supply of veterinarians who focus on the livestock industry.” The latter also says it is responding to “student demand and industry needs,” particularly in the Panhandle, which feeds a third of the nation's beef cattle and boasts expanding dairy and swine industries.

Texas is the nation's leading producer of cattle, a $13 billion industry in 2012, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. The agency also states there are more than 248,000 ranches and farms in Texas, the most of any state in the U.S., raising large animals and food-producing livestock.

Meanwhile, the 2010 U.S. census recorded Texas as having a population of 25.1 million—an increase of 4.3 million since the year 2000. Texas' population growth between 2000 and 2010 represents the highest increase for any U.S. state during this period. Further, Texas added more than 1.3 million people from April 2010 to the end of 2013, according to the census.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the state legislature, which convenes next year, will determine which, if any, plans to approve and how much money to allocate. That said, both universities are moving full speed ahead, and it's already a sure bet that Texas will have a greater number of veterinary students as soon as the 2017–2018 school year.

Potential new veterinary school

Texas Tech University first announced plans on Dec. 4, 2015, for its College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources to develop a veterinary school, based at its Health Sciences Center in Amarillo, along with a doctor of veterinary medicine program at the main campus in Lubbock.

The agriculture college consists of 11 research centers and institutes all based around Lubbock, including the Burnett Center for Beef Cattle Research and Instruction, the International Center for Food Industry Excellence, and Texas Tech Equestrian Center. The college has already started to develop a Department of Veterinary Science that would house the doctoral program and serve as a link between the two campuses, said Dr. Michael D. Galyean, dean of the college.

The college has a preveterinary program with 150 to 175 students at any given time; Dr. Galyean estimates 20 to 25 apply to veterinary school each year, and of those, eight to 10 are accepted, mostly at Texas A&M.

Initial estimates for the new veterinary school start at 40 students, with most from Texas, but Dr. Galyean adds that opportunities could develop to partner with other states such as New Mexico.

Texas Tech officials said the Health Sciences Center already has the necessary expertise, facilities, and regional support. The university's faculty and numerous schools, particularly the HSC's School of Pharmacy, have the ability to collaborate on curriculum development, course instruction, and research, they added. For example, the pharmacy school is in the process of building a communications laboratory. Dr. Galyean says Texas Tech is strongly considering a distributive model of education, to be “cost-effective,” but, he adds, new facilities unique to the veterinary school will also likely be needed.

“We recognize it's going to take a combination of state and philanthropic support to make this happen. We're working on both ends,” Dr. Galyean said.

Still in the early planning stages, Texas Tech aims to have a business plan, including firm numbers on how much it plans to request from the state legislature, as soon as early April. A consultant will work on curriculum, accreditation, and other related requirements in the coming weeks.

Expansion already in the works

On Jan. 28, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences in College Station revealed its plans to expand veterinary education, research, and undergraduate outreach into several regions of the state through its own network.

“All four of the A&M System universities have significant underrepresented minority student populations as well as unique animal science programs and ties to the livestock or wildlife industries in their regions,” according to its press release. The programs are as follows:

  • • West Texas A&M operates its own feedlot in the Panhandle. The Beef Carcass Research Center and the Nance Ranch Teaching and Research Facility are also located there.

  • • Tarleton State in Stephenville operates the state's only university-based dairy as a public-private partnership and collaborates regularly with the dairy cattle industry. The university also has a four-year veterinary technology program.

  • • Prairie View A&M in Waller County, west of Houston, has its International Goat Research Center, one of the largest and oldest goat research programs in the nation. It specializes in the areas of genetics, reproductive physiology, nutrition, and veterinary health.

  • • Texas A&M-Kingsville's Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute in South Texas is the leading wildlife research organization in Texas. It also has a four-year veterinary technology program with a newly built facility.

But first, the Higher Education Coordinating Board would need to grant permission for the initiative. The goal is to prepare students to transfer to the flagship to pursue a DVM degree. The veterinary college has already been working with Prairie View A&M to create a memorandum of understanding on admitting Prairie View students, who are largely African-American. And, so far, TAMU has designated recurring funds for two veterinary faculty members and staff support at West Texas A&M. The new faculty there will do field research, serve as mentors and preveterinary advisers, and teach undergraduate students.

Then, the legislative appropriations would be needed to duplicate the efforts at West Texas A&M at the additional three sites.

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(Source: Texas A&M CVMBS)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

Once the initiative were completed, “We would look at parts of the DVM curriculum that could optimally be offered at these distant sites,” said Dr. Eleanor Green, dean of the veterinary college, noting any off-site teaching would need to be approved by the AVMA Council on Education.

Also as part of its expansion plan, Texas A&M's veterinary college is nearing completion of a $120 million construction project.

The Veterinary & Biomedical Education Complex is scheduled to be finished in June, allowing students to start classes there in the fall. Dr. Green calls it a “very modern, technologically advanced, transformational learning center.”

It features four large lecture halls that hold 250 students each but can be configured into two 500-seat auditoriums. The complex will also have three 100-seat auditoriums, which also have removable, folding walls. And there will be eight smaller classrooms in addition to multiple laboratories.

“What we're trying to accomplish is a community of learners and a community of scholars. We have it designed where people can come together; it's all interconnected,” Dr. Green said.

Money for the project came entirely from the Permanent University Fund, which was established in the Texas Constitution of 1876 as a public endowment contributing to the support of the institutions of the Texas A&M and University of Texas systems.

The new building allows Texas A&M to expand its class size by up to 30 students, starting with the 2017–2018 school year at the earliest. Most if not all the new seats would go toward instate students, she predicts. A tuition increase isn't part of the current plan.

“With our growth in population, we expect the demand for veterinarians to grow in concert with that, not only with livestock but also with other avenues for veterinarians, which we hope to expose students to also,” she said. “We think it's a modest number in terms of Texas and in terms of opportunities for veterinarians today and in the future.”

Efforts to promote diversity

The two institutions' plans may have been announced in December and January, but they've been in the works for a while.

As far back as the ‘70s, Texas Tech tried to create a veterinary school. Dr. Galyean said the proposal never got off the ground “for a variety of reasons, a lot of which was related to funding choices people had to make.”

TAMU's veterinary college, which celebrates its centennial this year, hasn't expanded enrollment for many years; it remains at 132, with up to 10 students a year from out of state.

Dr. Green said that with the new complex set to open, “We have no constraints now to fill all the veterinary educational needs for the state at a fraction of the cost of what it would take to build a new veterinary school.”

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Dr. Eleanor Green, dean of the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, announces the “Serving Every Texan Every Day” plan to state legislators. Part of the plan involves a new $120 million complex and an increase in class size.

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

She continued, “We've been working on this plan for six years, and we have collaborated with Texas Tech and will continue to do so, but we need to work on this partnership with the four universities first, and once we get that done, we can go back and talk about what else is needed and if there are further ways to partner.”

Part of the impetus behind TAMU's expansion came from a 2009 report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (http://jav.ma/texasreport) that said there was a need to enlarge the pipeline of rural-based veterinarians to better serve the livestock industry along with wildlife interests. According to the education board's report, in 2005, the veterinary college “did an informal survey of its incoming students, and a majority indicated that they intended to be food and fiber (or large animal) veterinarians and to practice in a rural area. But by the end of the four years of veterinary study, most students had changed their minds and, years later, it appears that even fewer still have followed through with their early intentions.”

The report also outlined the need to increase the number of underrepresented minorities entering the profession. Ultimately, the board reported there was no need for a second veterinary school but that Texas A&M's veterinary college could increase enrollment to meet future state needs.

In response, the Texas A&M System began beefing up its agriculture and animal health programs at the four universities while planning the new veterinary teaching complex at College Station. The veterinary college also continued its efforts to attract minorities and students interested in food animal and rural mixed practice.

TAMU's veterinary college expanded the bovine teaching herd at its Riverside campus, developed a faculty mentoring program for graduate students interested in food animal practice, started a rural practice job fair for graduates, and established a program for undergraduates and high school students interested in working with rural veterinarians.

Dr. Green estimates one-third of students who enter the veterinary college are interested in food animal medicine or mixed practice. “And then we do lose some along the way. One reason is, with students learning about all the career options available (in veterinary medicine), many change their minds just because they're exposed to things they had not been exposed to before. We expect to lose some, but we're hoping some programs we have will keep those numbers growing.”

The program also has made great efforts to promote diversity. It has a Council on Diversity and Professionalism, a Veterinary Students as One in Culture and Ethnicity chapter, and a Lesbian and Gay VMA chapter. It is the only veterinary college in the country where cultural competency and medical Spanish are taught within a required course, according to TAMU's annual diversity plan accountability report. And in 2014, the veterinary college chose specific areas to address, including comprehensive diversity training programs for faculty, staff, administration, and students; support for individuals with visible and invisible disabilities or special needs; and enhanced recruitment efforts for underrepresented minority students. Furthermore, it has adjusted its admissions process to help level the playing field for students from diverse backgrounds.

“There are a lot of reasons why GPA wouldn't be what it is (or should be) for some students. By weighting the admissions process a lot toward veterinary experiences and toward cultural awareness and competency, which is in our interview process, we are able to broaden the student body more than if we just focus on grades,” Dr. Green said.

Texas A&M's veterinary college has one of the lowest mean educational debt rates carried by its graduates among U.S. schools:

$77,303 for 2014 graduates compared with the mean of $145,705 according to the 2015 AVMA Report on the Market for Veterinary Education.

It also had one of the highest starting salaries for the same cohort of grads: $73,149 compared with the mean of $67,215.

Currently, TAMU's veterinary college ranks near the middle among the 28 U.S. veterinary schools on representation of underrepresented minority students—who constitute about 18 percent of its student body. It is one of the top schools in terms of Hispanic representation, with its first- through third-year classes ranking first, second, or third in those respective classes in the country in that category.

Nationwide impact

Whether either of the universities' proposals will sizably increase underrepresented minorities or the number of rural and food animal veterinarians within the state remains to be seen. What also remains to be seen is the impact these initiatives would have on the profession and veterinary education nationally.

Michael Dicks, PhD, director of the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division, wrote a report earlier this year, “Impact on the veterinary workforce of more veterinary school seats,” in light of Texas Tech's announcement in addition to other plans to open new veterinary schools (http://jav.ma/seatimpact).

He projects if the rate of increase in the number of seats at existing schools continues the long-term trend of 2 percent annually and two new schools are added, then the combination of new seats and declining applicants will bring the applicant-to-seat ratio to an estimated 1.04:1 by 2025. It currently sits at 1.6:1.

Further, Dr. Dicks predicts that in this scenario, the starting salaries of veterinarians would be adversely impacted by 2025 to the tune of more than $3,000 per year per veterinarian.

“This decline in income would exacerbate the existing disparity between growth rates in income and debt, causing the debt-to-income ratio to rise. The rising debt-to-income ratio will likely accelerate the reduction in applicants, perpetuating the potentially negative effects on the market for veterinary education,” Dr. Dicks wrote.

He continued, “Whether new schools can sustain their programs under this increasing competition will depend on their ability to produce graduates at a cost less than those currently doing so, or producing graduates with a greater ability to increase the demand for veterinary services.”

USDA chief veterinary officer changes role, acting chief takes over

The Department of Agriculture's chief veterinary officer has moved to a trade role, and an agency veteran is the acting chief.

Dr. John Clifford, who had been the deputy administrator for Veterinary Services in the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for 12 years, left that position March 1 to become the chief trade adviser for the APHIS VS National Import Export Services. Dr. Jack Shere, who has worked for APHIS since 1990 and had been associate deputy administrator since 2013, is the acting chief veterinary officer and deputy administrator.

In a pair of announcements in January and February, APHIS Administrator Kevin Shea praised Dr. Clifford for 30 years of dedication to safeguarding animal health and establishing relationships across animal agriculture, as well as lauded Dr. Shere's extensive experience with animal disease outbreaks, wealth of veterinary knowledge, and management expertise.

He noted that Dr. Clifford met with agriculture officials across Asia in an effort that helped maintain trade during the 2015 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza and said Dr. Clifford will continue working with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on behalf of U.S. agriculture interests.

He also noted Dr. Shere's role leading a nine-month federal and state eradication effort during the 2002 and 2003 exotic Newcastle disease outbreak in California, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah as well as expressed confidence he would position the veterinary services to defend against pests and diseases and maintain and open trade markets.

Idaho veterinary teaching center closing

Caine Center also produced research, performed diagnostic services

By Malinda Larkin

A long-standing Idaho-based food animal referral hospital and teaching center for veterinary students is slated for closure by the end of the year.

The University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences announced Jan. 27 that it will shutter the Caine Veterinary Teaching Center, about 30 miles west of Boise. In doing so, it will “adopt a new approach for educating veterinary students that relies on veterinary faculty placed throughout the state to work more directly with livestock producers and university facilities,” according to a university press release.

“We believe this change is necessary to reflect changes in the regional veterinary education program and to better prepare students to work with Idaho's livestock producers,” said John Foltz, PhD, the college's dean, in a university press release. “In addition, this change aligns with the university's ongoing process of refining and redirecting resources in line with guidance from our State Board of Education as we meet changing needs.”

But not everyone agrees the closure is for the best. A former faculty member at the center says local livestock producers and veterinarians will be the ones to suffer, as they depended on it for laboratory work and necropsies and will have to find alternatives for those services now.

Changing rotations

Located near Caldwell, Idaho, the Caine Veterinary Teaching Center opened in 1977. It is an off-campus unit of the Animal and Veterinary Science Department that served as the University of Idaho's commitment to the Washington-Oregon-Idaho Regional Veterinary Education Program; Oregon withdrew from the joint program in 2005. In 2012, Washington State and Utah State University announced a new partnership, and the program is now called the Washington-Idaho-Utah Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine.

The center's primary purpose is to provide fourth-year veterinary students with clinical training in food animal medicine and surgery in the heavily concentrated livestock area of southern Idaho. About 65 Washington State University veterinary students, along with preveterinary students at UI, receive experience in individual inpatient and outpatient care as well as herd and flock investigations—primarily for beef and dairy cattle, sheep, and goats. The two-week training blocks provide extensive hands-on contact, particularly in calving and lambing. More than 2,000 students have rotated through the center, sometimes more than once.

WSU veterinary students are currently doing rotations there; the next group of students begins in May. Further rotations have already been scheduled, but with the center closing at the end of this year, WSU must develop an alternative plan, said Dr. Doug Jasmer, associate dean of students at Washington State's College of Veterinary Medicine. Details were still being worked out as of press time in March, but students will likely participate in rotations at locations in Idaho that still provide production medicine opportunities for them.

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The Caine Veterinary Teaching Center near Caldwell, Idaho, provides fourth-year veterinary students with two-week clinical instruction blocks in livestock production and population medicine. The Department of Animal and Veterinary Science in the University of Idaho's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which oversees the center, announced it will close its doors by the end of 2016. (Courtesy of University of Idaho)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

Dr. Foltz told JAVMA, “The future of the Caine center and the changing nature of veterinary education has been discussed with stakeholders and internal and external audiences for several years. Some of the discussion was within the Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah regional veterinary education program, reflecting concerns that students were not working directly with animals at the Caine center because the number of animals brought there for treatment or diagnosis had greatly diminished through the years.”

Dr. Jasmer said WSU learned of the center's closing when UI made the announcement, but added that the universities had previously discussed the situation, specifically, the center's dwindling faculty numbers. Originally, the center had six, but for the past three or four years, it was down to only two or three faculty members. Currently only one is at the center—Dr. James England, a professor of animal and veterinary science who teaches beef cattle production medicine and gives lectures to ranchers statewide on vaccination programs, calving, and ranch management.

“When we talk about faculty, typically they have more than one role—teaching, research, and service. So, if you lose faculty, the remaining wind up having to focus more on teaching, so the person down there now (Dr. England) is focused almost entirely on teaching. That's the situation we find ourselves in, and adjustments have been made that will address the quality issue for students the remainder of this year,” Dr. Jasmer said.

He added, “They've been good partners. Whenever you have change like this, it's good to have a close working relationship. That's been the case. We're looking forward to opportunities provided by this change and look forward to working with UI on accomplishing those.”

Future plans

The university says the new arrangement will move faculty positions formerly based at the Caine center to the following:

  • • One at the Caldwell Research and Extension Center, with a focus on general food animal care.

  • • One at the Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension, and Education Center near Salmon, with a focus on beef cow-calf operations.

  • • One at UI's Moscow campus, with a focus on small ruminants and sheep.

  • • Two in the Magic Valley area, with a focus on dairy and beef cattle.

Regarding the Magic Valley location, Dr. Foltz added, “Locations will be determined after consultations with stakeholders and analysis of space in University of Idaho facilities in the area. The immediate plan is to co-locate the new faculty with University of Idaho existing research and extension faculty on the College of Southern Idaho campus” in Twin Falls.

Nine nonfaculty positions will be cut at the Caine center. The employees in those positions will be given preference in applying for similar positions within the university as job openings become available.

But nothing is set in stone. Dr. Foltz said that the timeline for realizing this plan is flexible, dependent on gaining the financial resources to make it happen. He added that job searches are underway with the hope of having veterinary faculty hired and in position by summer so they can serve students this fall semester.

Center's impact on the state

Dr. Marie Bulgin, who retired from the center a few years ago after working there almost 35 years, says closing it will be a great loss to the state and its livestock industry.

The Caine Veterinary Teaching Center includes a full-service diagnostic laboratory and is the only necropsy facility in the state equipped to handle and dispose of large animals, a feature that Zoo Boise and Idaho Fish and Game commonly use. She says hunters will have to wait weeks instead of days to find out if the animal they killed was positive for any diseases.

One alternative is Washington State University's Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, which will continue to analyze samples. The University of Idaho's analytical services laboratory in Moscow also provides diagnostic services. Utah State University has also enhanced its diagnostic capabilities. There is also a trend toward using commercial diagnostic services, Dr. Foltz said.

Research had also been a major component of the center. Faculty members were the first to recognize that milk wasn't the cause of scours in young calves, lambs, and kids, and that taking the milk away guaranteed the animals would die. They also discovered the following:

  • • That one could diagnose enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli on a gram stain before diagnostic kits were available to identify the bacteria.

  • • That ovine progressive pneumonia virus was the cause of “hard bag” in ewes.

  • • That the cause of epididymitis in ram lambs was not Brucella ovis but Actinobacillis or Histophilus somnus, which originally had been named H ovis.

In addition, from the early 1990s until 2014, the Caine center was home to the only scrapie research sheep flock in the United States. Plus, it was home to the Pasteurella Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, which had an important role in characterizing pneumonia outbreaks in free-ranging bighorn sheep and other wildlife species. The scrapie flock was disposed of in 2014, and the Pasteurella laboratory was closed at the end of 2015 because of a lack of funding.

The university says the decision to close the Caine center also reflects “a refocusing of resources over the past decade away from animal research and diagnostic services in Caldwell.”

“The decline in demand for diagnostic services and diminished research activity at the center, reflecting fewer faculty researchers, meant less revenue was available to offset costs. The biggest consideration in revising the university's approach, however, was considering the needs of veterinary students—the original reason for establishing the Caine Veterinary Teaching Center 40 years ago,” Dr. Foltz said.

But Dr. Bulgin argues the recent administration doesn't understand the need for a veterinary presence in the area, and in fact, contributed to the decline in cases.

“During the recession, the university was hit pretty hard, so they didn't fill vacant positions. And everyone that could retire, they retired, including myself,” she said, leaving the center with two faculty for the past three to four years. “They had their hands full with students and weren't in a position where they could do much with clients because they didn't have time, so the people started going elsewhere.”

The Treasure Valley, where the Caine center is located, is home to 94 dairies and almost 120,000 cows, the third largest dairy-producing region in the state as of 2015, trailing the Magic Valley and eastern Idaho, according to figures from the UI College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Despite the higher numbers of animals in other areas, Dr. Bulgin doubts that veterinary students will get clinical training like they did at the Caine center.

“We had, over the years, built up arrangements with certain producers and private practitioners, to where we had quite a large group of producers that we could take students to,” Dr. Bulgin said. “Salmon is not a hugely populated area. What are they going to do with the students? I'm sure they can teach some management practices, but as far as clinical medicine goes, they wouldn't get it.”

She said, “Hiring a seasoned practitioner with practical research experience will be tough in the remote areas such as Salmon for the salary they are apt to offer. But the sad truth is that they just don't know what is needed to teach veterinary students. None of the people involved in this decision have ever come to the Caine center to shadow any of the faculty there.”

At the Caine center, “You had a group of people who were compatible and specialized in different areas. We used to come together and discuss big problems that had arisen and take students out there and discuss what they saw, what they thought, took samples, and so forth. I think the energy that came out of the Caine center, when it was fully staffed, was just amazing. I feel fortunate to have been a part of that.”

“It was a jewel in the university's crown, and they just tossed it away,” Dr. Bulgin said.

Indiana veterinarian runs for Congress

Angela Demaree campaigns as voice of common-sense solutions

By R. Scott Nolen

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Dr. Angela Demaree (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

Dr. Angela Demaree had had enough of the partisan rancor in Washington, so in January, the 37-year-old Indiana native officially filed as a Democratic candidate for the state's 5th congressional district.

“Like many Americans, I'm really tired of the increasing partisan divide and the do-nothing Congress,”

Dr. Demaree explained. “Hoosiers want to end the partisan gridlock just as much as I do, and in these uncertain times, we need common-sense solutions, and we need our elected officials working together to solve problems.”

The sixth-generation Hoosier and Indianapolis resident is one of two candidates running to be the Democratic nominee, a race that will be determined May 3 when Indiana holds its primary election. The winner will face Republican incumbent Susan Brooks in the Nov. 8 general election.

Dr. Demaree has been endorsed by the Marion County Democratic Party, 5th Congressional District Democratic Committee, College Democrats of Indiana, Tipton County Democratic Committee, and Indiana Democratic Party. “Angela Demaree is an intelligent, energetic candidate that we are happy to be able to endorse,” said Linda Smeltzer, Tipton County Democratic chairman. “She will bring fresh ideas to Congress.”

Since January, Dr. Demaree has been campaigning throughout the eight counties that make up Indiana's 5th congressional district. If voters do send her to the House of Representatives, Dr. Demaree says she will forgo partisanship and work with Democrats and Republicans to address the challenges facing many Americans.

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Dr. Angela Demaree, shown here speaking with a farmer at an equine facility, highlights her veterinary career while campaigning in Indiana's 5th congressional district.

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

How exactly does she plan on accomplishing such an extraordinary feat in the more divisive of the two congressional chambers? By drawing on lessons learned over more than a decade as a veterinarian, that's how.

“Veterinarians are a good example of how to work together to solve problems. We do that every day,” explained Dr. Demaree, who received her DVM degree from Purdue University in 2002. “We don't argue about the nuance of treatment while our patients get worse. We work together, we take informed action, and then we get out of our patients' way as they recover. I think Americans would be well-served to have a Congress that did the same thing.”

While a veterinary student, she served an externship with the AVMA Governmental Relations Division in Washington, D.C., during which she wrote an issue brief on a legislative amendment strengthening prohibitions against animal fighting and lobbied members of Congress to support the Minor Use and Minor Species Animal Health Act, enacted in 2004.

After graduating, Dr. Demaree practiced companion animal and equine medicine before joining the AVMA staff in 2007 as an associate director of the GRD. Three years later, she went to work for the Indiana Horse Racing Commission as its equine medical director.

Dr. Demaree said she gained additional leadership skills as an officer in the Army Reserve. In 2009, she was commissioned as an officer in the Army Reserve Veterinary Corps and in 2012 was deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“My Reserve unit, we were a very diverse group of people, and yet we were able to work together to accomplish a successful mission. Congress can do the same thing, and those are the leadership values that I will bring to the House,” she said.

Ensuring veterans have access to the high-quality health care they earned is a top priority for Dr. Demaree, who is currently a captain in the Army Reserve.

On the stump, Dr. Demaree talks about how her mother, Jacquie, has taught her about the key to success in life. “When I was 8, my mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and by the time I was in college, she was struggling to walk,” she recalled.

“Yet, every day as a quadriplegic, she continued teaching math to seventh-graders. That was an inspiration not just to me but to those students, that through hard work and determination and perseverance, you can succeed.

“Those are my values, and those are Hoosier values, and they're what we need in our elected officials.”

Learn more about Dr. Demaree as well as her campaign at www.demareeforcongress.com.

Missouri VMA

Event: 124th annual convention, Jan. 21–24, Osage Beach

Program: The convention offered 60 continuing education lectures and drew more than 500 attendees.

Awards: Veterinarian of the Year. Dr. Scott A. Fray, Boonville. A 1991 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Fray owns Cooper County Animal Hospital. He is a past president of the MVMA, a member of its Resource Referral Task Force, and serves on the board of directors of the Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation. Dr. Fray is also a member of the Society for Theriogenology, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and Missouri Cattlemen's Association. President's Award: William H. Fales, PhD, Columbia. Dr. Fales is professor emeritus in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine. He is an honorary diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists. William A. Wolff Volunteerism Award: Dr. Edward J. Migneco, St. Louis, was honored for his service to veterinary medicine in Missouri and his work with the association. A 1986 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Migneco owns Hillside Animal Clinic. He volunteers with several animal welfare organizations, including Stray Rescue of St. Louis. Honorary Membership Award of the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practice: Dr. Linda Hickam, Jefferson City, won this award, given for distinguished or meritorious service to the veterinary profession. A 1990 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Hickam is Missouri state veterinarian and director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Animal Health

Division. Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation Distinguished Service Award: Rhonda Blythe, Holts Summit. Blythe serves as the bookkeeper and staff support person for the MVMF.

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Dr. Scott A. Fray

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

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Dr. Mel H. Falk

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

Officials: MVMA—Dr. Mel H. Falk, Lee's Summit, president; Dr. Clifford J. Miller, Moberly, president-elect; Dr. Cynthia Vedder-Penrod, Fulton, vice president; Dr. Shelia L. Taylor, Springfield, secretary-treasurer; Dr. Charles L. Barry, Warrensburg, Executive Board chair/immediate past president; and Richard D. Antweiler, Jefferson City, executive director. Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practice—Dr. Richard D. Linn, Ozark, president; Dr. Lauren Smith, Kansas City, president-elect; Dr. Jessica Stroupe, Armstrong, vice president; and Richard Antweiler, Jefferson City, executive secretary/treasurer. Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation—Dr. William J. Shore, St. Louis, board chair; Dr. Clark A. Gwin, Chillicothe, board vice chair; George Buckloo, Lake Tapawingo, secretary-treasurer; and Dr. Roger Dozier, Jefferson City, museum director

Painted skulls in anatomy class

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(Photo by Irenka Carney/University of Illinois)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, 7; 10.2460/javma.248.7.724

When “I hate anatomy” appeared on a canine skull in the anatomy laboratory at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, the only solution seemed to be painting over the words. Then, instructor Ashley Lynch got the idea to paint each bone a different color. Students clamored to use the skull because it was so helpful for distinguishing the bones. In the past two years, Lynch has painted 13 skulls of various species.

American College of Veterinary Dermatology

The American College of Veterinary Dermatology certified 15 new diplomates following the certification examination it held Nov. 12–13, 2015, in Pomona, California. The new diplomates are:

Jeremy Bachtel, Englewood, Colorado

Caitlin Contreary, Houston

Ashley Detwiler, Fairfax, Ohio

Heather Edginton, Pasadena, California

Jacqueline Gimmler, Grapevine, Texas

Paulo Gomes, West Lafayette, Indiana

Melanie Hnot, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

John Hutt, Stafford Heights, Queensland

Darcie Kunder, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania

Marlene Pariser, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Jason Pieper, Urbana, Illinois

Shanna Seals, Dallas

Jeanmarie Short, Chesapeake, Virginia

Kacie Stetina, San Diego

Becky Valentine, Calgary, Alberta

The AVMA Veterinary Career Center is hosting a one-hour webinar on “The Wild Life: State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Veterinary Careers” at noon CDT April 13. Register at http://jav.ma/DNRcareers.

Obituaries: AVMA member AVMA honor roll member Nonmember

Richard A. Boyd

Dr. Boyd (Kansas State ‘51), 97, Springfield, Missouri, died Jan. 15, 2016. He began his career practicing large animal medicine for eight years in Missouri at Sarcoxie and Joplin. Dr. Boyd then worked for the Department of Agriculture for more than two decades. During that time, he was actively involved with the hog cholera eradication program and served two years as a state epidemiologist. Dr. Boyd was an Army veteran of World War II, stationed in the Aleutians and Philippines. He was a member of the American Legion, Masonic Lodge, and Shriners. Dr. Boyd is survived by his wife, Molly; two daughters; nine grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Eric G. Chalgren Jr.

Dr. Chalgren (Iowa State ‘56), 84, Macon, Missouri, died Jan. 22, 2016. Following graduation, he practiced in Preston, Iowa, for 15 years. Dr. Chalgren then established a practice in Nederland, Colorado, later working in Stockton, Illinois. In 1980, he moved to Macon, where he owned a hotel and other businesses before retiring in 2003. Dr. Chalgren was a member of the Eastern Iowa VMA and Elks Lodge. His wife, Carol; five children; 19 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren survive him.

Mark J. Engle

Dr. Engle (Iowa State ‘80), 59, Lee's Summit, Missouri, died Dec. 15, 2015. He was a senior technical services manager for the Swine Business Unit at Merck Animal Health. Dr. Engle began his career in mixed animal practice at AMVC Veterinary Services in Audubon, Iowa. He subsequently served as chief operating officer for Newsham Hybrids Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 2002, Dr. Engle was named director of swine health programs at the National Pork Board. He also served as the NPB's representative to the National Animal Health Monitoring System and the National Animal Health Reporting System. Dr. Engle worked for the Pig Improvement Company prior to joining Merck in 2014.

He served on the board of directors of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and AASV Foundation, also serving as a reviewer for the AASV's Journal of Swine Health and Production. In 2015, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed Dr. Engle to the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health. He was active with the National Pork Producers Council, National Institute of Animal Agriculture, and United States Animal Health Association. Dr. Engle is survived by his wife, Bobbie, and a son and daughter. His nephew, Dr. Dane P. Goede (Minnesota ‘13), is a veterinarian in St. Paul, Minnesota. Memorials, with the memo line of the check notated to Dr. Mark Engle, may be made to the Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Fund, Iowa State University Foundation, 2505 University Blvd., Ames, IA 50010, www.foundation.iastate.edu (click on How to Give, Make a Gift, and then indicate in honor of Dr. Mark Engle toward the Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Fund in the Honorary and Memorial Gifts portion).

Carl F. Erickson

Dr. Erickson (Kansas State ‘40), 97, Sullivan, Illinois, died Jan. 14, 2016. A small animal veterinarian, he practiced at Eldorado Animal Hospital in Decatur, Illinois, for 10 years prior to retirement in the mid-1980s. Dr. Erickson began his career practicing in Wisconsin for two years at Centuria and St. Cloud. He then served three years as a captain in the Army during World War II. Dr. Erickson subsequently established Sullivan Veterinary Clinic, where he practiced until 1970. From 1970–1974, he served as veterinarian-in-charge of several slaughter and processing plants for the Illinois Bureau of Meat and Poultry Inspection.

Dr. Erickson was a life member of the Illinois State VMA. Active in civic life, he was a past president of the Sullivan Kiwanis Club and Sullivan Community School District Board and a member of the Masonic Lodge and American Legion. Dr. Erickson's three daughters and a son, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to First Christian Church, 1357 CR 1200 E., Sullivan, IL 61951.

Neil V. Follett

Dr. Follett (Washington State ‘51), 89, Walla Walla, Washington, died Dec. 25, 2015. He began his career in large animal practice in Bozeman, Montana. Dr. Follett later established Follett Veterinary Clinic, which became Animal Clinic of Walla Walla. He was a past president of the Washington State VMA, served a term on the Washington State Department of Health's Veterinary Board of Governors, and was a member of the Southeast Washington VMA. In 1990, Dr. Follett was named Veterinarian of the Year. His wife, Betty; three daughters and a son; eight grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren survive him.

Wayland F. Hogan

Dr. Hogan (Georgia ‘55), 84, Ocala, Florida, died Nov. 26, 2015. A small animal veterinarian, he owned South Ocala Animal Clinic prior to retirement in 2008. Dr. Hogan helped establish Project PUP, a nonprofit organization using pets for therapy, in Florida's Marion County. His wife, Jean; two daughters and a son; and two grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Project PUP (for Marion County), P.O. Box 3488, Seminole, FL 33775; Interfaith Emergency Services, P.O. Box 992, Ocala, FL 34478; or Hospice of Marion County, P.O. Box 4860, Ocala, FL 34478.

Steven T. Knight

Dr. Knight (Michigan State ‘67), 73, LaGrange, Indiana, died Nov. 20, 2015. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Northside Veterinary Clinic in LaGrange for 30 years. Earlier, Dr. Knight was a partner at LaGrange Veterinary Clinic for 19 years. His wife, Judy; two sons and two daughters; and seven grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Tom Knight Memorial Golf Scholarship, c/o Farmers State Bank, 220 S. Detroit, LaGrange, IN 46761.

Charles H. Larson

Dr. Larson (Michigan State ‘50), 94, Bellevue, Washington, died Dec. 1, 2015. He was director of the animal research facility and professor of surgery at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia from 1984 until retirement in 1985. Following graduation, he practiced large animal medicine in Shabbona, Illinois, for several years. From 1973–1981, Dr. Larson directed the animal research facility at the Loyola University Medical Center Stritch School of Medicine and Loyola School of Dentistry in Maywood, Illinois. In subsequent years, he was chief veterinary medical officer and a veterinary physiologist at the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital in Hines, Illinois.

A diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, he was a past president of the Chicago chapter of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science and served on the executive board of the Illinois State VMA. Dr. Larson was a member of the American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners, Chicago VMA, South Carolina Association of Veterinarians, and Society of Phi Zeta. He served in the Army Air Corps from 1941–1945. Dr. Larson is survived by three children and a grandchild.

David B. Lippert

Dr. Lippert (Ohio State ‘63), 79, Lynchburg, Ohio, died Oct. 2, 2015. He owned Lynchburg Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice, from 1966 until retirement in 2008. Prior to that, Dr. Lippert practiced two years in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and worked at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine's ambulatory clinic. He was a past secretary of the Ohio VMA and served as its District 6 representative. Dr. Lippert's wife, Nancy; a son and a daughter; and two grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association, Cincinnati Chapter, 644 Linn St., Suite 1026, Cincinnati, OH 45203; Hospice of Hope, 215 Hughes Blvd., Mount Orab, OH 45154; or Lynchburg United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 403, Lynchburg, OH 45142.

Albert J. Luedke

Dr. Luedke (Minnesota ‘54), 91, Arvada, Colorado, died Jan. 9, 2016. He was a research veterinarian with the Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service from 1959 until retirement in 1989. Dr. Luedke's research focused on bluetongue virus in ruminants. Earlier, he taught anatomy and conducted research at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Luedke was an Army veteran of World War II. He is survived by his wife, Joan; five children; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Dr. Luedke's son, Dr. Dennis Luedke (Colorado State ‘83), is an equine veterinarian in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. His grandson Dr. Bret Luedke (Colorado State ‘11) and granddaughter-in-law Dr. Chelsea Luedke (Colorado State ‘11) are equine veterinarians in Parker, Colorado. His granddaughter Dr. Lauren Luedke (Colorado State ‘15) is an equine veterinarian in Oakdale, California.

David R. Mann

Dr. Mann (Colorado State ‘67), 74, McAllister, Montana, died Feb. 2, 2016. Following graduation, he joined the Air Force, stationed in Tokyo, Washington state, Michigan, Texas, and Hawaii. While in Tokyo, Dr. Mann cared for the sentry dogs and traveled to Vietnam to oversee their care. After retiring from the Air Force in 1979, he established a small animal practice in McMinnville, Oregon. In 1996, Dr. Mann sold his practice and moved to his ranch outside McAllister, where he farmed. He and his wife, Elisabeth, were active with the Child's Passport to Health, a foundation that sponsors children from developing nations who need homes and care while undergoing medical treatment in the U.S. Dr. Mann is survived by his wife, two sons, and a grandchild. Memorials may be made to Child's Passport to Health, P.O. Box 446, Bothell, WA 98041, http://achildspassporttohealth.github.io.

Lewis A. Miller

Dr. Miller (Colorado State ‘59), 84, Council Bluffs, Iowa, died Sept. 17, 2015. He practiced mixed animal medicine in southwest Iowa for almost 50 years. Dr. Miller was a veteran of the Army. He is survived by two daughters and a son, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Robert C. Nelson

Dr. Nelson (Cornell ‘53), 86, Shrewsbury, New Jersey, died Jan. 15, 2016. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Monmouth Animal Hospital in Little Silver, New Jersey, prior to retirement. Dr. Nelson was active with the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and was a member of the Red Bank Lions Club. He was a veteran of the Army Veterinary Corps. Dr. Nelson's wife, Patricia; a son and a daughter; and three grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741, www.michaeljfox.org.

Joseph C. Paige

Dr. Paige (Tuskegee ‘74), 76, Rockville, Maryland, died Oct. 9, 2015. He worked as a public health veterinarian for the Food and Drug Administration in Rockville, Maryland, for 40 years. During that time, Dr. Paige served in the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology for 18 years, including six years as a veterinary medical officer; was a special assistant in the Division of Compliance; and served as chief of supervisory veterinary medicine. He co-authored chapters in several issues of Veterinary Clinics of North America. Dr. Paige was a veteran of the Navy. His wife, Julieanne, and two sons survive him.

Reno P. Petry Jr.

Dr. Petry (Texas A&M ‘57), 82, Jennings, Louisiana, died Dec. 27, 2015. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Jennings for more than 48 years. Dr. Petry was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association and Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association. His wife, Ramona; two daughters and two sons; 20 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to Our Lady lmmaculate School, 600 Roberts Ave., Jennings, LA 70546.

Donald L. Robinson

Dr. Robinson (Cornell ‘71), 69, Brooklyn, New York, died Oct. 12, 2015. He was a small animal practitioner in Brooklyn.

Sarah L. Schillereff

Dr. Schillereff (Colorado State ‘05), 40, Denver, died Dec. 31, 2015. She was a regional vice president for VCA Inc., overseeing hospitals in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Hawaii. Dr. Schillereff began her career as an associate veterinarian at VCA Fort Collins Animal Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. She subsequently served as the recruiting and professional relations director for VCA Antech's Northwest region. In 2013, Dr. Schillereff was named a regional operations director, serving in that capacity until 2014, when she became a regional vice president. During her career, she also volunteered with ViDAS, helping to provide free spay-neuter services in Mexico. Dr. Schillereff is survived by her fiance, Joe Kanyok. Memorials may be made to the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University, 300 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523.

Gerald D. Schrater

Dr. Schrater (Kansas State ‘66), 78, Hutchinson, Kansas, died Dec. 27, 2015. A mixed animal veterinarian, he established Apple Lane Animal Hospital in Hutchinson in 1993 and helped establish Hutchinson Animal Shelter, serving as supervising veterinarian. Earlier, he worked in St. Louis. Dr. Schrater was instrumental in founding the Reins of Hope Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program and served on its board.

He served on the boards of the Western Veterinary Conference and Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce. A member of the Kansas VMA, Dr. Schrater was a past recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award. He is survived by his wife, Judy; a daughter and a son; and five grandchildren. Memorials toward Faith United Methodist Church, Reins of Hope, or the Dr. Gerald Schrater Memorial Fund (to benefit Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine), may be made c/o Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

James O. Thomas

Dr. Thomas (Pennsylvania ‘64), 78, Laporte, Pennsylvania, died Jan. 25, 2016. He practiced small animal medicine for 47 years at Eagle Veterinary Clinic in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Thomas also volunteered with local cat rescue organizations. A member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, he devoted much of his free time to repairing and restoring antique American clocks. Dr. Thomas' wife, Alice; two sons; and two grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Laporte Volunteer Fire Company, P.O. Box 31, Laporte, PA 18626, or CatNIP Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 284, Springfield, PA 19064, www.catniprescue.org.

Paul R. Weber

Dr. Weber (Colorado State ‘66), 74, Riverton, Wyoming, died Dec. 15, 2015. He owned a mixed animal practice in Riverton from 1972 until retirement in 2013. Earlier, Dr. Weber worked in Castle Rock, Colorado, and served in the Air Force. His wife, LaNae; two daughters and a son; and 12 grandchildren survive him.

Robert M. Young

Dr. Young (Iowa State ‘43), 96, Osage, Iowa, died Feb. 3, 2016. Dr. Young began his career in the Army Veterinary Corps during World War II. He then worked in Parkersburg, Iowa, before moving in 1949 to Osage, where he practiced mixed animal medicine for 37 years. He was a member of the Rotary Club. Dr. Young is survived by his wife, Burnette; a son and four daughters; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Cover Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
ISSN:
0003-1488
Publication Date:
01 Apr 2016
  • View in gallery

    Dr. Joe Kinnarney, current AVMA president, at an AVMA Board of Directors meeting during his 2007–2013 Board term representing veterinarians in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

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    Dr. Joe Kinnarney delivers his acceptance speech to the 2014 AVMA House of Delegates in Denver after his election as AVMA president-elect. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

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    Bradley Marlow-Kinnarney and Dr. Joe Kinnarney at their wedding reception in August 2015

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    This rendering depicts the new Veterinary and Biomedical Education Complex at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, which will house classrooms and teaching laboratories to enhance the learning environment for students. Some of the possible features include simulation laboratories and distance-learning technology. (Images courtesy of Texas A&M CVMBS)

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    (Source: Texas A&M CVMBS)

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    Dr. Eleanor Green, dean of the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, announces the “Serving Every Texan Every Day” plan to state legislators. Part of the plan involves a new $120 million complex and an increase in class size.

  • View in gallery

    The Caine Veterinary Teaching Center near Caldwell, Idaho, provides fourth-year veterinary students with two-week clinical instruction blocks in livestock production and population medicine. The Department of Animal and Veterinary Science in the University of Idaho's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which oversees the center, announced it will close its doors by the end of 2016. (Courtesy of University of Idaho)

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    Dr. Angela Demaree (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

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    Dr. Angela Demaree, shown here speaking with a farmer at an equine facility, highlights her veterinary career while campaigning in Indiana's 5th congressional district.

  • View in gallery

    Dr. Scott A. Fray

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    Dr. Mel H. Falk

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    (Photo by Irenka Carney/University of Illinois)

Dr. Joe Kinnarney, current AVMA president, at an AVMA Board of Directors meeting during his 2007–2013 Board term representing veterinarians in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

Dr. Joe Kinnarney delivers his acceptance speech to the 2014 AVMA House of Delegates in Denver after his election as AVMA president-elect. (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

Bradley Marlow-Kinnarney and Dr. Joe Kinnarney at their wedding reception in August 2015

This rendering depicts the new Veterinary and Biomedical Education Complex at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, which will house classrooms and teaching laboratories to enhance the learning environment for students. Some of the possible features include simulation laboratories and distance-learning technology. (Images courtesy of Texas A&M CVMBS)

(Source: Texas A&M CVMBS)

Dr. Eleanor Green, dean of the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, announces the “Serving Every Texan Every Day” plan to state legislators. Part of the plan involves a new $120 million complex and an increase in class size.

The Caine Veterinary Teaching Center near Caldwell, Idaho, provides fourth-year veterinary students with two-week clinical instruction blocks in livestock production and population medicine. The Department of Animal and Veterinary Science in the University of Idaho's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which oversees the center, announced it will close its doors by the end of 2016. (Courtesy of University of Idaho)

Dr. Angela Demaree (Photo by R. Scott Nolen)

Dr. Angela Demaree, shown here speaking with a farmer at an equine facility, highlights her veterinary career while campaigning in Indiana's 5th congressional district.

Dr. Scott A. Fray

Dr. Mel H. Falk

(Photo by Irenka Carney/University of Illinois)

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