JAVMA News

Auxiliary to the AVMA celebrates 100 years

Members dedicated to supporting veterinarians and one another

Story by Malinda Larkin, recent photos by R. Scott Nolen

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Members and guests of the Auxiliary to the AVMA, formerly known as the Women's Auxiliary to the AVMA, at its inaugural meeting in August 1917 in Kansas City, Missouri, and at the organization's 100th anniversary luncheon this past July in Indianapolis

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

Although women now comprise a majority of the veterinary profession, for decades they were more likely to be found running the clinic while their husbands cared for sick animals. These women organized themselves a century ago on the basis of their shared loved for the profession. Now, the members—men as well as women—are celebrating this centennial milestone and the profound impact their group has had on the profession.

From the beginning

The Women's Auxiliary to the AVMA formed Aug. 22, 1917, at the Kansas City Veterinary College in Missouri. Notably, the Auxiliary holds the distinction of being the first auxiliary to the healing arts established in the U.S., according to the Auxiliary's 50th anniversary history, “Hats and History,” from which many of the following highlights through 1967 are excerpted, in addition to excerpts from the AVMA anniversary book “The AVMA: 150 Years of Education, Science, and Service.”

Membership was open to wives, daughters, mothers, sisters, and widows of veterinarians. The 55 founding members set annual dues at 50 cents and elected Mrs. W. Horace Hoskins of Philadelphia as their first president. Each state was to select a secretary to report to the national auxiliary.

From the start, the women received backlash.

“Creation of an Auxiliary to the AVMA was not a wholly popular idea. Some veterinarians always had taken their wives with them to meetings, where each got together with other wives informally for food, fun, and the swapping of ideas on how to be a good wife to a veterinarian. However, some men did not want wives at the meetings. It was even rumored that a few felt that the presence of women hampered their social freedom. Many more felt that women would soon be running everything if given a chance, and it was a rather general opinion that women had no place in their husband's business. Remember, in 1917 women didn't even vote,” according to the 50th anniversary book.

In fact, at the next year's AVMA annual meeting in Philadelphia, opposition leaders stationed themselves at the Auxiliary's meeting-room door to block entry, but supporters prevailed. In 1923 in Montreal, challengers again tried to dissolve the Auxiliary but were foiled. Two years later, a representative from the AVMA addressed the group for the first time, and since then, the two organizations have worked together closely.

As the Auxiliary grew, it organized more formally with an Executive Board and officers. In 1930, a movement was begun to encourage formation of state auxiliaries, laying the foundation for the Auxiliary House of Representatives, later called the House of Delegates. By the 1947 meeting, there were 25 well-organized state auxiliaries. And by 1948, each Junior AVMA organization at a veterinary school had an auxiliary, five of which had affiliated with the AVMA Auxiliary, according to the book.

At its 1959 meeting, the Auxiliary adopted a new constitution that closely paralleled the AVMA's. Each state or provincial auxiliary was allowed a delegation of one to seven members. That fall, the Auxiliary set up its office in the AVMA headquarters in Chicago, which led to a closer relationship and exchange of ideas.

A major shift came in 1977 when the Women's Auxiliary to the AVMA changed its name to its current title, the Auxiliary to the AVMA. “Deletion of the word ‘Women's' is significant because it enables all members of a veterinarian's immediate family to join the Auxiliary. The Auxiliary officers view the potential for greater involvement of the entire family as desirable for the individual veterinarians and for the betterment of the profession,” according to a JAVMA article that year.

Today, the Auxiliary has membership categories besides those for family members. One category is for other people involved in the profession, such as clinic staff or VMA employees. Another is for people who just love animals and want to join.

An evolving mission

The Auxiliary has continually adapted its objectives to meet the changing needs of the veterinary profession.

Its original mission was to give financial assistance to families of veterinarians injured or killed during World War I. But with the need for war relief over by the 1919 convention, the objective changed to one of giving money to families with veterinarians who had become temporarily or permanently disabled, according to the 50th anniversary book.

In 1921, the Auxiliary authorized a student loan fund and amended its objective to state: “The object of the Auxiliary shall include a loan fund to be used for the assistance of needy veterinary students.” That year, a student at The Ohio State University received the first loan, of $175.

Demand for loans reflected the events of the day. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 drove up demand, as did the Great Depression. In 1947, demand dropped, with many returning World War II veterans receiving educational grants under the GI Bill of Rights.

Looking for additional ways to serve veterinarians, the Auxiliary became more active in other realms, particularly public relations for the profession.

In 1945, it produced the booklet “What the Veterinary Profession Means to the Public.” Over the years, the Auxiliary also produced pamphlets such as “Veterinary Medicine as Professional Career for Women” and “Dimensions of Veterinary Medicine,” along with books such as “Veterinarians and What They Do,” the “AVMA Auxiliary Coloring Book,” and “The World of the Veterinarian.” Videos included “Petpourri,” a series of four tapes for grade school children focusing on pet care and wellness. A media kit was introduced in 1980 to help with public service announcements for TV, radio, and newspapers.

The Auxiliary also established awards. Annually, they were presented to a graduating student and a fourth-year student's spouse, the latter of which received the Lillie Grossman Silver Bowl Award, at each veterinary college, and to state science fair winners. Not to mention, the Auxiliary sponsored various student auxiliary activities and created an honor roll for constituent auxiliaries that achieved certain benchmarks. The organization's leaders also made campus visits and handed out literature such as the “Public Relations Handbook for Senior Wives,” which according to the 50th anniversary book, was “designed to assist each one determine her self-concept as a veterinarian's wife and to make the image of her husband's profession one of dignity, attainment, and scientific progress to those with whom she comes in contact.”

In 1973, the Auxiliary appointed a panel to compile a list of books that would enhance the profession, and two years later, the organization distributed its first “approved booklist” to librarians across the country.

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Greg Mooney, immediate past president of the Auxiliary to the AVMA, and Allegra Mooney-Waldron, president, read aloud a brief history of the organization during the Auxiliary's July 2017 luncheon celebrating its centennial.

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

To fund these endeavors, the Auxiliary became adept at fundraising.

The first effort came at the behest of then–AVMA president Dr. C. Peter Zepp in 1951, when the Auxiliary started fundraising for research. A decade later, it achieved its goal of conducting a campaign to raise $75,000 for fellowships to be awarded through the research fund.

On top of that, the Auxiliary's popular Marketplace of States, an AVMA convention event featuring items sold by constituent auxiliaries, often netted thousands of dollars. By 1987, the annual event had reached its $1 million mark in total earnings. Most proceeds went toward the student loan fund, but some also financed other educational programs.

In 1976, the Auxiliary donated $10,702 toward the new veterinary exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, and, in 1991, it contributed $10,000 for partial funding of an AVMA Congressional Science Fellowship.

The Auxiliary compiled and sold cookbooks for other projects as well. For example, it raised money for an automatic flagpole for the first headquarters building the AVMA purchased, in 1975 in Schaumburg, Illinois. In the coming months, the organization will place a commemorative bench on the grounds of the current AVMA headquarters, also in Schaumburg, in recognition of the Auxiliary's 100th anniversary.

The Marketplace of States ended after 2005, but Kimberly Topper, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, who was president of the Auxiliary in 2000–01, enjoyed the fundraiser especially because constituent auxiliaries brought unique, often handmade items such as carved figurines as well as local goods, from Vermont maple syrup to California avocados. Although the marketplace no longer takes place, the Auxiliary continues to hold its annual Kritters Korner Gift Store fundraiser at the AVMA Convention and Western Veterinary Conference every year.

Letting loose

Above all, the thing Topper and other Auxiliary members enjoy most is the social aspect of the organization. Indeed, socialization has been integrated in the Auxiliary's structure from day one. “Veterinarians' wives, though characteristically altruistic and hard working, have never confined themselves solely to serious projects; they have always coupled their work efforts with fun,” according to the 50th anniversary book.

Whether a moonlight cruise on the St. Lawrence or a glass-bottom boat ride along Catalina Island, an excursion to Mount Rainier or a clambake in New England, Auxiliary members found fun amid their work and encountered history along the way. In 1933, they visited the Chicago World's Fair, and in 1959, the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, where former President Harry S. Truman addressed them. Aviatrix Amelia Earhart spoke at an Auxiliary luncheon held for the wives of foreign visitors at the 1934 New York meeting.

The Women's Auxiliary celebrated its golden anniversary in 1967 in Dallas' Baker Hotel. Auxiliary board members costumed in clothes fashionable in 1917 served as hostesses. Entertainment was a look at “Hats and History” from 1896–1967. Decorating the tables were dolls dressed by constituent auxiliaries in fashions of the preceding 50 years. For the 75th anniversary in 1992 in Boston, members were treated to a performance by the Boston Classical Orchestra. Diamond-shaped crystal clocks and official Auxiliary history books were handed out as mementos.

During AVMA Convention 2017 in Indianapolis, the Auxiliary's 100th anniversary festivities involved a silent auction with baskets donated by past presidents of the Auxiliary and the AVMA Board of Directors in addition to individual student chapters of the AVMA, most of which provided a “school spirit” basket. The main Auxiliary centennial event—a luncheon—featured decorations and giveaways carrying the theme of the 10-Carat Diamond Jubilee, as did the Auxiliary's 100th anniversary book.

Topper, whose husband, Dr. Michael Topper, is the 2017–18 AVMA president, said she's met lifelong friends through the Auxiliary.

“No matter where we go, we know somebody, whether it's through the military or the Auxiliary or the AVMA. Knowing that there's always somebody there who knows what you're dealing with or going through, who you can reach out to, is critical,” she said.

“That's particularly true right now, when the suicide issue has become so huge. We need to be there for each other, to be able to reach out—if nothing else, share an email.”

Allegra Mooney-Waldron, president of the Auxiliary, agrees. She points out that compassion fatigue, too, is not something that only veterinarians but also their families deal with on a daily basis. Mooney-Waldron, who works as the practice manager at Maple Run Veterinary Clinic in Mount Gilead, Ohio, which is owned by her mother, Dr. Martha Mooney, sees it firsthand.

“We're looking for new ways to support the profession. What can we do and how can we change to keep up with changes? That's the million-dollar question. This conversation has to maybe look into ways to help with compassion fatigue. We're already helping with the cost of veterinary school. What else can we do? We want to have a conversation with our board and the AVMA Board of Directors on what we can do to help,” she said. “Family is one of the main support systems for veterinarians, so it would be fitting.”

Challenging times

Indeed, the Auxiliary has struggled to remain as relevant as possible, given the gender shift that led to employed female veterinarians outnumbering males in 2009, a trend associated with a corresponding decline in Auxiliary members.

In its first 40 years, the Auxiliary saw its membership increase from the original 55 charter members to 6,000. Membership peaked at more than 10,000 in 1971. But by 1990, the number had fallen to 6,460, and by 2000, it was 2,765. As of July 2017, the Auxiliary had about 700 members.

With the decline in Auxiliary membership, some have called for the organization to dissolve. A resolution outlining a plan for voluntary dissolution was submitted to the Auxiliary HOD in 2011. In August 2012, however, delegates passed a resolution from the Auxiliary board postponing indefinitely the resolution for voluntary dissolution.

“We're proud that we've lasted this long, because with changing demographics, we don't have as many people joining, but we always have someone willing to step in and help out,” Topper said. “We may not have as many members, but those members (we do have) are still active, making sure Kritters Korner takes place, and we have officers that do the things that need to be done.”

She continued, “Ten years ago, I would have thought five years ago we'd be gone, because I didn't see young people stepping up. But in the past five years, I have seen a lot of younger student spouses come to help out, the ones who are a few years out of veterinary school. Plus, there is a fun side to being a spouse. It's more than taking care of the clinic or taking care of kids because (your partner) is gone. We're turning more from a service organization to a social one, and I don't see socializing ending anytime soon, at least not with this group.”

The Auxiliary also continues to do good works. In 2011, the Auxiliary House of Delegates authorized the organization's Executive Board to convert the student loan fund to become the Auxiliary to the AVMA Legacy Endowed Scholarship Program. The program, administered by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, awards $1,000 scholarships to second- and third-year veterinary students at each of the 30 U.S. veterinary colleges.

“How many organizations can say they have $2 million set aside for scholarships?” Mooney-Waldron asked. “It's neat to know that the Auxiliary heritage, no matter what, is out there and continues to impact veterinary students.”

In fact, the Auxiliary plans to double the amount of scholarships it awards, starting this year.

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Auxiliary officers (1956–57, top) and members (today, bottom) alike have been committed to supporting veterinarians.

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

In addition, the organization still promotes National Pet Week, an annual event the AVMA and Auxiliary created in 1981 to foster responsible pet ownership as well as recognize the human-animal bond and increase public awareness of veterinary medicine. It is held the first week of May.

Supporting veterinarians

The Auxiliary's impact on the veterinary profession has been profound, be it in teaching the public what veterinarians do or raising money for worthwhile efforts, and members say they will continue to carry on that legacy for the foreseeable future.

As Mooney-Waldron put together the Auxiliary's centennial anniversary book earlier this year, she was struck by a quotation from Ethlyn W. Bott, an Auxiliary past president:

“We live in a world in which communications have become almost instantaneous—a world across which we traverse in minutes, with immeasurable advancements in science, medicine, social welfare, and economics. People are no longer content with things as they were in the past. The clock moves fast, and we are concerned for the nations and people who are caught up in a whirl of new ideas, desires, and plans. … In planning for the future in the matter of human relations, it is a responsibility of Auxiliary women continually to question their own performance, to reevaluate the platform of their efforts, and always be willing to share with others.”

Waldron said, “I feel like we live in a world where relationships haven't had the emphasis like they should. That's what the Auxiliary has always been—relationships between spouses and families of veterinarians. We love these vets so fiercely, but it can be a big challenge because they have a hard job, and we have to support them in any way we can.”

Treading water? A look at the DVM applicant pool

By Barbara Dutton

The number of individuals applying to veterinary colleges for the 2016–17 academic year was the highest since 1981, reports the recently released 2017 AVMA & AAVMC Report on the Market for Veterinary Education, prompting the report's authors to speculate that at least since 2015, the number of applicants was no longer in a decline, as it had been in previous years, although the future direction isn't clear.

“For almost four decades, the number of U.S. applicants to veterinary colleges has been cyclical, experiencing peaks and troughs about every decade,” explains Bridgette Bain, PhD, assistant director of analytics in the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division.

“The first cycle lasted 19 years, and 2018 will mark the end of the second 19-year succession. To the extent that recent history represents the future, we are likely to see a decline in the applicant pool by 2019. However, the uncertainty of the economic environment coupled with a robust market demonstrated by the simultaneous growth in starting salaries and number of new veterinarians finding full-time employment makes it hard to predict the trend that the applicant pool will follow.”

Applicant-to-seat ratio

The report notes that over the past four years, the ratio between applicants and available college seats has been relatively stable at 1.6 (see graph). The 7,071 applicants in 2017 vied for 4,363 seats, lifting the ratio to 1.62. A sharp decrease in the ratio between 2008 and 2009 is attributed to adding AVMA Council on Education–accredited foreign schools to the system, rather than a change in the number of seats at U.S. institutions. The consequences of an increase in seats, such as the proposed Texas Tech institution, depend on how much the addition brings down the cost to each student of acquiring a veterinary degree, Dr. Bain explains. “The ratio could increase if the assumption holds that an expansion in the number of seats would drive down the cost per student, and thereby attract more applicants in an environment characterized by concern over escalating tuition.”

“But, if the rate of increase in the number of seats at existing schools continues with the long-term trend,” adds Dr. Bain, “we could see a ratio of 1.04:1, should two new schools come online by 2025.” Regardless, she notes, any new school's ability to provide students with an education at a lower cost will determine the degree program's sustainability.

Quality versus quantity

Despite the slow decline seen nationally in the applicant-to-seat ratio reported over the 1980–2016 period, applicant test scores and preveterinary grades have remained in the consistently high range, according to the report (see table). “Evidently, the profession continues to attract the brightest students,” Dr. Bain concludes. “We can therefore deduce that although the applicant pool is diminishing in number, it isn't doing so in quality. If the cost of education, however, continues to rise at its current rapid rate, the veterinary profession risks experiencing a reduction in test scores of the applicant pool as more-qualified students opt for more financially rewarding careers.”

She contends that, as students gain greater exposure to the hardships of living under the debt incurred as a result of “the skyrocketing costs of education, they are likely to reconsider applying to grad schools as they see firsthand what life after veterinary college looks like. If this happened, it would likely put a strain on the applicant pool.”

Barbara Dutton is the economics writer/content coordinator for the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division.

Strother elected to AVMA Board

Dr. Jan K. Strother was sworn in July 25 as the District III representative on the AVMA Board of Directors after her election to complete the unexpired term of Dr. Michael Newman, ending in 2019.

Dr. Strother, of Hartselle, Alabama, represents AVMA members living in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

“It is an honor and a privilege to represent District III and all AVMA members on the AVMA Board of Directors. I look forward to working with my fellow Board colleagues to meet our members' needs and to protect, promote, and advance veterinarians in our diverse veterinary profession,” she told JAVMA News.

“It will be my priority to work collaboratively with members of the House of Delegates, councils, and committees, along with other stakeholders, on topics related to the challenges that our veterinary profession faces now.”

She will be eligible for re-election to a six-year term.

Dr. Strother is founder and director of the North Alabama Cat and Bird Veterinary Clinic in Hartselle, the second clinic she has opened since receiving her DVM degree in 1986 from Tuskegee University.

She has held key leadership posts with the AVMA, the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, and the Alabama VMA. Currently, she chairs the AVMF Board of Directors.

Dr. Strother served as AVMA vice president, the Association's official liaison to the Student AVMA and student chapters, from 2010–12. She has also supported students through preceptorships and externships at her clinic. She chaired the now-sunset AVMA Council on Public Relations.

The ALVMA conferred its highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, on Dr. Strother in 2015 and named her Veterinarian of the Year in 2002. She served as president from 1997–98, represented Alabama in the AVMA House of Delegates as alternate delegate and then delegate, chaired the ALVMA Public Relations and Human/Animal Bond committees, and now chairs the ALVMA Veterinary Technology Committee.

A frequent speaker on veterinary health care topics, she has been a guest on “Good Morning America,” the “Today Show,” and pet segments on Fox News.

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Dr. Jan K. Strother

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

Dr. Strother is married to Dr. Newman, who resigned from the Board position for health reasons. While on the Board, Dr. Newman encouraged the profession's expansion into nontraditional veterinary career fields, notably, biomedical research. They reside on a small farm in Hartselle with seven cats, three horses, Milton the donkey, and Milton's donkey girlfriend, Millie Belle.

AVMA fills advocacy and meeting planning positions

In July, the AVMA filled key staff positions in the Association's Governmental Relations and Convention and Meeting Planning divisions.

Dr. Kent McClure joined the AVMA in the newly created position of chief governmental relations officer. Dr. Ashley Morgan was promoted from assistant director of the Governmental Relations Division to director of the State Advocacy Division. And Michael Wilson, a certified meeting professional, joined the AVMA as director of the Convention and Meeting Planning Division.

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Dr. Kent McClure

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

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Dr. Ashley Morgan

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

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Michael Wilson

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

Dr. McClure was hired to lead the AVMA's federal and state advocacy efforts. He previously was general counsel for the Animal Health Institute, working on developing policy impacting the veterinary profession, animal health product research, and commerce.

“I'm excited to join the AVMA and use my experience to advocate for the veterinary profession and sound public policy,” Dr. McClure said. “We have a lot of exciting opportunities in front of us, and I'm looking forward to working with our talented team to protect, promote, and advance veterinary medicine.”

No stranger to the AVMA, Dr. McClure has been a member of the Judicial Council, a trustee on the AVMA PLIT, and an invited liaison from the AHI to the AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents. In addition, he was a member of the board of directors of the National Association for Biomedical Research.

Dr. McClure earned a DVM degree from Texas A&M University in 1988 and a law degree from the University of Texas in 1993.

Dr. Morgan was an assistant director of the GRD since 2008, during which time she honed her expertise on pharmaceutical issues and built relationships with state VMAs across the country. In her new role, Dr. Morgan is responsible for providing vision and leadership for the AVMA's state advocacy efforts. She received a DVM degree from Cornell University in 2004 and is a certified association executive.

Wilson brings more than two decades of event planning experience to the AVMA, where he is responsible for directing the overall strategy, planning, and execution of Association meetings, including the AVMA Convention.

He received a Bachelor of Science in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 1991. Following stints playing for the Cleveland Browns and the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League, Wilson put his hospitality and tourism degree to work with a variety of companies.

Prior to joining the AVMA staff, Wilson was director of event planning for the Chicago Marriott Oak Brook and, before that, associate director of sales at Hotel 71 in Chicago. His previous positions include regional sales manager with Harrah's Casino and Resort, meeting and events supervisor for Accenture, and assistant director of convention services at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel.

“I am so delighted and grateful to be a part of the AVMA organization. With over 23 years working in the hospitality industry, particularly in meetings and events, I feel that I have found a new home and opportunity that I have worked for over my career,” Wilson said.

“Being involved in planning meetings has been a passion of mine, and I am very excited about the challenges that lie ahead of me,” he continued. “My years with great organizations like Marriott Hotels and Resorts and Accenture have prepared me to really help strengthen our convention and meetings, keeping us fresh and innovative.”

AVMF, AVMA award inaugural veterans scholarships

Last year, in honor of the 100th anniversary of President Woodrow Wilson's signing of the National Defense Act of 1916 and the creation of a Veterinary Corps within the U.S. Army, the AVMA and American Veterinary Medical Foundation established a special scholarship for military veterans pursuing an education in veterinary medicine. Now, the four recipients of the first AVMA/AVMF Scholarship for Veterans have been named. Recipients of the $1,000 scholarships are as follows:

  • • Jemma Pipkin (Kansas State ‘19)

  • • Bronwen Horschel (Auburn ‘20)

  • • Graciela Orantes (Iowa State ‘20)

  • • Lizabeth Rennecker (North Carolina State ‘19)

To be eligible, students must be veterans of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, or Navy and be in their first, second, or third year at any AVMA Council on Education–accredited veterinary school. More information is available at http://jav.ma/militaryvetscholarship.

In addition, the AVMF awarded the Association for Women Veterinarians Foundation Legacy Scholarship ($500) to Isabel Jimenez (Cornell ‘19), the Dr. Elinor McGrath Scholarship ($500) to Shakera Fudge (Tuskegee ‘18), the Mildred C. Sylvester Scholarship ($1,000) to Merrill Simpson (Colorado State ‘19), and the AVMF/Winn Feline Foundation Scholarship ($2,500) to Casey Clements (Tennessee ‘18).

Finally, the following veterinary students are the 2017 recipients of the Harold Wetterberg Foundation Scholarship and received amounts ranging from $7,500 to $12,500:

  • • Lydia Ansen-Wilson (Wisconsin ‘18)

  • • Erica Lachenauer (Cornell ‘18)

  • • Monika Mostowy (Cornell ‘18)

  • • Jessica Romanet (North Carolina State ‘18)

  • • Kelly Cunningham (Colorado State ‘21)

  • • Charlotte Burns (Pennsylvania ‘19)

  • • Jonathan Nagel (Pennsylvania ‘18)

  • • Jamie Huselton (North Carolina State ‘19)

  • • Travis Grodkiewicz (Tufts ‘19)

Applications for the next round of AVMF scholarships will be available this fall and include the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. The company has recently increased its level of funding from $185,000 to $300,000, which will allow the AVMF to provide an additional 22 $5,000 scholarships for veterinary students in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean who are focusing on companion animal medicine. Thus, the $300,000 scholarship funding breakdown for second- and third-year veterinary students will be as follows:

  • • Ten $5,000 scholarships for students with a food animal focus in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.

  • • Thirty-two $5,000 scholarships for students with a companion animal focus in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.

  • • Fourteen $5,000 scholarships for students in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

A honey of a design

The Oct. 15, 2016, JAVMA News story “Federal directive brings veterinarians and beekeepers together” has won the silver Excel Award in magazine feature article design, circulation 50,001–100,000, for AVMA graphic designer Michele Morin. Association Media & Publishing sponsors the awards to recognize excellence and leadership in nonprofit association media, publishing, marketing, and communications. Across all categories, there were 830 entries.

Morin's approach was to unite the photography by JAVMA senior news reporter R. Scott Nolen and title of his story alongside graphic elements characteristic of honeybees in a visually interesting way. Morin has over 20 years of graphic design experience and celebrated her fifth anniversary on the AVMA Creative Services staff Aug. 31. JAVMA News is her primary responsibility among a variety of Associationwide print and digital projects. She received her bachelor's in fine arts and visual communication from Illinois State University.

Atypical BSE found in Alabama cow

Health authorities found in July that an 11-year-old beef cow in Alabama had bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a degenerative prion disease.

“This animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply, or to human health in the United States,” Department of Agriculture officials said in an announcement.

The cow had an atypical—or spontaneously developing—form of the disease, which differs from the classical form that is contracted through infected feed ingredients, according to the announcement from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The cow is the fifth known to be infected in the U.S., the first one having been discovered in 2003. That cow had a classical form of BSE, and the rest had atypical forms.

BSE spreads among cattle and to some other animals through consumption of transmissible prion proteins. Consumption of BSE-contaminated materials has been linked with a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a prion disease in humans. But APHIS officials have noted that animal tissues that could contain the BSE agent are prohibited from use in human and animal foods.

Atypical forms of BSE have been identified as L-type—the form found in the Alabama cow—or H-type.

Ryan Maddox, PhD, an epidemiologist in the Prion and Public Health Office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said L-type atypical BSE has been shown in laboratory conditions to infect both primates and humanized transgenic mice more efficiently than H-type atypical BSE or classical BSE. But he noted that there is no evidence of direct transmission of the L-type form to humans.

Dr. Maddox also said that BSE infections since the 1980s have been associated with disease in about 230 people worldwide, so he would not consider the risk to be extremely high. He also noted that the U.S. has regulations to reduce the risk to humans and animals.

Regulations from the Food and Drug Administration and the USDA prohibit inclusion of mammalian protein in ruminant feed or inclusion of high-risk materials in any animal feed. Examples of materials presenting the highest risk of transmission are the brains and spinal cords of cattle ages 2.5 years and older.

The USDA announcement states that atypical BSE occurs at a low rate in all cattle populations, usually in cattle age 8 years and older. At press time, the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) had received three other reports of atypical BSE in cattle during 2017, two of them in Spain and one in Ireland.

The OIE lists the United States and Spain among countries considered to have a negligible risk of BSE, and Ireland is considered to have a controlled risk.

Court strikes down agriculture filming law

A federal judge ruled in July that a Utah law designed to prevent secret filming on farms is an unconstitutional restriction of speech rights.

Amy Meyer was arrested in February 2013 after she captured video of what appeared to be a bulldozer moving a sick cow at a slaughterhouse in Draper City, Utah. Court documents indicate that, while multiple states have established criminal penalties for capturing video at an agriculture facility without consent, Meyer may be the only person to face criminal charges under one of those laws.

The court ruling also notes that Utah's law would not have applied to Meyer even if it were constitutional. Utah's law forbids lying to gain access to agriculture facilities and capture video inside, whereas Meyer captured video from a public right of way.

The criminal case against Meyer was dismissed in April 2013. But she, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals subsequently filed a civil rights suit against the state, alleging that the law still had chilling effects on speech protected by the Constitution.

In his ruling for the U.S. District Court for Utah, Judge Robert J. Shel by wrote that the state's defense—that the law is necessary to protect farm workers and animals from disease and injury—contradicted the law's history. He noted that legislators advocated for the law to keep vegetarian advocates from harming animal industries. He also wrote that the state failed to show that animal and employee safety are endangered by the people targeted by the law, or that the law would remedy such dangers.

“Utah undoubtedly has an interest in addressing perceived threats to the state agricultural industry, and as history shows, it has a variety of constitutionally permissible tools at its disposal to do so,” the ruling states. “Suppressing broad swaths of protected speech without justification, however, is not one of them.”

The ruling notes that other states including Iowa, Kansas, Montana, and North Dakota have enacted such laws since the 1990s in response to animal rights advocates' investigations exposing animal abuse. Utah's law was enacted in March 2012.

Fire may help control chronic wasting disease

By Greg Cima

The prion proteins that cause chronic wasting disease survive for years in soil and are taken up by plants.

Dr. Mark Zabel, associate director of the Prion Research Center at Colorado State University, thinks controlled burns may help.

“I do think that it's one of the only realistic and viable, possible solutions to the problem of CWD,” he said. “It's still spreading at a tremendous rate, and it's now endemic in about half of the lower 48 states, and so our options are becoming very limited.”

CWD is a neurologic disease, and it is always fatal to infected cervids, including deer, elk, and moose. It spreads animal to animal and through their environments, and its spread has raised concerns that the disease could cause local extinctions (see JAVMA, Aug. 15, 2017, page 371).

The prions are hardy, like spores or bacteria, and they are spread over substantial wilderness areas, Dr. Zabel said.

His research plan would take advantage of controlled burns already scheduled in national parks in Colorado and Arkansas, where the National Park Service is planning the fires for wildfire control and habitat restoration—management unrelated to CWD. Dr. Zabel has been modeling, in laboratory conditions, fire temperatures and durations and the effects those fires could have on prion titers.

The pilot study he wants to conduct would involve measuring amounts of CWD-causing prions found in soil and plants before the fires, and amounts in soil and new plants that grow afterward. The fires would affect herd movements, he said, but deer would be expected to return without any long-term changes in migration or habitat.

Dr. Zabel said he has heard concerns that controlled burns could push infected cervids into new areas, which he said is a possibility, and that could be measured through surveillance and disease prevalence estimates in areas around controlled burns.

Dr. Zabel said CWD is an enormous problem, and many large-scale solutions are worth considering. One recent suggestion led him to deliberate whether introducing wild horses to the Rocky Mountain ranges could interrupt CWD transmission since horses are resistant to prion disease and their grazing could remove some contaminated forage.

“This is such a hard thing to get ahold of because of the sheer geographical area that we're talking about and the persistence of prions in the environment,” he said.

For now, he said, spread of the disease shows no signs of slowing.

USDA modules opened to all veterinary professionals for CE credit

The Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Accreditation Program and Iowa State University are now offering NVAP training modules not only to USDA-accredited veterinarians and those who want to become accredited but also to all licensed veterinarians and to veterinary technicians.

USDA-accredited veterinarians who complete the modules will earn credit for accreditation renewal. All veterinarians and veterinary technicians can earn no-cost continuing education credits approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards' Registry of Approved Continuing Education after completing a seven-question quiz with at least five correct answers.

By expanding the number of veterinary professionals who complete these training modules, the USDA hopes to better prevent the spread of foreign animal diseases, zoonotic diseases, and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Twenty modules are currently available.

The modules are also open to the general public. Dr. Tim Cordes, senior staff veterinarian with the NVAP, said, “Many of our modules on veterinary feed directives, aquaculture, and use of antibiotics in animals attract producers, agriculturalists, and researchers.”

Access the modules at http://jav.ma/USDAmodules.

Researchers find biomarkers in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

Researchers at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University have discovered microRNA biomarkers in extracellular vesicles in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease and congestive heart failure.

Extracellular vesicles including exosomes are secreted by cells, spreading signals from cell to cell and circulating in blood. “Circulating exosome microRNA associated with heart failure secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease in a naturally occurring canine model” appeared online July 12 in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles.

In their analysis, researchers found that the expressions of circulating exosome microRNA not only change with disease progression and development of heart failure in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease but also change solely on the basis of aging in dogs. Additionally, they found that exosome microRNA expression changes appear to be more specific to disease states than the measure of microRNA from plasma without attention to the isolation of exosome microRNA. This suggests that exosome microRNA may offer a novel approach that improves on established methods of monitoring patients with heart disease and other diseases, yet relies on readily available samples such as blood and urine.

In dogs, MMVD is the most common acquired cardiac disease and cause of congestive heart failure, making up two-thirds of all cardiac cases. According to the study, “Plasma ex-miRNA show great promise as biomarkers for MMVD disease monitoring and may also help elucidate the pathophysiology of the disease and subsequently help devise therapeutic strategies.”

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

Agency drafts plans for animal disease preparation, response

Federal animal health authorities published a plan to monitor for disease emergence and draw up plans for the biggest risks.

The plan published in July by the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service describes how the agency's Veterinary Services will group diseases into categories by risk to animal and human health, work with other government and private entities on subjects such as data collection and disease prevention, and communicate about disease threats. Rather than try to create a single response plan for all diseases, the agency describes in the document the methods that will be used to detect emergence and tailor each response.

The “Emerging animal disease preparedness and response plan” is available as a PDF at http://jav.ma/emergingplan. In 2014, the framework for this plan was outlined in an APHIS concept paper.

The APHIS plan directs processes for assessing emerging disease risks, creating emerging disease preparation and response teams, and determining what actions to take and resources to allocate. It also describes work with federal, state, tribal, academic, industry, and trade entities on subjects such as data collection, disease prevention, and outbreak response.

States will be responsible for reporting diseases, issuing holds or quarantines, and participating in local monitoring, control, and eradication activities. APHIS also is encouraging state authorities to contact Veterinary Services about unusual disease in their states as well as discuss diagnostic test results and epidemiologic information.

The plans lists porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, infectious salmon anemia, West Nile virus infection, monkeypox, Schmallenberg virus infection, and porcine epidemic diarrhea among examples of animal diseases that have harmed U.S. animals in the past few decades or could enter the country.

Purdue dedicates equine specialty hospital

The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine held a dedication ceremony April 25 to celebrate the opening of the Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital in Shelbyville, Indiana.

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The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine's Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital in Shelbyville, Indiana, will serve the equine industry statewide. It was dedicated in April. (Courtesy of Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

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The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine's Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital in Shelbyville, Indiana, will serve the equine industry statewide. It was dedicated in April. (Courtesy of Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

The satellite facility is located about 90 miles southwest of Indianapolis, near the Indiana Grand Racing and Casino, which hosts Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. The facility provides specialized medical services for horses while supporting equine research and the veterinary education of future equine specialists, according to a university press release.

“Because of where we're located (in West Lafayette, Indiana), it precluded people from getting their sick and injured horses to us in a timely fashion. So to cut down on transportation time, and to provide better health care to animals, we built this facility,” Dr. Willie Reed, dean of Purdue's veterinary college, told JAVMA. He says it will also enhance the equine sports medicine program's research efforts.

The $8.8 million to build the specialty hospital came entirely from philanthropy.

The hospital's team is led by Dr. Timm Gudehus, an equine orthopedic surgeon with an extensive international background in racehorse medicine and equine health care.

The 17,000-square-foot facility offers advanced diagnostic imaging, including a four-dimensional, stereo-dynamic robotics-driven diagnostic imaging system with two robotic arms, allowing a horse to walk in between for more efficient processing. Horse owners and trainers will have access to shock-wave therapy, nuclear medicine, regenerative medicine, endoscopic laser surgery, and specialized equine orthopedic and soft tissue surgery.

During the ceremony, Dr. Gudehus detailed his plans to increase the size and scope of his team, over time, by showing the value of the high-end diagnostic equipment. He also emphasized the importance of building relationships with referring veterinarians.

“As much as equipment can do, we need to be there for our referring vets to take on as many critical cases as possible, 24 hours a day,” Dr. Gudehus said.

For more information about the Centaur Equine Specialty Hospital, visit http://vet.purdue.edu/equine.

Gulf Coast will get Auburn satellite clinic

Auburn University and the city of Gulf Shores, Alabama, broke ground June 30 for a complex that will serve as both an educational outpost for the university and a resource for Gulf Coast residents.

The College of Veterinary Medicine's referral center will be the centerpiece of the 24,000-square-foot Auburn University Educational Complex. It will serve as an extension of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Auburn, Alabama, to provide specialty and after-hours veterinary services and educational opportunities for students interested in internal medicine and surgery. The satellite clinic is located about 240 miles southwest of Auburn.

Dr. Calvin Johnson, dean of the Auburn veterinary college, said in a university press release: “We see this as an opportunity to more efficiently serve regional veterinarians and advance animal health while providing an expanded educational experience for our students and residents.”

By having a base of operations in Gulf Shores, Auburn can enhance its student engagement in veterinary clinical education and laboratory training in disciplines unique to Alabama's Gulf Coast, such as marine mammal medicine, aquatic animal disease, zoological and wildlife medicine, and emergency response.

Auburn's Veterinary Teaching Hospital has long served as a referral center for veterinarians practicing in south Alabama and west Florida. The new complex will be staffed with Auburn University veterinarians and veterinary technicians and provide 24-hour care as well as offer emergency coverage, said Dean Johnson in the press release.

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A rendering of Auburn's planned academic complex in Gulf Shores, Alabama (Courtesy of Auburn University)

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

Other Auburn programs included in the complex are the Auburn Aviation Center, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development.

“Establishing the Auburn University Educational Complex in Gulf Shores advances our institution's mission by providing educational opportunities and services that are not only mutually beneficial, but also impactful,” said Auburn University Provost Timothy Boosinger.

American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine

The American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine certified 46 new diplomates following the certification examination it held July 16 in Bethesda, Maryland. The new diplomates are as follows:

Dil Alper, New Haven, Connecticut

Damodaran Annamalai, Boston

Bethany Atchley, Bethesda, Maryland

Gillian Braden, Frederick, Maryland

Monica Burns, Boston

Cynthia Cary, Atlanta

Deepti Chadalavada, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Dalis Collins, Houston

John Dutton, Boerne, Texas

Rebecca Erickson, Chicago

James Finlay, Duarte, California

Zachary Freeman, Baltimore

Melany Gee, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Nneka George, Lawrence, Kansas

Philip Gerwin, Groton, Connecticut

Anna Goodroe, Baltimore

Abigail Greenstein, Chicago

Lauren Habenicht, Boston

Sarah Hansen, Columbia, Missouri

Sara Hegge, Rockville, Maryland

Nicole Herndon, New York

Christian Hofer, Fairfax, Virginia

Matthew Hogan, Charlestown, Massachusetts

Monika Huss, Los Altos Hills, California

Terri Iwata, Seattle

Carissa Jones, Brentwood, Tennessee

Stacy Kang, Palo Altos, California

Nathan Koewler, Roseville, Minnesota

Mia Lieberman, Boston

Cynthia Lockworth, Houston

Nicole Lukovsky-Akhsanov, Atlanta

Branden Maxwell, Bethesda, Maryland

Stacy Meeker, Seattle

Jennifer Mitchell, Houston

Anna Mullins, Bethesda, Maryland

Allison Ostdiek, Chicago

Sara C. Pfeiffer, Philadelphia

Kamala Rapp-Santos, Frederick, Maryland

Jacqueline Scapa, Boston

Curtis Schondelmeyer, Boston

Jem Scott-Emuakpor, Raleigh, North Carolina

Stacie Seelye, College Station, Texas

Heather Sidener, Portland, Oregon

Keely Szilagyi, Indianapolis

Meghan Vermillion, Baltimore

Lemnique Wafer, Alice, Texas

Morris Animal Foundation announces grants for wildlife studies

Morris Animal Foundation announced July 11 that it has funded 11 studies to advance the health of wildlife species around the world.

The grants total $775,866. The wildlife studies funded for 2017 are as follows:

  • • Saving Ridgway's hawks from extinction, The Peregrine Fund.

  • • Developing a vaccine strategy for a lethal disease in young elephants, Baylor College of Medicine, Waco, Texas.

  • • Investigating lead exposure and health impact in urban birds, Tulane University, New Orleans.

  • • Controlling mange epidemics in endangered San Joaquin kit foxes, California State University-Stanislaus.

  • • Managing tuberculosis in wildlife, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  • • Investigating risk of heart disease in southern sea otters, University of California-Davis.

  • • Ensuring long-term survival of endangered cranes, Smithsonian Institution.

  • • Saving Mongolian wildlife from goat plague, Wildlife Conservation Society.

  • • Assessing chronic stress in porpoises, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

  • • Understanding stingray reproductive disease, South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction & Conservation.

  • • Identifying an early pregnancy test for conservation of multiple wild mammal species, North Dakota State University.

“Animals around the world are facing not only established health challenges, such as tuberculosis, but new and emerging diseases and environmental conditions that pose serious threats to their health,” said Dr. Barbara Wolfe, chief scientific officer at Morris Animal Foundation, in an announcement about the grants.

“Wildlife researchers endure difficult conditions and increasing challenges to make a difference for the health of these spectacular species. These dedicated scientists are among the most talented in the world, and we are honored to support their important work.”

The foundation's Wildlife Scientific Advisory Board reviewed 168 grant applications for scientific merit and impact to select the studies with the greatest potential to save lives and species, preserve health, and advance veterinary care.

Phi Zeta presents research awards

Phi Zeta, the international honor society of veterinary medicine, recently presented awards to authors of two research manuscripts among submissions from the Phi Zeta chapters at 28 U.S. and two Caribbean veterinary colleges. Established in 1978, the awards consist of a plaque and a $1,000 check.

The basic sciences award went to Dr. Ronald Li (Guelph ‘09) at the Lambda chapter of Phi Zeta at the University of California-Davis. His winning paper was “Platelet activation and clopidogrel effects on ADP-induced platelet activation in cats with or without the A31P mutation in MYBPC3” (J Vet Intern Med 2016;30:1619–1629).

Dr. Li is a doctoral candidate and Morris Animal Foundation Research Fellow at UC-Davis. After a rotating internship in Toronto, he pursued an emergency and critical care residency and in 2011 earned a Master of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of London Royal Veterinary College. He became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2014. Dr. Li's research focuses on platelet signaling, thrombosis, and neutrophil biology in sepsis. His clinical interests are management of respiratory failure, acquired coagulopathy, and thrombosis in critical illness.

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Dr. Ronald Li

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

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Dr. Alycen Lundberg

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

The clinical sciences award was presented to Dr. Alycen Lundberg (Minnesota ‘12) at the Mu chapter of Phi Zeta at the University of Illinois. Her winning paper was “Pharmacokinetics and derivation of an anticancer dosing regimen for the novel anti-cancer agent isobutyl-dexoynyboquinone (IB-DNQ), a NQO1 bioactivatable molecule, in the domestic felid species” (Invest New Drugs 2017;35:134–144).

Dr. Lundberg completed a small animal rotating internship at Iowa State University in 2013 and a medical oncology residency at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2016. She stayed at Illinois as a doctoral candidate in the Comparative Oncology Research Laboratory, with her research focusing on targeted anti-cancer therapies in dogs and cats. She also spends time as a clinical instructor in the medical oncology service.

Dr. Sherbyn W. Ostrich 1937–2017

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Dr. Sherbyn W. Ostrich

Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 251, 5; 10.2460/javma.251.5.480

Dr. Sherbyn W. Ostrich, the former AVMA president from Robesonia, Pennsylvania, who anticipated the veterinary profession's present economic tribulations, died June 30, 2017. He was 79.

Born Oct. 28, 1937, in Philadelphia, Dr. Ostrich would attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a VMD degree in 1963. He remained in the Keystone State throughout his veterinary career, owning and operating a number of small animal practices in Berks and Lebanon counties until his retirement in 2016. He served 10 years on the Humane Society of Berks County board of directors.

In 1986, Dr. Ostrich was a member of the Advisory Committee to the Pennsylvania secretary of agriculture. Three years later, he was one of three veterinarians Gov. Robert Casey appointed to the newly established Pennsylvania Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission. Dr. Ostrich served in various capacities during the eight years he was with the commission, including as vice chair and acting executive director.

Dr. Ostrich was inspired to become a veterinarian as a youth working on his uncle's farm. He participated at the highest levels of organized veterinary medicine to promote and protect the profession he so loved. He was president of the Pennsylvania VMA (1984), District II representative on the AVMA Board of Directors (1987–92), AVMA president (1995–96), PVMA delegate and alternate delegate to the AVMA (2003–04), and a member of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation Board of Directors (2005–09).

In Dr. Ostrich's presidential address to the AVMA House of Delegates on July 8, 1995, he identified veterinary educational debt and practice profitability as the two most serious challenges facing the profession. He warned against the growing imbalance between high student loan debt and low starting veterinary salaries, describing it as “a house of cards, which will come falling down upon us” unless veterinary leaders act.

The AVMA hosted its first veterinary economics forum in April 1996 at Dr. Ostrich's urging. That led to an in-depth economic analysis titled “The Current and Future Market for Veterinarians and Veterinary Medical Services in the United States” and the subsequent formation of the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues, of which Dr. Ostrich was a charter member.

“Dr. Ostrich was one of the deepest thinkers I have encountered in my 52 years as a veterinarian. He was a hero to the profession and to the animals we serve,” recalled Dr. Bruce Little, AVMA executive vice president from 1996–2007.

“He would stand his ground in any debate concerning the issues facing the AVMA and the veterinary profession,” Dr. Little continued. “However, he was always willing to listen to the opinions of the other side of the debate. If he became convinced that others had a better idea, he was the first to graciously join in their point of view and champion the will of the majority.”

Dr. Ostrich was named a National Academies of Practice Distinguished Practitioner in 1993 and received the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's first Bellwether Award for Distinguished Leadership in 1995. He was the Pennsylvania VMA's Veterinarian of the Year in 1986 and also received top honors from the American Animal Hospital Association.

Dr. Ostrich is survived by his wife, Dianne, and their four children: Sheryl L. Hanlon, Janelle L. Jander, Ann Marie V. Pietrobono, and Michael J. Ostrich. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and two great-grandsons. Their foster son James Gladfelter, one of many children the Ostriches fostered, predeceased him.

Donations may be made in Dr. Ostrich's memory to the AVMF, Department 20-1122, P.O. Box 5940, Carol Stream, IL 60197-5940, or the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, 8574 Paxton St., Hummelstown, Pennsylvania 17036.

By R. Scott Nolen

Obituaries: AVMA member AVMA honor roll member Nonmember

Burton E. Anderson

Dr. Anderson (Minnesota ‘58), 83, Raleigh, North Carolina, died Jan. 10, 2017. Following graduation, he joined the Air Force, attaining the rank of captain. Dr. Anderson then established a practice in Largo, Florida, where he initially practiced mixed animal medicine, later focusing on small animals. In 1977, he moved to Menomonie, Wisconsin, serving as a relief veterinarian in the area. In 1982, Dr. Anderson shifted to Raleigh, where he founded Armadale Animal Hospital and co-founded Armadale Farm Kennel. He was a member of the North Carolina VMA and a past president of the Rotary Club of North Raleigh.

Dr. Anderson's wife, Lynette; two sons; and five grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Wake County, 200 Petfinder Lane, Raleigh, NC 27603.

William T. Burke

Dr. Burke (Minnesota ‘61), 89, Rochester, Minnesota, died April 14, 2017. He worked for the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., for several years. Dr. Burke was a veteran of the Coast Guard. His wife, Bonnie; two sons and three stepchildren; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090.

John S. Evans

Dr. Evans (Pennsylvania ‘59), 85, Vanport, Pennsylvania, died April 18, 2017. He practiced small animal medicine in Pennsylvania at Five Points and New Brighton prior to retirement. Dr. Evans also provided his services at the Beaver County Humane Society. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War. Dr. Evans is survived by his wife, Estelle; four sons, a daughter, and two stepdaughters; and seven grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001.

Gary D. Frakes

Dr. Frakes (Minnesota ‘74), 69, Magnolia, Texas, died May 2, 2017. Dr. Frakes (Minnesota ‘74), 69, Magnolia, Texas, died May 2, 2017. An equine practitioner, he worked at racetracks in Houston and Dallas for the past 16 years, and earlier, at racetracks nationwide, sometimes as a state veterinarian and other times as a private practitioner. In retirement, he bred, raised, and raced Thoroughbreds. Dr. Frakes was a member of the Texas Racing Commission. His endowment to the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, the Gary D. Frakes Endowment for Equine Programs, supports programs that advance the health, welfare, and compassionate care of horses. Dr. Frakes is survived by his mother and brother.

Elbert R. Hinshaw

Dr. Hinshaw (Colorado State ‘48), 93, Prescott, Arizona, died Jan. 1, 2017. He was an Arizona state veterinarian prior to retirement in 1992. Earlier in his career, Dr. Hinshaw owned a large animal practice in Buckeye, Arizona, and served as a veterinarian for the horse and Greyhound racing industries in Arizona, Nebraska, Colorado, and Nevada. In 1992, the Arizona VMA honored him with the Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Hinshaw was a member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Arizona and Yavapai Cattle Growers' associations. He served in the Army from 1943–1944 and in the Navy from 1944–1946. Dr. Hinshaw's two sons, a daughter, eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and a great great-grandchild survive him. His brother, the late Dr. William R. Hinshaw (Colorado State ‘52), was a veterinarian with the Arizona State Racing Commission.

Memorials may be made to Westside Christian Church, 5860 Williamson Valley Road, Prescott, AZ 86305, or Good Samaritan Hospice, 1065 Ruth St., Prescott, AZ 86301.

Stanley C. Kadlub

Dr. Kadlub (Illinois ‘57), 85, Delray Beach, Florida, died June 22, 2017. In 1969, he moved to Florida, where he owned a small animal practice in Broward County. Earlier, Dr. Kadlub owned a practice in Chicago. His brother and three sisters survive him.

Peter P. Kintzer

Dr. Kintzer (Cornell ‘85), 55, Sutton, Massachusetts, died March 2, 2017. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, he most recently worked as a field medical specialist for Idexx Laboratories and served on the medical review board for the Pet Health Network. Earlier, Dr. Kintzer was a staff member at Tufts University and served 15 years as an internist at specialty referral practices in New England. His wife, Katey, and a son and a daughter survive him. Memorials, notated to the Dr. Peter Kintzer ‘85 Memorial Scholarship, may be made to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Howard H. Mishkin

Dr. Mishkin (Philippines-Diliman ‘51), 92, Deerfield Beach, Florida, died June 3, 2017. In 1961, he established a small animal practice in Brooklyn Park, Maryland, where he worked for 30 years prior to retirement. Earlier in his career, Dr. Mishkin practiced mixed animal medicine in southwest Virginia for several years and worked as a meat inspector for the United States Department of Agriculture in Chicago. His wife, Shirley; a son and a daughter; and two grandchildren survive him.

Robert B. Morrison

Dr. Morrison (Saskatchewan ‘79), 64, Roseville, Minnesota, died May 2, 2017. He was a professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Morrison was known for his expertise in swine herd health and recently launched the Swine Health Monitoring Project, providing weekly reports on the health status of more than 50 percent of the country's sow herds. He also coordinated the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Leman China Swine Conference in Nanjing, China. Earlier in his career, Dr. Morrison worked for the United Nations on a beef development project in South America.

A past president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and a past executive editor of the Journal of Swine Health and Production, he received the AASV Meritorious Award in 1995. In 2016, National Hog Farmer honored Dr. Morrison with the Master of the Pork Industry Award.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanie; a daughter and two sons; and a grandchild. Memorials toward the University of Minnesota Foundation SquashScholars Scholarship may be made to the University of Minnesota Foundation, P.O. Box 860266, Minneapolis, MN 55486, or Global Health Ministries (Project #79 AL-P0001), 7831 Hickory St. NE, Fridley, MN 55432.

James A. Robberson

Dr. Robberson (Missouri ‘64), 80, Springfield, Missouri, died Feb. 2, 2017. Following graduation, he moved to Springfield, where he established a mixed animal practice. Dr. Robberson subsequently founded the Equine Clinic in Springfield. He retired after more than 35 years of practice in Springfield. Dr. Robberson was a veteran of the Air Force, serving as a lieutenant. His wife, Eleanor; two daughters; and four grandchildren survive him. Memorials, with the memo line of the check notated to 4H-Robberson Family, may be made to Greene County Extension, 2400 S. Scenic Ave., Springfield, MO 65807, or to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, Attn: Office of Advancement, W210 Veterinary Medicine Building, Columbia, MO 65211, with the memo line of the check notated to the Dr. James Robberson Equine Memorial Fund.

Richard D. Royse

Dr. Royse (Kansas State ‘59), 87, Salina, Kansas, died Jan. 25, 2017. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Crestview Animal Clinic in Wichita, Kansas, from 1964 until retirement in 1997. Prior to that, Dr. Royse owned Gump Animal Clinic in Wichita. From 1980–1991, he co-authored the section on Gun Dogs in Field & Stream magazine. A past president of the Wichita VMA, Dr. Royse was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association and Kansas VMA. He served as an adviser to the Sedgwick County Health Department from 1969–1975. Dr. Royse was a Navy veteran of the Korean War.

He is survived by his son, daughter, and grandson. Memorials may be made to the Salina Animal Shelter, 329 N. 2nd St., Salina, KS 67401.

Charles O. Thoen

Dr. Thoen (Minnesota ‘61), 80, Ames, Iowa, died May 8, 2017. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists, he was a professor of veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation and after earning his doctorate in microbiology from the University of Minnesota's Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Dr. Thoen served as head of the mycobacteria and brucella section at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories of the Department of Agriculture. In 1978, he joined Iowa State's veterinary college as a professor, chairing the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine from 1997–2001. An expert in zoonotic tuberculosis and pathogenic mycobacteria, Dr. Thoen was a past chair of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease's zoonotic tuberculosis subsection and the World Health Organization's Committee on Animal Tuberculosis. He was a past president of the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society and consulted with the Smithsonian Institution, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pan American Health Organization, and ministries of agriculture worldwide. In the mid-1990s, Dr. Thoen worked with the USDA and a national association of elephant owners to develop guidelines for the testing, treating, and monitoring of tuberculosis in elephants. He served as associate editor of the International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease and co-edited the third edition of “Zoonotic Tuberculosis: Mycobacterium bovis and Other Pathogenic Mycobacteria.” An advocate for the One Health Initiative, he authored a monograph for its educational portal. In 2009, he received the AVES Karl F. Meyer–James H. Steele Gold Headed Cane Award, and, in 2014, the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine's Distinguished Research Alumnus Award. Dr. Thoen's son, daughter, and eight grandchildren survive him.

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