IN SHORT
REVISIONS COULD CHANGE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT REGULATIONS
The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking public comment on proposed updates to Animal Welfare Act licensing requirements. The AWA authorizes the USDA to regulate the handling, care, treatment, and transportation of certain animals by dealers, exhibitors, research facilities, and certain other parties.
In 2017, the USDA published an advance notice proposing revisions to AWA regulations to reduce regulatory burden and ensure sustained compliance. After receiving more than 47,000 comments, the USDA is now proposing to amend its licensing requirements to eliminate automatic renewals, according to a March 21 press release. With this change, licensees would have to demonstrate compliance with the AWA and that their animals receive adequate care.
The proposed rule also would require any dealer, exhibitor, or research facility with dogs to maintain a written program for veterinary care and medical records and make those records available to the USDA on request. The program would have to include regular visits by an attending veterinarian to conduct a complete physical examination of each dog not less than once a year, vaccination against contagious and deadly diseases, and preventive care and treatment for hair coats, nails, eyes, ears, skin, and teeth. The proposed rule also would require that dogs have continual access to potable water unless restricted by an attending veterinarian.
The proposed revisions can be found at https://jav.ma/AWAproposedrules. Comments can be submitted until May 21 by visiting https://jav.ma/AWAcomments or writing to Docket No. APHIS-2017-0062, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737.
MEXICAN VETERINARY SCHOOL RECEIVES COE ACCREDITATION
The AVMA Council on Education has accredited the National Autonomous University of Mexico School of Veterinary Medicine.
The decision was made during a special COE meeting on December 20, 2018, at AVMA headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois. This decision revises the probationary accreditation status the COE awarded the veterinary school during its Sept. 23-25, 2018, meeting. The probationary accreditation decision was made after a site visit in spring 2018 and was based on major deficiencies in Standard 3 (Physical Facilities and Equipment), according to information released by the COE.
Mark Cushing, a consultant for UNAM and founder of the Animal Policy Group, said that the probationary status had to do with a specific dairy facility that the COE deemed below its standards during the site visit. UNAM immediately took steps to pull students out of the dairy facility and have them sent to a different location, Cushing said, and indicated to the COE that it had made that change.
Accredited is a status granted to a veterinary college that has no deficiencies in any of the standards and is granted for a period of up to seven years.
UNAM was first accredited in 2011 by the COE and is the oldest veterinary school in the Western Hemisphere.
AAEP RELEASES GUIDELINES ON ROTAVIRUS
The American Association of Equine Practitioners has published comprehensive guidelines on rotavirus.
The guidelines, released in March, include how to identify, manage, and prevent the disease. Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in foals up to 6 months old.
The AAEP Infectious Disease Committee requested that Dr. Roberta Dwyer, equine extension veterinarian and professor at the University of Kentucky, and Dr. Ashley Whitehead, senior instructor in equine clinical sciences at the University of Calgary, create the guidelines.
“Foal diarrhea remains a disease of enormous significance to the horse industry,” Dr. Dwyer said in a press release. “Rotavirus is one of the most common pathogens in major breeding areas worldwide. Early recognition, diagnosis, treatment and biosecurity in cases of foal diarrhea are key to minimizing disease impacts to breeding farms.”
The guidelines were approved by the AAEP Infectious Disease Committee and the AAEP board of directors, according to the press release. A PDF version of the guidelines can be downloaded here: https://jav.ma/AAEPguide.
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AAVMC keeps focused on inclusion
Veterinary colleges continue diversity dialogue
By Kaitlyn Mattson
Attendees listen to Scott E. Page, PhD, author and professor of complex systems, political science, and economics at the University of Michigan, at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, held March 8-10 in Washington, D.C. (Photos courtesy of AAVMC)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges continued its work to promote the benefits of—and offer blueprints on how to create—a more diverse and inclusive population within veterinary colleges during its Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium, held March 8-10 in Washington, D.C.
Several sessions homed in on the best practices and strategies to build diverse teams and on how to identify unconscious bias, foster honest dialogue, and enhance the admissions process to consider diversity earlier in the process. The theme of the meeting was “The Science of Building Inclusive Teams.”
Lisa Greenhill, EdD, senior director of institutional research and diversity at AAVMC, has seen the discussion shift during her 20 years working with veterinary academics, she said in an interview with JAVMA News.
“The conversation has changed dramatically. Years ago, issues around cultural competency, privilege, and microaggressions would be far more controversial. Now, if we have provocative speakers, people are more engaged, willing to listen, and they know there is a direct impact on the student, faculty, and staff experience.”
THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE
Dr. Greenhill said, during the AAVMC session “Critical Dialogues about Espoused Values and Alignment of Artifacts to Build Inclusive Teams in Veterinary Medicine,” that the conversation can always go further. She spoke about the idea of shared values to drive team development.
“Organizational values drive organizational behavior. Our policies, practices, and procedures make us believe organizational behavior is entirely rational, when really they are a reflection of our values. When your values are clear, your decisions become clear,” Dr. Greenhill said.
She suggested some of the following questions for organizations to consider when thinking about values:
• Are diversity and inclusion stated in the mission and vision?
• Are diversity and inclusion a permanent component of strategic planning efforts?
• Are leaders, volunteers, and new staff expected to complete diversity and inclusion training and professional development as a part of onboarding or promotion?
• Are leadership activities designed to cultivate a more diverse pool of potential leaders?
Increasingly, veterinary colleges have recognized the need for diversity to be woven into their culture and values.
Dr. Greenhill said during her interview with JAVMA News, “More than ever, colleges have someone whose designated job is to focus on (diversity and inclusion) and how it impacts the college environment.”
While the conversations may be shifting, the reason and need for diversity should always be percolating, according to Scott E. Page, PhD, author and professor of complex systems, political science, and economics at the University of Michigan.
“Why we want to be inclusive and promote diversity is (because) we are actually going to get better outcomes (on complex problems),” Dr. Page said during a plenary session. “When you are solving complex problems and dealing with complex issues, diversity gives you bonuses.”
Dr. Page does research on how diversity improves performance and decision-making.
He recommended several questions to ask in order to measure diversity, such as: Whom are we hiring? How are we rating people on performance? Whom are we promoting? How are we paying people? Who is winning awards? To whom am I sending emails? Are people comfortable at work? What things do we want to accomplish, and can we get the right people in the room to accomplish them?
Diversity may be a consideration for faculty and administrators, but veterinary students are also keen to have their voices heard.
“The conversation about diversity in veterinary medicine is important,” said Jeremy Coleman, a student in the Western University of Health Sciences Class of 2023, who is black. “You are going to have clients not only that look like you, but clients who look like all of us. You have to be able to talk to everyone, and how are you going to learn that if your classmates don't look like that?”
Administrators and faculty need to listen to what students have to say around this topic and others, he said.
“You picked us to be in your veterinary program, and we have something to contribute to the conversation. We have real concerns, real ideas, and we can bring something really informative to the table,” Coleman said.
THE STARTING LINE
In the session “Competency Based Admissions,” Dr. Jacquelyn Pelzer, director of admissions and student support at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, discussed two kinds of admissions: holistic review and competency-based admission.
Holistic review is a way of assessing an applicant's capabilities through balanced consideration of experiences, attributes, and academic metrics as well as nonstandardized information, Dr. Pelzer said. Competency-based admission evaluates an applicant's ability to demonstrate a core set of entry-level competencies needed to be successful in a program and subsequent professional life.
Diversity within the student community at Virginia-Maryland, assessed on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, and socioeconomic status, has increased from 7 percent in 2009 to 38 percent in 2018, according to Dr. Pelzer. Virginia-Maryland uses the holistic review process.
Lisa Greenhill, EdD, senior director of institutional research and diversity at the AAVMC, said the conversation has changed dramatically around issues such as cultural competency, privilege, and microaggressions in the nearly 20 years she has been involved in veterinary academia.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Panelists (left to right) Lisa Greenhill, EdD; Dr. Jacquelyn Pelzer; Dr. Jonathan M. Levine; Dr. Kenita S. Rogers; Nancy Watson, PhD; and Jeremy Coleman during the AAVMC session “Critical Dialogues about Espoused Values and Alignment of Artifacts to Build Inclusive Teams in Veterinary Medicine.”
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
“If we are not considering diversity from the beginning and we value diversity, we need to think differently,” she said. “We are all passionate about doing the right thing, but we compromise time and time again to get the job done with fewer resources and larger applicant pools. We can only meet those challenges of diversifying our student communities through the honest reflection of our practices and learning to dance with those tensions.”
Dr. Pelzer reported several items Virginia-Maryland focused on to build diversity into its admission process, such as updating its mission statement to include diversity and inclusion, training admissions committee members and interviewers on that mission and its relation to diversity, and implementing a multiple mini-interview format to assess nonacademic attributes.
“We should have the courage to address the hidden aspect of privilege within our admissions practices and embrace the value of multiple excellences other than hanging on to our historic perceptions of what merit and excellence looks like,” Dr. Pelzer said.
Dr. Pelzer mentioned that most veterinary colleges use a form of holistic review, and while Virginia-Maryland has had luck with the process, the veterinary college is in the process of moving to a competency-based system.
The reason for the change can be partially attributed to a lawsuit, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, that could change the approach to race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions. The suit claims that Harvard University, which uses a holistic review process, discriminates against Asian-American applicants. The suit is likely to go to the Supreme Court.
In addition, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, which includes the proposed School of Veterinary Medicine, has agreed to end its consideration of race and national origin in admissions. The change comes after the center came to an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education's Office on Civil Rights earlier this year, according to news reports. The office had conducted a 14-year probe into the use of affirmative action in admissions policies at the School of Medicine.
'I’ IS FOR INCLUSIVE
The AVMA Council on Education, which accredits veterinary colleges, took steps to better incorporate and highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion by revising several of its accreditation standards in March 2017. Standard 9 (Curriculum) now states that there should be opportunities for students to gain and integrate an understanding of the important influences of diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine, including the impact of implicit bias. Standard 7 (Admissions) now states that student recruitment and admission practices must be nondiscriminatory.
“(Diversity and inclusion are) not an elective. This is core material, it should be core material. This is not a soft skill. This is one of the success metrics for our graduates,” said Dr. Kenita S. Rogers, executive associate dean and director of diversity and inclusion at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Rogers was awarded this year's Iverson Bell Award for her contributions to advancing inclusion and diversity (see page 1148).
Nearly 400 educators from around the world registered for the conference, which was themed “The Science of Building Effective Teams.” The meeting focused on strategies for building diverse and inclusive teams in work environments.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
“We cannot afford for our students not to be able to work across the aisle, to work with others, to recognize difference, to embrace difference, and do a great job with difference,” she said.
For Dr. Rebecca Stinson, associate director of student support and admissions at Virginia-Maryland, a strong and diverse team includes several attributes: a sense of community, cultural competency, and civility, respect, and engagement.
Cultural competence is best described as understanding the effects of bias on decision-making and developing a strategy to deal with the issues that may arise from that bias, Dr. Stinson said during the “Creating Collaborative and Inclusive Teams” session.
At the conference, the overarching drive for attendees seemed to be not only learning strategies for creating diversity within the veterinary field but also finding ways to keep potential veterinarians engaged and thriving.
Dr. Greenhill said, “We want to create future professionals who will be at their best, and if they're fending off a bunch of nonsense in the classroom or the larger academic environment, that's not going to produce what we are committed to producing.”
THE VETERINARY STUDENT POPULATION IN NUMBERS
By Kaitlyn Mattson
The number of veterinary students who attend Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges’ member institutions—30 U.S., five Canadian, and 14 other international—is going up.
There are currently 13,323 veterinary students studying at U.S. institutions, an increase of 2.3 percent from last year. Of that total, 19.6 percent are from historically underrepresented populations in veterinary medicine, up 1.1 percentage points from last year, according to the 2018-19 AAVMC Annual Data Report.
Historically underrepresented populations are identified by the AAVMC as populations of individuals “whose advancement in veterinary medicine has been impacted due to legal, cultural, or social climate impediments in the U.S., specifically by gender, race, ethnicity, geographic, socioeconomic, and educational disadvantages.”
Although there has been a shift toward greater diversity at veterinary colleges in the past 10 years, the student population is still 71.1 percent white.
However, Lisa Greenhill, EdD, senior director of institutional research and diversity at AAVMC, said, “diversity is an onion,” with many layers, during an interview with JAVMA News.
She pointed to the number of applicants who identify as first-generation college students as one measure of diversity within the population.
About 28.6 percent of applicants in 2019 were first-generation college students, according to the report. The percentage of applicants eligible for or receiving Pell Grants, which are awarded on the basis of financial need, was 27.2 percent.
Total veterinary student enrollment at the U.S. veterinary colleges is 13,323. This chart relies on raw numbers rather than percentages. (Source: AAVMC Annual Data Report)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
“It is a different dimension of diversity,” Dr. Greenhill said. “If we are talking about more visible diversity attributes, it is noticeably lacking. But when we start to peel back some of these other areas, it is there. It is still low numbers, but you start seeing a bit more of a complicated picture.”
The report also included the following information:
• The median college tuition for instate students is $31,979 and for out-of-state students is $52,613.
• The 2018 mean educational indebtedness is $174,117 and only 19.6 percent of students have no debt.
• There are 4,185 faculty members at U.S. veterinary colleges, and of that total, 18.0 percent of tenure or tenure-track faculty, 12.5 percent of research faculty, 12.8 percent of administrators, and 10.3 percent of clinical faculty are from historically underrepresented populations.
The Comparative Data Report project and surveys from AAVMC member institutions are used to create the report.
AVMA LAUNCHES AXON, A NEW ONLINE CE PLATFORM
The AVMA has launched the next generation of its digital continuing education for all veterinary professionals.
The new online learning platform, AVMA Axon, provides a place for the entire veterinary team to access the AVMA's full library of digital learning, earn CE, and acquire skills for personal and professional development. Launched at the end of March, AVMA Axon provides opportunities for learning and covers a range of topics, such as management, personal well-being, career development, and leadership.
The AVMA Axon content categories are as follows:
• Advocacy.
• Agile pioneers.
• Career development.
• Financial health.
• Leadership.
• One health.
• Policy and practice.
• Well-being, diversity, and inclusion.
The AVMA plans to host quarterly webinars with the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America as part of AVMA Axon, starting May 8.
Certificate programs on AVMA Axon will tap into the expertise of the veterinary profession, turning that expertise into CE courses available at any time. The AVMA planned to launch the first certificate program, the Workplace Wellbeing Certificate Program, at the end of April. AVMA Axon also encompasses the Lead & Learn webinars and the new My Veterinary Life podcast series. More CE offerings will be added each month. AVMA CE credits are generally accepted by all states, but participants will want to confirm specifics with their state board.
“Just as axons in the nervous system are integral for conveying information and transforming thought into action, AVMA Axon will be integral for providing information to veterinary professionals and helping them turn that information into actionable steps,” said Dr. John de Jong, AVMA president. “The courses on AVMA Axon are curated to provide the most up-to-date and relevant information, which will help veterinary professionals better serve their patients and communities.”
The AVMA Axon dashboard can be personalized, allowing participants to track all their CE courses. CE certificates may be uploaded from other learning experiences. This tracking makes it easier to progress toward goals as well as access the right content at the right time. To help participants retain what they've learned and apply it in real-world settings, many of the offerings on AVMA Axon will include Axon Actions—suggested next steps to help veterinary professionals use their newly acquired knowledge toward achieving personal or professional goals.
The resources on AVMA Axon are available to all veterinary professionals. Courses will be available at no charge or for a fee.
SPECIALTY BOARD RECOGNIZES EQUINE IMAGING, NOT BOTANICAL MEDICINE
By Katie Burns
Dr. Myra Barrett, an assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic imaging at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, performs a tendon ultrasound examination on a horse. (Courtesy of Dr. Barrett)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
The AVMA American Board of Veterinary Specialties has granted provisional recognition of equine diagnostic imaging as a specialty within the American College of Veterinary Radiology. On the other hand, the ABVS declined granting recognition to the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine; however, ACVBM representatives are exploring the possibility of creating a specialty within the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology.
While meeting in late February, the ABVS also granted full recognition of parasitology as a specialty within the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists. During an April conference call, the ABVS granted full recognition of reptile and amphibian practice as a specialty under the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
The organizing committee for the specialty in equine diagnostic imaging submitted a letter of intent to the ABVS in 2015 and a formal petition for recognition of the specialty in 2017.
“Digital radiography and ultrasound are the traditional imaging modalities of the equine practitioner,” said Dr. Wm. Tod Drost, executive director of the American College of Veterinary Radiology. “With the increased availability of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography and the growth of teleradiology, the time is right to develop a group of radiologists whose sole focus is on the horse.”
Dr. Drost said the ACVR is excited to add equine diagnostic imaging as an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty. He added that residency programs are starting soon for the new specialty.
There are currently 22 AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organizations and 33 AVMA-recognized veterinary specialties, with the ACVR also certifying diplomates in radiology and radiation oncology.
The organizing committee of the proposed American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine submitted a letter of intent to the ABVS in 2014 and a formal petition for recognition in 2016.
“ACVBM was advised that there is concern that there are too many overlapping areas with clinical pharmacology,” said Dr. Nancy Scanlan, an ACVBM representative.
Representatives of the ACVBM and the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology have been exploring the possibility of veterinary botanical medicine becoming recognized as a specialty under the ACVCP. Dr. Scanlan said the ACVBM and ACVCP are taking the time needed to identify shared or parallel knowledge.
ARMY VETERINARY CORPS GETS NEW LEADER
By Malinda Larkin
Col. Steven Greiner will serve as the next chief of the Army Veterinary Corps.
Lt. Gen. Nadja West, Army surgeon general, selected Col. Greiner as the 27th chief of the Army Veterinary Corps, as announced March 23 by the retiring chief, Brig. Gen. Erik H. Torring III, who has held the position since 2015. The requirement for the Army Veterinary Corps chief to serve as a brigadier general was recently rescinded by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018.
Col. Greiner has served as the director of veterinary services for the Army Medical Command's deputy chief of staff for public health since July 2017. He has also served as the Army's veterinary preventive medicine consultant to the Army surgeon general since 2016.
He grew up on a commercial beef cattle ranch in Cuero, Texas, and comes from three generations of physicians. “With veterinary medicine, I felt that I could get the best of both worlds—practicing medicine and being able to be outdoors,” Col. Greiner told JAVMA News.
He received his veterinary degree in 1996 and his master's in veterinary public health in 2004, both from Texas A&M University. He also completed Army War College in 2014, earning a master's in strategic studies. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.
Col. Greiner was commissioned as a captain in the Army Veterinary Corps in 1997 after leaving private practice in Cuero. His father served in the Army during World War II and the Air Force during the Korean War, which inspired Col. Greiner to join the military. Since then, Col. Greiner has been stationed throughout the United States and in Germany, where he was commander of Public Health Command Europe. He has also deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kenya, Jordan, Yemen, and Kuwait.
Col. Steven Greiner
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Decades of service have brought Col. Greiner numerous awards and decorations, such as the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Army surgeon general's “A” proficiency designator for veterinary preventive medicine.
The Army Veterinary Corps provides for the nation's defense through food protection, biomedical research and development, and animal welfare and animal medical programs in support of force health protection and military readiness.
“In my opinion, veterinarians are some of the most adaptable, flexible, multitalented, and humble members of the uniformed services,” Col. Greiner said. “Veterinarians mostly serve in the Army and Air Force and Public Health Service in uniform, but because of their extraordinary adaptability, many of us have been called to perform outside of our traditional roles. Our primary role in uniform is to protect the health and welfare of animals and humans to ensure the combat readiness of our military forces.”
RECENT DEATHS CHARGE UP HORSE RACING SAFETY CONVERSATION
By Kaitlyn Mattson
Tractors ready the main dirt track for testing at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. (Courtesy of Santa Anita Park)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Twenty-three racehorses died between Dec. 26 and March 31 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
The deaths led to about three weeks of closure in March at the track, which has dirt and turf surfaces, and a policy change on race-day medication at Santa Anita. The recent deaths have also sparked conversations across the horse racing industry about racetrack surfaces, race-day medication, and overall horse safety.
“If you had a perfect horse out there, then the track issues won't matter, but if there is an issue with the horse and you get a variation on the track, then there is a risk. My focus is the track, but it is just one piece of the puzzle,” said Mick Peterson, PhD, director of Ag Equine Programs at the University of Kentucky and executive director of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory.
The laboratory uses its Maintenance Quality System to evaluate 12 tracks twice a year. Santa Anita was tested in October 2018 and then retested in March after the injuries on the track. The test results matched the baseline data. However, Dr. Peterson noted that California has been receiving a large amount of rainfall.
In early March, the United States Drought Monitor removed most of California from a drought labeling.
“Our concern when there has been unusual rain is that the fine material in the top layer is reduced, and the track will get sandier and deeper,” Dr. Peterson said. “If the industry wants to survive and grow, they have to get this under control.”
He added that more data on the changes track surfaces experience throughout the day are needed so trainers and superintendents can have more information when making decisions.
Among the layered issues around horse racing is the administration of race-day medication. Furosemide is the only medication that can be given on race day and is used to treat exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Although furosemide is widely used in the U.S., most countries have prohibited its use on race day because of its role as a potential performance enhancer.
The Stronach Group, owner of Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, and the Thoroughbred Owners of California made an agreement with the California Horse Racing Board to eliminate the use of furosemide beginning with next year's 2-year-olds and immediately reduce race-day administration of the diuretic by 50 percent, among other policy changes, according to a March 16 press release from The Stronach Group.
“We appreciate the willingness of Belinda Stronach of TSG and Jim Cassidy (President of California Thoroughbred Trainers) to negotiate in good faith and reach today's agreement,” said Greg Avioli, president and CEO of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, in the press release. “I am confident we all share the same goal of making California racing safer and doing everything we can to provide additional safety and protection for our horses.”
Santa Anita reopened March 29, only for another racehorse to die at the track March 31.
The Jockey Club has been gathering data from racetracks since 2009. The organization released an updated version of its Equine Injury Database in March.
“Analysis of the EID has demonstrated that there are a multitude of factors that contribute to the risk of fatal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses,” said Dr. Tim Parkin, professor of veterinary epidemiology at the University of Glasgow and consultant to the EID, in a March 22 press release from The Jockey Club.
The data show that the aggregated rate of fatal injury was 1.68 per 1,000 starts in 2018, compared with the 2009 rate of 2.00 per 1,000 starts, according to the press release.
There were 493 fatal injuries in 2018. Of those injuries, 394 were on dirt, 65 on turf, and 34 on a synthetic surface. The number of total fatalities per year has decreased since 2009 by 16 percent.
A list of EID participating tracks can be found here: https://jav.ma/EIDparticipants.
“Moving forward, we should focus on the medications present in horses during racing and training, transparency of veterinary records for all starters and the collection of injury data from morning training hours,” Dr. Parkin said in the press release.
Source: Equine Injury Database from The Jockey Club
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
NEW LISTINGS IN AVMA ANIMAL HEALTH STUDIES DATABASE
Below are some of the new listings of veterinary clinical studies in the AVMA Animal Health Studies Database. Information about participating in the studies is available at www.avma.org/findvetstudies.
• AAHSD004876: “Canine immunoneurotherapeutics brain tumor trial,” University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Georgia, Purdue University, and Mississippi State University.
• AAHSD004890: “Combination Palladia and stereotactic radiation therapy for feline oral squamous cell carcinoma,” Colorado State University.
• AAHSD004891: “Is gut dysbiosis associated with canine idiopathic epilepsy?” North Carolina State University.
• AAHSD004904: “Ultra-small paramagnetic iron oxide particle MRI for imaging appendicular canine osteosarcoma,” Colorado State University.
HILL'S EXPANDS CANNED DOG FOOD RECALL
By Malinda Larkin
Visual instructions for locating SKU numbers
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Hill's Pet Nutrition has expanded the scope of its recall of a variety of canned dog foods as the Food and Drug Administration continues to investigate the presence of potentially excessive amounts of vitamin D in some products.
The company expanded its voluntary recall on March 20 so that 85 total lots of 33 varieties of canned dog food products manufactured by Hill's and marketed under the Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet brands have been recalled. This action comes on top of the late January recall of 54 lots of 25 varieties after the company received complaints that some dogs eating the food experienced clinical signs of vitamin D toxicosis. In all, the recalls have affected 1.083 million cases of dog food, or 21.6 million cans, which represents 6.3 percent of the company's U.S. annual sales.
“As a company, and as pet parents ourselves, we are sorry to be expanding our recall list. We regret the concern that the recall has caused pet parents and veterinarians and any possible effect the recalled foods may have had on pets. We are working hard to make this right,” according to a statement from Hill's.
The recall was expanded after the FDA requested that Hill's test samples of foods it had produced that were not part of the original recall, according to an FDA advisory.
Following the original recall, according to Hill's, “We conducted a detailed review of all canned dog foods potentially impacted by the vitamin premix with elevated levels of vitamin D. This review included: analyzing consumer complaints; reviewing veterinarian medical consultations; auditing our supplier; and reviewing our own manufacturing and quality procedures. We then did additional product testing to ensure we had taken all appropriate action. Our review determined that there were additional products affected by that vitamin premix, and it is for that reason that we are expanding the recall. Hill's has received a limited number of complaints of pet illness related to some of these products.”
Going forward, Hill's has required its supplier to implement additional quality testing prior to release of ingredients. In addition to the company's existing safety processes, it is adding its own further independent testing of incoming ingredients, said Dr. Jolle Kirpensteijn, chief professional veterinary officer for Hill's Pet Nutrition in the U.S.
No dry foods, cat foods, or treats are affected by the recall.
Although vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs, ingestion of an excess amount can lead to potential health issues depending on the amount ingested and the duration of exposure. Dogs may develop signs such as vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. Dogs that consume very large amounts of vitamin D can develop serious health issues, including renal dysfunction, according to Hill's. In most cases, complete recovery is expected after ingestion of excess vitamin D is discontinued.
The FDA is asking veterinarians who suspect vitamin D toxicosis in their patients to report cases through the Safety Reporting Portal at www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov or by calling their local FDA consumer complaint coordinators, whose numbers are listed at https://jav.ma/FDAcomplaint.
Hill's says it will review requests for reimbursement of expenses related to hypervitaminosis D for affected dogs on a case-by-case basis. The company is directing owners to call its Consumer Affairs Line at 1-800-445-5777 or email contactus@hillspet.com.
Hill's also will review requests for reimbursement of expenses related to diagnostic screening and continued diagnostic testing for dogs that consumed the recalled dog food. Veterinarians can submit requests for reimbursement at vet_consult@hillspet.com or call the company's Veterinary Consultation Service at 1-800-548-8387.
Several class-action and individual lawsuits have been filed against the company, including claims such as negligence and false advertising, in response to the recall in January.
“While we don't comment on pending litigation, we can say that we do not agree with many of the characterizations in the lawsuits,” said Dr. Kirpensteijn. “As a company, we care deeply about pets and work hard to provide them with the best products available. We are equally as committed to pet parents and veterinarians and will continue with our long-standing processes to review individual claims and veterinarian reimbursement requests.”
DEAN OF WSU VETERINARY COLLEGE TO STEP DOWN
Dr. Bryan Slinker, dean of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, will retire at the end of the year. (Photo by Henry Moore Jr./WSU)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
The dean of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Bryan Slinker (WSU ‘80), will step down at the end of 2019.
“I have dedicated my career to life sciences, receiving both my DVM and PhD degrees from WSU in this college, and I am a Coug through and through,” Dr. Slinker said in a press release. “This college has been a very important part of me for most of my adult life.”
Dr. Slinker has been the dean of the veterinary college for 11 years.
During his tenure, he oversaw the building of the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health and an increase in the student population.
Dr. Slinker's leadership has led the veterinary college to be ranked first among U.S. veterinary colleges in attracting Department of Agriculture funding and third for overall federal research funding, according to the press release.
“It has been my great honor and pleasure to serve as dean of my alma mater, and I am grateful for the good fortune to work with so many incredible people across our college, throughout WSU, and among our many alumni and friends,” he said in the press release.
Dr. Slinker previously served as an assistant professor at the University of Vermont and an associate professor at the WSU veterinary college. He also served as chair of the Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Physiology at WSU. He currently serves on the board of directors at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.
The university will launch a search for a new dean during the spring.
U.S. BRACES FOR AFRICAN SWINE FEVER
Virus that kills 90 percent of pigs found in China, Eastern Europe
By Greg Cima
Viral outbreaks have battered U.S. swine farms over the past 30 years, sometimes killing millions of pigs in a single year.
Swine owners have worked with veterinarians to seal their barns to keep out disease-causing organisms, especially porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus. They added security layers such as worker showers, air filtration, negative air pressure at barn doors, protective clothing and boot covers, and stations to wash and disinfect trucks and trailers.
As another virus deadly to swine spreads in Asia and Europe, swine veterinarians across North America are trying to find any remaining flaws in their biosecurity procedures. African swine fever kills about 90 percent of infected pigs, and China has reported more than 100 outbreaks since August 2018.
Mongolia reported its first outbreaks in January 2019, followed by Vietnam in February, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
In the U.S., veterinarians are quarantining feed ingredients, leading classes on how to respond during a potential outbreak, and testing the cleaners and disinfectants that may help halt an outbreak, according to attendees and speakers at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ annual meeting in March (see page 1146). The U.S., Canadian, and Mexican governments have increased scrutiny of passengers and cargo at ports. Swine farms across North America are further limiting what workers bring in their lunches and making them change clothes more often, meeting attendees said in interviews.
Dr. Scott Dee, research director for Pipestone Applied Research in Pipestone, Minnesota, was among the lecturers at the AASV meeting. He had traveled in February to China, where a swine producer showed him sampling results that found ASF virus in dust collected from feed dried on the ground, trucks, trailers, feed mills, feed bins, and people's hair and shoes.
“It's coming,” Dr. Dee said. “There's no question.”
DEVASTATION, MANAGEMENT BOTH POSSIBLE
Pigs infected with ASF virus can die without warning, or they can have high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, skin lesions, red blotches, and breathing difficulties, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. It spreads through bodily fluids, ticks, and uncooked meat scraps, and results of at least one study suggest it remains viable in feed ingredients shipped overseas.
Pigs with African swine fever can have cutaneous hemorrhage and necrosis. Hemorrhagic lesions may be dark red in the center. (Courtesy of Plum Island Animal Disease Center and Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Scott Dee
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
APHIS and Customs and Border Protection officials have increased scrutiny of travelers, educated farmers and veterinarians, added Beagle teams to seaports and airports to find smuggled pork, and restricted imports of raw pork from countries and regions with infections. In mid-March, APHIS officials announced that USDA-trained dogs had helped port authorities in New Jersey seize about 1 million pounds of pork smuggled from China.
Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board, said at the AASV meeting that his organization ran a survey in fall 2018 and found that about half the public will want pork removed from grocery stores and menus if ASF reaches the U.S. He also noted that countries would shut down imports of U.S. pork in response to an outbreak.
U.S. companies exported almost 6 billion pounds of pork in 2018, or 23 percent of national production, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. The U.S. imported just more than 1 billion pounds.
On March 11, the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service predicted ASF would reduce China's swine inventory 13 percent by the end of 2019 and pork production 5 percent. Reuters reported that farm and industry insiders claim China's ASF epidemic has been more extensive than official reports suggest, citing farms with concealed outbreaks and local governments that declined to test sick pigs.
Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center, described to AASV attendees some research findings, pending publication, that indicate ASF virus is almost certain to make it through a U.S. airport in contaminated goods over the next nine years—although that figure does not indicate the risk the virus will spread all the way to pig farms. He added in an interview that the analysis considered that authorities in Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan confiscated products contaminated with the ASF virus at airports.
APHIS officials caution that travelers from countries with ASF should wait at least five days between arrival in the U.S. and visits to sites with any pigs. Those who visit farms in affected countries should clean and disinfect clothes and shoes worn on farms, if not throw them away, before returning.
In an interview after the meeting, Dr. Sundberg said pork producers constantly weigh the costs and benefits of adding more security to their herds.
“The better your biosecurity, the more productive your pigs,” he said.
Virologist Dr. Klaus Depner has some advice for swine veterinarians: Don't be afraid. ASF is a manageable disease. In Europe, the OIE reported that as of April, ASF affected domestic pigs in Bulgaria, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine as well as wild boars in at least nine countries.
Dr. Depner, of Germany's Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, has worked on surveillance, control, and epidemiological analysis of ASF in Eastern Europe. He said the virus spreads slowly enough that veterinarians can cull pigs, clean, and disinfect in time to prevent secondary outbreaks.
Dr. Klaus Depner
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Passive surveillance is important for finding infections. In the absence of any drugs or vaccines to fight ASF, biosecurity is the most effective weapon against the virus, he said.
African swine fever virus is stable, able to survive for weeks in a carcass or years in a freezer, Dr. Depner said. It also spreads slowly in comparison with foot-and-mouth disease virus, but it is far more deadly.
“You will not find the disease in healthy animals,” he said.
Acute infection tends to kill pigs in six to 13 days, according to the OIE.
The pigs that survive infection will not shed the virus but may be carriers, Dr. Depner said.
Since the virus’ 2014 emergence in Lithuanian wild boars, its spread in Eastern Europe has been connected to the ways people move animals and meat. In Georgia, he said, farmers received no compensation for infected pigs, so they slaughtered the animals and sold cheap pork that spread the virus.
Lyric, a dog trained to detect smuggled food, is shown at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (Photo by R. Anson Eaglin/USDA)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
“The human is the one who is driving and perpetuating this disease,” Dr. Depner said.
In meeting proceedings, Dr. Depner and co-authors indicate the ASF virus has the tenacity and high death rate to ensure it will persist in environments while the slow spread ensures it will still have hosts.
“The interaction of these three parameters maximize both local persistence and geographical spread of the virus making its eradication a challenge,” the proceedings state.
LOCAL PREVENTION
Dr. Dee said veterinarians and farmers need to think more about whether the feed and feed additives they import are needed and, for those that are, whether they could come from countries without ASF. They also may be able to reduce risk by quarantining ingredients that could harbor the virus.
He said in an interview that his research team at Pipestone is testing whether feed additives can inactivate viruses, with promising early results against Senecavirus, PED virus, and PRRS virus. He hopes to test 10-12 additives this year and publish side-by-side results.
Dr. Dee also was an author of a March 2018 article in PLOS One that indicates ASF can survive in feed and food ingredients during simulated conditions of international shipment.
Dr. Megan Niederwerder, assistant professor of virology at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, said during the AASV meeting the 2013 emergence of PED in the U.S. showed the risk of imported animal feed as a disease vector. PED has killed millions of neonatal pigs and continues to cause disease in swine herds.
She is the lead author of an article this year in Emerging Infectious Diseases on the infectious dose of ASF virus in liquid or feed and the cumulative risk of multiple exposures. The article indicates ASF virus spreads especially well through liquid, although contaminated feed may be a higher risk because of the ways it is produced, shipped, and consumed.
Dr. Niederwerder also suggested producers and veterinarians identify the ingredients with the highest risk and import them from countries without foreign animal diseases. She also noted that ASF virus is susceptible to high temperatures.
At the AASV meeting, speakers called for federal surveillance plans and local preparations, including plans in case resources become scarce during, say, depopulation and carcass disposal.
Attendees said they have been working to teach their clients how to stay safe and know what to do in a crisis.
Dr. Dyneah Classen is a veterinarian and partner at Carthage Veterinary System in Carthage, Illinois, where she focuses on sow health. Carthage has worked with a local feed mill to isolate and store some feed ingredients for longer periods and at higher temperatures, with a goal of quarantining them at least 60 days, she said. That requires using climate-controlled storage trailers because the mill can't have heaters that could ignite dust.
The items in storage, she said, include mineral mixes that contain up to 12 ingredients from international sources. Carthage also has tried to buy ingredients from more U.S. sources, when possible.
Dr. Tim Loula, co-owner of Swine Vet Center in St. Peter, Minnesota, said he gives clients an ASF-related “fire drill” presentation on how to stop movement of pigs and enter a 72hour emergency standstill. About 90 percent of his clients’ employees have seen the presentation, he said.
Dr. Keith Erlandson
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
One of the presenters at the AASV meeting, Dr. Keith Erlandson, a veterinarian who has lived and worked in China since 2015, said ASF is a constant worry there and a cause of big losses. His company, CP Group, has had outbreaks on its farms.
One month after China's first reported ASF virus infections, the disease was in six provinces, he said. After two months, it was in nine provinces.
People shipped infected pigs, and the virus spread.
Dr. Erlandson said farm managers are trying to perfect their procedures, changing rules so often that workers throw up their hands in frustration. Whether workers follow procedures well is more important than whether the procedures are perfect, he said.
Dr. Erlandson encouraged veterinarians to be vigilant and perform necropsies when they see clinical signs of ASF. Otherwise, they risk losing weeks of virus spread.
“When you've got issues with death loss, don't automatically chalk it up to PRRS. Don't automatically chalk it up to what the circulating disease is,” he said. “You've got to get out there and cut those pigs open.”
CP Group depopulated infected farms, as depopulating a pen was not enough, he said.
Bill Even, of the National Pork Board, said the National Pork Checkoff Program is working with meatpackers to prepare in case ASF spreads to the U.S., and that includes public messaging. He also urged that veterinarians work with clients to ensure they are ready, which includes details as simple as ensuring their federal premise identification is updated.
“There's just a lot of dirty, hard work—boring work—that needs to be done behind the scenes to tighten up our ship,” he said.
Outgoing AASV director: Do something that matters
Tom Burkgren retires after 25 years
By Greg Cima
Dr. Tom Burkgren
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Early in his career, Dr. Tom Burkgren heard good advice: to strive for a point where he could work for fun and focus on his passions.
“You can persevere through the hard times if you know you're doing something that matters,” he said.
As executive director of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians since 1997, Dr. Burkgren led the association through pork price collapse, industry consolidation, the fight against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, the campaign that eradicated swine pseudorabies in commercial herds, the national outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea, debates over sow housing, a shift toward veterinarians acting as managers on farms, added restrictions and oversight of antimicrobial use, and 23 association presidencies. He retired from that job this spring, although he will keep running two other businesses.
He and his wife, Sue Kimpston, own a pet food company, Northern Plains Distributing LLC, in a partnership with one of Dr. Burkgren's lifelong friends, Bob Murphy.
And Dr. Burkgren has been working over the past five years with another friend, Dr. Paul Sundberg, who is executive director of the Swine Health Information Center, to develop euthanasia technology using low atmospheric pressure. At press time, they expected to bring the technology to market this spring for use on pigs, with other species to come.
FACE OF AASV
Dr. Burkgren started working for the AASV in 1994—when it was the American Association of Swine Practitioners—as a part-time liaison who could provide a familiar face in meetings with regulators. He remained in swine practice near Perry, Iowa, and continued doing business consulting for farms and veterinary practices, along with working for drug companies and teaching veterinary business courses at Iowa State University.
His varied career is a product of his short attention span, he said. He had a great relationship with clients in general practice but felt there was more he could do.
The AASV hired Dr. Burkgren as its full-time director in 1997. In 1998, pork prices plummeted in response to large supplies of meat and weak export markets, and many small farms left the swine industry.
“We lost a lot of mixed animal practitioners, and we started seeing an increase in swine-only veterinarians,” he said.
From the 1997 Census of Agriculture to the 2002 edition, the number of U.S. farms with swine dropped from 110,000 to 79,000, with a rise only in the number of farms with more than 2,000 hogs. Figures in the 2017 census, the most recent available at press time, show similar trends, with a drop to 66,000 swine-owning farms.
With swine industry consolidation, the swine veterinarians who work with large farms have shifted toward diagnostics and population-based medicine, Dr. Burkgren said. Better tools have helped them improve how they monitor health on all farms.
Monitoring population health has become more sophisticated even as sample collection has become easier. Veterinarians who once had to catch pigs and draw blood for routine samples, for example, now can collect saliva from ropes hung in pens, he said.
Veterinarians also are taking a greater role in training farm employees on pig care, handling, and procedures such as administering injections and castration, Dr. Burkgren said.
“As the farms get bigger, they have more employed labor, less family labor,” he said.
OPPORTUNITIES IN SWINE MEDICINE
Dr. Burkgren said the AASV has its strongest collection of staff members yet, with the recent additions of communications director Dr. Abbey Canon and animal welfare director Sherrie Webb, who also is associate editor for the Journal of Swine Health and Production, along with the new executive director, Dr. Harry Snelson, and associate director Dr. Sue Schulteis. He also praised the volunteer committees as strong and active.
“I feel good about where the AASV is, and my goal, when I started with the AASP, no matter when I left, was to leave it in better shape than it was when I started,” he said. “And hopefully I've done that, at least to a small degree.”
Dr. Sundberg had started working for the National Pork Producers Council when he met Dr. Burkgren in 1994. He described Dr. Burkgren as thoughtful, intelligent, cooperative, and focused.
“Throughout his career, Tom has been extremely focused in his work to better the American Association of Swine Veterinarians as an association and to better the members of AASV,” Dr. Sundberg said.
Dr. Sundberg said the longtime AASV executive director always is professional on behalf of the AASV. In private, Dr. Burkgren is personable and family-focused.
Because of Dr. Burkgren's leadership, the AASV has navigated well through tricky waters, Dr. Sundberg said. Dr. Burkgren acknowledges the job came with hard days.
When the outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea started in 2013, he spent long hours gathering information and talking with agriculture officials to help find the source. He told veterinarians that member surveys indicated feed contamination might be a risk, a finding that later would be backed by research results on virus survival and the Department of Agriculture's determination the virus likely arrived in imported feed ingredients. He took slings and arrows for that position, he said.
“I've never had one day, in the last 25 years, when I've regretted working for AASP and AASV,” he said. “And some days are harder than others. I think that, at the end of a lot of days, I've really felt satisfied with how the day has gone and what we've accomplished.”
Today, young veterinarians, even those just out of veterinary school, have opportunities in the swine industry and AASV, Dr. Burkgren said. They are paid well for stimulating jobs, he said.
“Being a swine veterinarian can be challenging at times but also very rewarding, just from the type of intelligence that it takes and how they become immersed in that animal health conundrum,” he said.
That conundrum is how to keep pigs healthy yet keep food from those pigs safe while reducing the financial risk to clients.
He also has some advice for young veterinarians: “Find something that you're engaged with and something that matters. And if that's swine veterinary medicine, that's great. But don't just take a job to fill your time.”
Dr. Burkgren thinks the challenges in swine medicine are rewarding whether a veterinarian is beginning or ending a career. But he said retirement from swine medicine is a relative term.
Incoming AASV director has history fighting disease
Dr. Harry Snelson takes over amid concern over African swine fever
By Greg Cima
The new executive director of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians has fought animal disease since he started his career 30 years ago.
As a veterinarian for Carroll's Foods throughout the 1990s, Dr. Harry Snelson was among the swine veterinarians involved in eradication campaigns and efforts to seal farms against risks.
“We were able to eradicate pseudorabies virus, for instance, in the commercial swine herd, which was a huge, decade-long accomplishment,” he said.
He worked at a Carroll's Foods–owned production company in Mexico to eradicate classical swine fever, received swine-specific training at Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York in diagnostics for foreign animal diseases, and spent a month in the United Kingdom visiting farms to look for clinical signs related to the country's foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
He will have a leading role as swine veterinarians prepare for African swine fever.
“Since African swine fever has moved into China, in particular—being the largest swine production country in the world, with as much trade and travel as there is with Chin—that's certainly raised our level of risk and our level of awareness,” he said. “And that's what we've been working on over the last year or so, is trying to harden our preventive defenses against introduction of this disease into the U.S. swine industry as well as educate our members and producers.”
Dr. Snelson took over this spring from Dr. Tom Burkgren, who was the AASV's executive director since 1997 and had been the organization's executive liaison starting in 1994, when the AASV was the American Association of Swine Practitioners. Dr. Snelson had been the AASV's communications director since 2005.
“We have a great staff and a really great board of directors and membership to work with,” he said. “And so I'm looking forward to taking on this role.”
BUILDING HIGHER
Dr. Snelson grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. He entered North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine with plans to be a mixed animal practitioner, with an emphasis on wildlife rehabilitation.
He became interested in swine medicine during his first year of veterinary college, when he was a summer worker in a swine research laboratory. North Carolina's swine industry was growing, giving him opportunities to work with swine production companies as he continued his work with the swine research group.
He was intrigued by the process of moving food from a field to a table, and he liked working with swine producers. He worked for Carroll's Foods after graduating in 1990, followed by working as a swine technical services veterinarian for Schering-Plough Animal Health and science and technology director for the National Pork Producers Council.
As he takes over from Dr. Burkgren, Dr. Snelson expects little change in the association. The AASV will stay true to its mission of furthering the education of swine veterinarians and its reputation of speaking for pigs, he said.
“Dr. Burkgren has done an excellent job building a great foundation for this association, and building on what he and previous boards of directors have done, I think, is really what I look forward to doing,” he said.
AIDING MEMBERS, CLIENTS
The AASV and its members are helping swine owners improve biosecurity and make sure state and federal animal health officials are able to track animals during outbreaks. AASV leaders also have constant concerns about animal welfare and public health, including foodborne risks.
Since the AASP's founders formed the organization 50 years ago, the association has grown from 31 members to 1,700, with a presence in more than 40 countries. It also has become more diverse, with women representing about 30 percent of members and rising, Dr. Snelson said.
Dr. Harry Snelson
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Out of that rise in diversity comes a challenge to ensure all veterinarians feel welcome within their profession and on farms, Dr. Snelson said.
Dr. Burkgren said he is happy the AASV hired Dr. Snelson as the next director. Dr. Burkgren expects the transition will be seamless, and he cited Dr. Snelson's work managing committees, familiarity with volunteers, and leadership that shows his commitment to the AASV.
Dr. Burkgren said Dr. Snelson had been an AASV board member and a friend before becoming the AASV's first communications director. He since made Dr. Burkgren's job easier, particularly by taking on much of the travel and representation at meetings with other organizations and agencies.
“His skill set and his background—and just his personality—fit that position so well that it was great to get him hired,” Dr. Burkgren said. “He's the type of staff person that you just turn loose and stay out of his way, and he does his job to an exceptional degree.”
People
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SWINE VETERINARIANS
EVENT
Annual meeting, March 9-12, Orlando, Florida
PROGRAM
The meeting had 1,200 attendees, 10 pre-conference seminars, two general sessions, three concurrent sessions, research presentations, industry presentations, a student seminar, about 70 poster presentations, and AASV committee and business meetings.
AWARDS
Swine Practitioner of the Year
Dr. William Hollis (Illinois ‘96) is a partner at Carthage Veterinary Service in Carthage, Illinois, and president of Professional Swine Management. He was honored for proficient and effective service to clients, profitable and sustainable partnerships as a farm management adviser, and work with organizations including the AASV board of directors, Pork Quality Assurance Plus, the National Pork Producers Council, National Pork Board, and AVMA House of Delegates.
Dr. William Hollis
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Howard Dunne Memorial Award
Dr. Peter Davies (Melbourne ‘75) is a professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. The award honors important contributions and outstanding service to the AASV and swine industry. Dr. Davies has educated veterinary students on swine health and production, epidemiology, and food safety, as well as helped swine practitioners improve epidemiological skills and performed research on swine health, antimicrobial administration and resistance, zoonoses, and foodborne pathogens. He is studying infectious-disease risks where humans and swine interact. He is a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria and the Merck Veterinary Manual editorial board.
Dr. Peter Davies
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Meritorious Service Award
Dr. David Madsen (Purdue ‘69) is a swine outreach coordinator for the Montana Board of Livestock, part-time mixed animal practitioner, and surgeon for a local animal shelter. The award honors outstanding service to the AASV, and Dr. Madsen was a charter member of the organization in 1969, when it was the American Association of Swine Practitioners. He represented the AASV for 12 years in the AVMA House of Delegates, represented food animal veterinarians on an AVMA committee that drafted principles of animal welfare, and served on the AASV Foundation board, through which he proposed developing a free pre-conference seminar for students and recent graduates.
Dr. David Madsen
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year Award
Dr. Paul Thomas (Iowa State ‘13) is an associate veterinarian at AMVC Management Services in Audubon, Iowa. The award honors AASV members for exemplary services and proficiency within five years of graduation. Dr. Thomas is a former fellow of the Swine Medicine Education Center at Iowa State University, and he supports the center by teaching fourth-year veterinary students and conducting seminars to introduce industry members to the process and constraints of pork production. He is known as a role model, an entertaining teacher, and an effective communicator.
Dr. Paul Thomas
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award
Dr. Ron White (Iowa State ‘90) is a group director of international diagnostic medicine for Zoetis, and he lives in Ames, Iowa. He has been a volunteer on AASV committees, chair of AASV Foundation golf outings, reviewer of student presentations at meetings, and a presenter on livestock health and production topics at international and regional meetings. He enjoys meeting veterinarians and producers, understanding production systems, and finding ways to improve use of diagnostics and improve herd health and production.
AASV Foundation Heritage Award
Dr. Steven Henry (Kansas State ‘72) is the fifth recipient of the Heritage Award, which is given on occasion to honor lifetime achievements in swine veterinary medicine. Before retiring in 2017, Dr. Henry specialized in health management and swine disease, with expertise in prevention and diagnosis. He was an international consultant, a frequent author on swine medicine, a pork producer, 1982 AASV president, and a member of AASV committees, the AVMA House of Delegates, AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents, Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee, and committees of the National Pork Producers Council and National Pork Board.
Dr. Steven Henry
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
OFFICIALS
Drs. Nate Winkelman, Rice, Minnesota, president; Jeffrey Harker, Frankfort, Indiana, president-elect; Mary Battrell, Garland, North Carolina, vice president; C. Scanlon Daniels, Dalhart, Texas, immediate past president, Tom Burkgren, Perry, Iowa, retiring executive director; and Harry Snelson, Wilmington, North Carolina, incoming executive director
Drs. Nate Winkelman, Jeffrey Harker, Mary Battrell, and C. Scanlon Daniels
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
AAVMC RECOGNIZES VETERINARY FACULTY, STUDENT FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS; NAMES NEW OFFICERS
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges recognized the 2019 recipients of five awards during its Annual Conference March 8-10 in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Gayle B. Brown (Illinois ‘86) received the Distinguished Teacher Award, presented by Zoetis. Dr. Brown is a senior lecturer at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she teaches immunology, emerging and exotic diseases of animals, and microbiology laboratory.
Dr. Gayle B. Brown
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Brown is also a veterinary specialist at Iowa State's Center for Food Security and Public Health. She is responsible for the Emerging and Exotic Diseases of Animals and U.S. Department of Agriculture Initial Accreditation Training course, which is used, in some form, by all U.S. veterinary colleges.
Dr. Guy Palmer (Kansas State ‘80) was honored with the Excellence in Research Award.
Dr. Guy Palmer
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Palmer is a professor of pathology and infectious diseases and the chair in global health at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Palmer is the founding director of WSU's Paul G. Allen School for Global Health and leads global health programs in Africa and Central America. His research has led to discoveries in pathogen emergence and diagnostic testing. Dr. Palmer's work aims to reduce livestock disease, improve food security, and control influenza outbreaks using one health.
Dr. Gerald W. Parker Jr. (Texas A&M ‘77) received the Senator John Melcher, DVM Leadership in Public Policy Award. Dr. Parker is campus director and associate dean for the Global One Health initiative at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
Dr. Gerald W. Parker Jr.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Parker has become an essential resource in Washington, D.C., on biodefense, high-consequence emerging infectious disease, global health security, all-hazards public health, and medical preparedness.
Dr. Parker is also the director of the pandemic biosecurity policy program at the Bush School of Government Service. He is a former commander and deputy commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and has held senior executive–level positions at the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Defense. Dr. Parker currently serves on the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, among others.
The Iverson Bell Award was presented to Dr. Kenita S. Rogers (Louisiana State ‘82), an executive associate dean and director of college inclusion and diversity at Texas A&M's veterinary college.
Dr. Kenita S. Rogers
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Rogers developed memorandums of agreement with four Texas A&M University System schools for pipeline recruitment. She has added diversity and cultural competency initiatives to the veterinary college's curriculum. Dr. Rogers’ efforts have led to the veterinary college being awarded the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for Diversity in Health Professions for two years.
Dr. Rogers is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in specialties of internal medicine and oncology.
Elizabeth Strand, PhD, clinical associate professor at the University of Tennessee colleges of Social Work and Veterinary Medicine, received the Billy E. Hooper Award for Distinguished Service. Dr. Strand is also the founding director of the Veterinary Social Work program at UT.
Elizabeth Strand
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Strand provides students with a complete foundation in veterinary social work by focusing on knowledge and skills needed to integrate animals into social work practice. She also teaches how to manage compassion fatigue and stress. Dr. Strand recently launched the Suicide Awareness in Veterinary Education training program to better educate veterinary professionals and students about mental health issues.
The Patricia M. Lowrie Diversity Leadership Scholarship was awarded to India Napier. She is student chair of the Tufts
India Napier
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Veterinary Council on Diversity and is the co-president of the Class of 2020. Napier has been key to Tufts’ involvement in the This is How We Role outreach program, which is meant to teach veterinary lessons to young children from underrepresented groups and encourage them to pursue veterinary medicine as a profession.
New AAVMC officers were also installed at the 2019 AAVMC Assembly meeting held during the conference. The new officers are Drs. Michael Lairmore, dean of the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, president; Mark Markel, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, president-elect; Calvin Johnson, dean of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, past president; Ruby Perry, dean of the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, secretary; and Mark Stetter, dean of the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, treasurer.
Drs. Calvin Johnson, dean of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, past president; Ruby Perry, dean of the Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, secretary; Michael Lairmore, dean of the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, president; and Mark Markel, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, president-elect. (Courtesy of AAVMC)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Schultz honored for immunology research
Conference promotes animal disease investigations
More than 500 scientists from around the world attended the 99th annual Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases, Dec. 2-5, 2018, in Chicago, including 157 graduate students and 49 postdoctoral research associates.
The meeting was dedicated to Ronald Schultz, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, for his work in veterinary virology and immunology. In 1982, Dr. Schultz became the founding chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at Wisconsin's veterinary school, a position he held until his retirement in 2016.
Ronald Schultz, PhD
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Schultz spent his career emphasizing the translational aspects of immunological research, especially the development and assessment of immunodiagnostics and vaccines in domestic animal species.
A founder of the American Association of Veterinary Immunologists, Dr. Schultz served as the organization's first president in 1979. Years later, in 1994, he was president of CRWAD. Dr. Schultz is the first recipient of the AAVI Distinguished Veterinary Immunologist Award and is an honorary diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists.
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
The third CRWAD Council Keynote was presented by Dr. Guy Palmer, chair in global health and a professor of pathology and infectious diseases at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Palmer spoke about animal health as a driver to achieve sustainable development goals. Additional keynote presentations are available on the CRWAD website at www.crwad.org.
LEADERSHIP
The 2018 CRWAD officers were Drs. Christopher Chase, South Dakota State University, president; Qijing Zhang, Iowa State University, vice president; David A. Benfield, The Ohio State University, executive director; and CRWAD Council members—Drs. Amelia Woolums, Mississippi State University; M.M. Chengappa, Kansas State University; Charles Czuprynski, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Annette O'Connor, Iowa State University; and Paul Morley, Colorado State University.
AVEPM AWARDS
The Association for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine presented the 2018 Calvin Schwabe Award to Dr. Alfonso Torres, professor emeritus at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Torres is a former deputy administrator of Veterinary Services within the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service as well as a former director of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Plum Island, New York. In 2003, Dr. Torres joined Cornell University as a professor and associate dean for public policy at the veterinary college, retiring in 2015.
The Mark Gearhart Memorial Graduate Student Award was presented to Lauren C. Wisnieski, Michigan State University.
Recipients of the AVEPM student awards for best oral presentations were Casey Cazer, Cornell University; Ilya B. Slizovskiy, University of Minnesota; and Sondra H. Lavigne, University of Pennsylvania.
AAVI AWARDS
The American Association of Veterinary Immunologists presented Dr. Laurel Gershwin the 2018 AAVI Distinguished Veterinary Immunologist Award.
Dr. Gershwin has taught immunology for 38 years as a professor at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists, and her research focuses are immune responses in the lung with emphasis on IgE-mediated pathogenesis, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, and associated vaccinology.
Society for Mucosal Immunology Trainee Awards recognizing outstanding oral presentations went to the following students: Sankar Renu, The Ohio State University; Gun Temeeyasen, Iowa State University; Ameer Megahed, University of Illinois; and Javier Garza, West Virginia University.
Recipients of the AAVI student awards were as follows: First place, oral—Amanda Amaral, North Carolina State University; second place, oral—Alejendro Hoyos-Jaramillo, University of Georgia; third place, oral—Glenn Hamonic, University of Saskatchewan; and first place, poster—AGM Rakibuzzaman, North Dakota State University; second place, poster—Victoria Mutua, University of California-Davis; and third place, poster—Juliet Chepngeno, The Ohio State University.
ACVM AWARDS
The American College of Veterinary Microbiologists named Dr. Ab Osterhaus the 2018 Distinguished Veterinary Microbiologist. A professor of virology at universities in Germany and the Netherlands, Dr. Osterhaus is an internationally recognized researcher and principal investigator of numerous major scientific projects. He is currently director of the Research Center for Emerging Infections and Zoonoses at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover in Hanover, Germany.
ACVM student award winners were as follows: Don Kahn Award—Sarah Raabis, University of Wisconsin-Madison; oral presentation—Tessa E. LeCuyer, Washington State University; Miyagari Shoyama, Michigan State University; and Syeda Hadi Anum, Michigan State University; and poster presentation—Marvin A. Ssemadaali, North Dakota State University.
OTHER AWARDS
The Society for Tropical Veterinary Medicine student award was presented to Brent Skinner, Kansas State University.
The American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists presented student awards to Kyle Hoffman, University of Missouri, and Kathryn Reif, Kansas State University.
The NC1202 North Central Multistate Committee for Research on Enteric Diseases of Swine and Cattle gave the following student awards: Lynn Joens Award, first place, oral presentation—Yixuan Hou, The Ohio State University, and second place, oral presentation—Ti Lu, University of Nebraska. The David H. Francis Award for best poster presentation, first place—Kristina Cere, Cornell University, and second place—Taylor Wherry, Iowa State University.
The Biosafety and Biosecurity Award, sponsored by the Animal Health Institute and Joseph J. Garbarino Foundation, was presented to the following students: first place, oral—Emily Cook, University of Georgia, and second place, oral—Jordan Pelkmans, University of Guelph. An award for best poster presentation went to Emily John, Atlantic Veterinary College.
OHIO VMA
EVENT
Annual meeting, Feb. 21-24, Columbus
AWARDS
Veterinarian of the Year
Dr. Dave Bauman (Ohio State ‘73), Maineville. During his 40-year career, Dr. Bauman taught laboratory animal medicine and directed the veterinary technology program at the University of Cincinnati, was an inspector and attending veterinarian at Christ Hospital and Shriners Burns Institute in Cincinnati, and consulted for various companies. He is a past president of the southern Ohio branch of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science and a past president of the Cincinnati VMA. Dr. Bauman served on the Ohio VMA board of directors for 18 years, including 12 years as treasurer.
Dr. Dave Bauman
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
OFFICIALS
Drs. Ellen Yoakam, Mansfield, president; Greg Hass, Findlay, president-elect; Ed Biggie, Millersport, vice president; Barb Musolf, Spencer, secretary; Kevin Corcoran, Xenia, treasurer; Liesa Stone, Cedarville, immediate past president; and AVMA delegate and alternate delegate–Drs. Robert Knapp, Dublin, and Linda Lord, Worthington
Dr. Ellen Yoakam
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. Greg Hass
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
CORRECTIONS
The article “2+2 programs add up” in the April 15, 2019, issue of JAVMA News, page 904, misidentified the students in the Yukon Quest photo. The students are Aashni Singh (left) and Roxane Aflalo.
The article “‘We do one thing, and one thing only’” in the May 1, 2019, issue of JAVMA News, page 1028, misspelled the names of Drs. Lindsay Henschel and Chip Saxton. The article incorrectly stated that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Spay/Neuter Alliance campus has four buildings; it has three. Further, the article should have stated that roughly a thousand people participate annually in the alliance's training programs, not that a total of a thousand people have participated in the programs.
Dr. René A. Carlson, 1954-2019
AVMA president, 2011-12
By R. Scott Nolen
Dr. René A. Carlson
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 10; 10.2460/javma.254.10.1123
Dr. René A. Carlson, a small animal veterinarian from Wisconsin and passionate advocate for veterinary medicine who served as president of both the AVMA and the World Veterinary Association, died March 26. She was 64.
Dr. Carlson assumed the AVMA presidency in 2011, during World Veterinary Year. In a speech to the AVMA House of Delegates that July, she encouraged veterinarians to remain “silent heroes” no longer and to proudly tell the world how they protect animals, the public, and the environment. Dr. Carlson also challenged veterinary leaders to commit to transforming the AVMA into an inclusive, forward-thinking organization prepared to meet societal needs. She said: “It can be done. And I am telling you, it must be done.”
Four years later, as WVA president, Dr. Carlson appeared before an advisory panel of the World Health Organization to speak against a proposal that would have limited veterinary access to ketamine worldwide. The initiative ultimately failed.
“Dr. Carlson's accomplishments are reflective of her lifelong dedication and commitment to the veterinary profession,” said Dr. Janet Donlin, AVMA CEO. “We will all miss René so much as she had such a profound impact on all of us and our profession for so long.”
AVMA President John de Jong said, “René was an exceptional leader and voice for our profession. She had been incredibly strong these past few years as she battled her illness and fought with the optimism and dignity that we will always remember her for. Personally, I will always remember her positive energy, her humility, and her love of her husband, the AVMA, and the profession.”
A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, Dr. Carlson graduated in 1978 from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. After completing an internship in Massachusetts, she returned to her Midwestern roots, settling in Chetek, a city in northwestern Wisconsin. She worked for several years in small and mixed animal practices until 1996, when she opened Animal Hospital of Chetek, an American Animal Hospital Association–accredited practice.
Dr. Carlson participated in organized veterinary medicine for more than three decades, starting in 1986, as a member of the Wisconsin VMA's Veterinary Technicians Advisory Committee. By 1994, she was WVMA president.
It was the same with the AVMA. Dr. Carlson began in the AVMA House of Delegates in 1995, first as the WVMA alternate delegate, then delegate from 1999-2003. She was elected AVMA vice president, serving from 2004-06 as the AVMA Board of Directors’ representative to the Student AVMA. Then Dr. Carlson became a member of the AVMA Council on Education until 2010, when the HOD elected her AVMA president-elect.
Dr. Ted Cohn chaired the AVMA Board of Directors during Dr. Carlson's tenure as president, and he recalls her as a joy to work with. “Her humility, warmth, and sense of humor often cut the tension and made my job easier,” he said. “René's clear vision for the veterinary medical profession helped to ensure that the AVMA put the needs of our members first.”
Dr. Carlson understood the importance of global connections to strengthen the veterinary profession. She was elected in 2013 to a three-year term as director for international affairs for the AVMA and won a second term in 2016. Two years earlier, Dr. Carlson was elected president of the World Veterinary Association, a federation comprising roughly 100 veterinary organizations representing over half a million veterinarians on six continents.
“It's amazing. I'm this person from a town of 2,000 people in Wisconsin, and I'm president of an international organization representing fellow veterinarians around the world,” Dr. Carlson said in a 2017 interview with JAVMA News.
During the 2018 AVMA Convention, Dr. Carlson was honored with a lifetime honorary membership in the WVA, and the AVMA awarded her the Global Veterinary Service Award for promoting veterinary medicine worldwide.
Dr. Carlson is survived by her husband, Dr. Mark Carlson, who was also her veterinary school classmate, as well as her mother and sister. Memorials may be made to Chetek Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 625, Chetek, WI 54728; the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, 1931 N. Meacham Road Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173, www.avmf.org; or the René A. Carlson Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1365 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, https://z.umn.edu/renecarlson.
Obituaries: AVMA MEMBER | AVMA HONOR ROLL MEMBER | NONMEMBER
R. BROOKS BLOOMFIELD
Dr. Bloomfield (Tufts ‘83), 63, Truckee, California, died May 31, 2018. A mixed animal veterinarian, he owned Doctor's Office for Pets in Truckee from 2006-14.
Following graduation, Dr. Bloomfield established a practice in Assonet, Massachusetts. In 1992, he moved to California, where in 1994 he completed a zoological and wildlife residency program at the University of California-Davis. Dr. Bloomfield subsequently worked in California and Nevada before establishing his practice in Truckee. During that time, he practiced at Sierra Pet Clinic in Truckee; was director of Carson Tahoe Critical Care in Carson City, Nevada; and provided his services at the Sierra Safari Zoo and Animal Ark in Reno, Nevada.
Dr. Bloomfield served on the board of directors for the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer; a son and a daughter; his mother; and two brothers and two sisters.
LOUIS B. CUMRO
Dr. Cumro (Kansas State ‘54), 88, Odell, Nebraska, died Jan. 6, 2019. He owned Cumro Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Odell for more than 50 years. Dr. Cumro's wife, Sandra; three daughters; 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and a brother survive him. His granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Drs. Shauna Davis and Brian Davis, both 2009 graduates of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, are veterinarians in St. George, Kansas. Memorials may be made to the Dr. Louis B. Cumro Memorial, 106 Garfield, Odell, NE 68415.
MURRAY J. DEAN
Dr. Dean (Kansas State ‘76), 70, Valley Center, Kansas, died Oct. 15, 2018. A small animal veterinarian, he owned Valley Center Veterinary Clinic for 35 years prior to retirement. Early in his career, Dr. Dean practiced at Florissant Animal Hospital in Florissant, Missouri, for two years. He is survived by his wife, Debby; three sons and a daughter; four grandchildren; and two half sisters. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Catholic Church, 3030 N. Amidon, Wichita, KS 67204; St. Jude Knights of Columbus, 3030 N. Amidon, Wichita, KS 67204; or Lord's Diner, 520 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214.
WILLIAM L. MITCHELL
Dr. Mitchell (Cornell ‘53), 94, Davenport, Florida, died Dec. 30, 2018. He practiced mixed animal medicine in Coudersport, Pennsylvania, serving the Potter County area for more than 50 years. Dr. Mitchell also held free rabies vaccination clinics and volunteered his services at the Lobo Wolf Park and Sanctuary in Kane, Pennsylvania.
Active in his community, he was a past president of the Coudersport School Board and Coudersport Recreation Board, and he helped develop and establish the Coudersport Area Recreation Park. Dr. Mitchell was a member of the Coudersport Chamber of Commerce and volunteered with the Coudersport Volunteer Ambulance Association and Charles Cole Memorial Hospital.
An accomplished pilot, he won championships in the Warbird category at the annual Oshkosh, Wisconsin, air shows in 1984 and 1985. Dr. Mitchell also served as a Warbird judge for more than 30 years and taught at the EAA Air Academy in Oshkosh. He was a longtime member of the Canyon Pilots Association. In 2008, the Federal Aviation Administration honored him with the Wilbur Wright Award.
Dr. Mitchell was an Army veteran of World War II, attaining the rank of first lieutenant. His wife, Mary; a son and three daughters; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild survive him. His son, Dr. Thomas W. Mitchell (Pennsylvania ‘86), is a veterinarian in East Norriton, Pennsylvania. Memorials may be made to Teacher's Pet Rescue, 19 Blackberry Lane, Coudersport, PA 16915; Canyon Pilots Association, 112 Runway Road, Wellsboro, PA 16901; or VITAS Healthcare, 38251 Highway 27, Davenport, FL 33837.
HAROLD E. VONDERFECHT
Dr. Vonderfecht (Colorado State ‘62), 88, Plattsmouth, Nebraska, died Oct. 5, 2018. Following graduation, he established a practice in Gothenburg, Nebraska, where he worked until 1974. Dr. Vonderfecht subsequently taught animal science in California and Kansas for a few years. In 1977, he relocated to Plattsmouth and began a career as an animal health consultant for pharmaceutical companies. During his more than 20 years as a consultant, Dr. Vonderfecht also ranched, continuing the latter in retirement. His three sons, seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren survive him. One son, Dr. Steven L. Vonderfecht (Oklahoma State 76), is a veterinarian in California.
