IN SHORT
A Bramble Cay melomys photographed in 2002 (Courtesy of the Queensland Department of Environment and Science)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
RODENT EXTINCT FROM HUMAN-CAUSED CLIMATE CHANGE
The Great Barrier Reef's only endemic mammal may be the first mammalian extinction from human-caused climate change.
In February, the Australian government declared the Bramble Cay melomys extinct, confirming a 2016 finding by Queensland's state government. The rodent was exclusive to Bramble Cay, a small island of Queensland that is close to Papua New Guinea.
In a 2016 report, Queensland's government indicated surveys failed to find a single melomys in 2014, and fishermen said they last saw the rodents in 2009.
From 1998–2014, wind and waves had eroded the island's area above high tide from 10 acres to 6, the report states. The island lost 97 percent of the plants that gave the melomys food and shelter, and seabirds guarded some of what remained.
“Available information about sea-level rise and the increased frequency and intensity of weather events producing extreme high water levels and damaging storm surges in the Torres Strait region over this period point to human-induced climate change being the root cause of the loss of the Bramble Cay melomys,” the report states.
Officials with Australia's government also listed the spectacled flying fox as endangered, as its population halved in the past decade and was heavily impacted by a recent heat-stress event in north Queensland.
ASPCA HONORS 18, INCLUDING A VETERINARIAN
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals honored 18 people, including a veterinarian, for aiding abused animals in New York City.
Dr. Inbal Lavotshkin, medical director for Veterinary Emergency Referral Group Hospital South in Brooklyn, was honored in December along with 14 members of the New York Police Department, a Bronx County district attorney, and two assistant U.S. attorneys. Dr. Lavotshkin is one of 16 who received ASPCA annual appreciation awards, and two NYPD honorees received five-year awards.
The award recipients are participants in an ASPCA-NYPD partnership that has aided more than 3,000 animals since January 2014. Those honored have helped prevent, investigate, and prosecute animal cruelty and neglect and give victims medical care.
The ASPCA praised Dr. Lavotshkin for giving needed medical updates, working to house large groups of animals on short notice, and identifying and reporting animal cruelty on her own.
PHARMACOLOGY RESEARCH GRANTS AWARDED
The American Veterinary Medical Foundation and the Veterinary Pharmacology Research Foundation have awarded pharmacology research grants to three veterinary researchers.
Dr. John Thomason, associate professor of small animal internal medicine in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine, is a recipient of the Dr. Brian Riviere Memorial Veterinary Pharmacokinetic Research Grant of nearly $15,000. Dr. Thomason is conducting research on population pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous enoxaparin in hypercoagulable dogs.
An additional recipient of the Dr. Brian Riviere Memorial Veterinary Grant is Dr. Jonathan Foster, an internist at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C., who was awarded nearly $12,000. Dr. Foster's research focuses on population pharmacokinetic analysis of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite ciprofloxacin following intravenous injection in cats with reduced kidney function.
Dr. Lauren Trepanier, professor and assistant dean of clinical and translational research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, received the Veterinary Pharmacology Research Grant of nearly $12,000. Dr. Trepanier's research aims to discover why individual dogs respond differently to the drugs azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, lomustine, amiodarone, and chlorambucil.
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FBI gathers animal cruelty data, but patterns have yet to emerge
Data in second year, covers one-third of U.S. population
By Greg Cima
The FBI has published the first two years' worth of data on animal cruelty, but patterns may take several more years to emerge.
The 2016 and 2017 data come from police departments serving about one-third of the U.S. population.
An FBI spokeswoman provided a statement that law enforcement agencies are collecting and sending detailed information for each instance of cruelty, including notes on times, locations, weapons involved, and connected criminal activities. The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting system will help them see trends in the types and severity of cruelty and the circumstances surrounding these crimes.
“Currently, a national trend is not possible, as the FBI UCR program has not collected enough data,” the statement says.
Law enforcement agencies will need to give the UCR program data for two to five years before the FBI can use it to establish trends.
COLLECTING DATA
The FBI is transitioning its crime data collection from a legacy summary reporting system to the more detailed National Incident Based Reporting System. Agencies can transition ahead of the 2021 deadline, but most haven't.
Since 2016, law enforcement agencies using NIBRS have reported animal cruelty as its own offense, rather than including it in the “All other offenses” category.
In 2017, agencies using NIBRS represented 106 million people—only 32 percent of the U.S. population—but still up from 31 percent in 2016.
The data collected so far show, at least, a rise in reporting on animal cruelty.
The agencies participating in NIBRS reported 3,200 instances of animal cruelty in 2017, or one for every 33,000 people. In 2016, the agencies reported about 1,100 instances, or one for every 90,000 people.
The data also may provide some insights into the types of crimes officers report seeing.
Officers arrested about 760 people for animal cruelty in 2017, of whom 96 percent were adults. About 70 percent of known animal cruelty instances occurred in homes. Only about 3 percent involved suspected drug or alcohol use.
Developing useful data likely will take years, and some states will probably have better data sooner than others, said Mary Lou Randour, PhD, senior adviser for animal cruelty programs and training at the Animal Welfare Institute. Getting better data will involve reaching agencies that are outside police departments but respond to crimes against animals, she added.
Randall Lockwood, PhD, who is senior vice president of anti-cruelty special projects at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said he has seen detailed data in NIBRS, and it's obvious the reports represent only a fraction of the number of actual crimes.
The 2016 data, for example, included only 12 instances of organized animal cruelty, the category for animal fighting, he said. The ASPCA alone investigated more fighting incidents that year.
The data also may be lacking, in part, because animal cruelty often is investigated by agencies separate from municipal or county police departments. Dr. Lockwood said the agencies tasked with these investigations—animal control departments, public health departments, and local nonprofit organizations, to name a few examples—tend not to collect data in forms accepted by the FBI.
Dr. Randour thinks some of the data collected so far are useful.
Kentucky, for example, has some counties with no animal cruelty reporting. She sees opportunities to convince law enforcement departments to participate and give animal control agencies outside law enforcement methods for reporting data. In 2017, she said, Tennessee had reports on only two categories of cruelty—neglect and intentional abuse—which tells her police in the state probably are missing some crimes of animal fighting and sexual abuse of animals.
MAKING THE CONNECTION
Dr. Randour said the AWI had advocated for 12 years to get the FBI to collect and report data on animal cruelty. About 15 years ago, she gave presentations to police officers on the links between animal abuse and other crimes. She took, but couldn't answer, questions on whether crimes against animals were rising or who was most likely to commit those crimes.
If police administrators know where animal fighting occurs, they can work with community organizations to discourage it, Dr. Randour said. Captains can tell officers how to spot signs of fighting and intervene.
Dr. Lockwood said tracking crimes of animal cruelty also reinforces to law enforcement agencies that those crimes are important.
The ASPCA is part of the National Link Coalition, which advocates for ways to prevent violence against animals and people. The coalition was among supporters for the effort to gain separate reporting on crimes against animals. ASPCA leaders think the data could help gauge how often such crimes occur, track outcomes, and measure the success of interventions.
Dr. Lockwood expects the data will help show which national regions or even city precincts have disproportionate problems with animal cruelty. The data available to police also distinguish among abuse, animal fighting, and neglect. Plus, individual reports include details of what happened.
The way NIBRS collects incident reports can, for example, show links between domestic violence and animal abuse or between dog fighting and gun and drug violations.
With that information, police officials can better understand these interconnected problems as well as improve their training.
When the FBI made its announcement in early 2016, the agency credited the National Sheriffs' Association as one of the leading advocates for reporting on animal cruelty in FBI data. The association's executive director, Jonathan F. Thompson, was quoted in the announcement as saying that the people who hurt animals also often hurt humans and that patterns of animal abuse can indicate other crimes are occurring.
Attention to those crimes helps society, he said. At press time, the association had not replied to a request for comment.
ADVOCATING FOR ANIMALS
The sheriffs' association has continued to advocate for having police watch for crimes against animals, publishing in November 2018 a guidance paper, “Animal Cruelty as a Gateway Crime,” and this year, the association's magazine, Sheriff & Deputy, published a special issue on animal cruelty.
The 2018 paper describes the NSA's work to tell officers about the dangers of animal abuse and its role as a sign of other criminal behavior. It also touches on the need to make such crimes easier to report, investigate, and prosecute.
“Concerned neighbors are more likely to report suspected animal abuse than they are to report other forms of family violence,” the paper states. “Consequently, animal control officers have much easier access to homes than do other law enforcement and social services agents.”
A woman who is afraid to report abuse by her partner may report he is cruel to animals. A neighbor may report the animal abuse first, and officers may uncover violence against people.
Police who know the signs of animal abuse can, when responding to domestic violence, ask to see pets in the home. They may see injuries, malnutrition, or signs of fear, as well as use information on pets to decide whether to call child protective services.
Dr. Randour also said veterinarians are important for recognizing cruelty. She noted that some states require veterinarians to report abuse and that the AVMA, by policy, advocates that veterinarians report abuse and neglect (see page 897).
She thinks that veterinarians should talk more with staff of organizations that help victims of domestic violence. They can learn about signs of abuse, how to intervene, and what educational materials they could keep in their waiting rooms.
INVESTIGATOR URGES ANIMAL ABUSE AWARENESS
Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore, president of Forensic Veterinary Investigations, is encouraging veterinarians to identify abuse as part of protecting their patients.
As part of that initiative, she developed an infographic to help veterinarians suspect and detect signs of cruelty.
Dr. Smith-Blackmore said that, in her experience, veterinarians can be reluctant to consider abuse as a likely cause of injury, and those who suspect abuse can be hesitant to report it. After her lectures on veterinary forensics and animal cruelty, she is asked most often how to tell when suspicions are strong enough to warrant a report to authorities. When veterinarians have that question, she said, they should file a report.
The document is available in English and Spanish at https://jav.ma/Suspect_it.
BANFIELD FOUNDATION COMMITS $1M TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS
The Banfield Foundation announced that it has committed to investing $1 million over four years through its Safer Together initiative to raise awareness of the link between domestic violence and animal abuse and to help victims of domestic violence and their pets find safety.
“Victims often remain in a dangerous environment because they do not have access to a pet-friendly shelter or program, and we believe saving the life of a pet can save the life of a human,” said Kim Van Syoc, executive director of the Banfield Foundation, in a March 5 announcement about the Safer Together initiative.
The foundation's new Safer Together grant program enables nonprofit organizations to apply for funding as they increase their capacity to help people and pets escaping domestic violence. Funding will largely focus on ensuring pets have access to veterinary care, temporary shelter, and behavior training. Nonprofits can also use a portion of the grant money to cover costs of a dedicated animal support specialist.
Ahimsa House fosters pets of domestic violence victims in Georgia. Myra Rasnick, executive director of the program, said in the March 5 announcement: “Approximately 95 percent of pets entering our program require some form of veterinary care whether preventive or emergency to treat injury or illness due to abuse and neglect. Veterinarians play a crucial role in not only treating these pets, but also recognizing the signs of animal cruelty.”
Later this year, the Banfield Foundation will focus its efforts on raising awareness within the general public as well as the veterinary profession about the link between domestic violence and animal abuse.
Q&A: At your service
AVMA Board chair discusses recent Association initiatives
Interview and photo by R. Scott Nolen
In the months since Dr. Gary Brown's election as chair of the AVMA Board of Directors last July in Denver, the Association has consolidated its Trusts, restructured the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, and adopted a plan for increasing membership dues. In short: The AVMA Board has been busy.
Dr. Brown talks about these and other developments, including telemedicine, veterinary technician utilization, and access to care, in the following interview with JAVMA News.
Q. IN YOUR ESTIMATION, WHAT ARE THE MORE NOTABLE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE BOARD DURING YOUR TENURE AS CHAIR?
A. This year's Board actions reflect previous years' planning as well as those taken in response to current and anticipated needs. It has been my honor to chair our Board at a time of such positive change.
Aligning the efforts of AVMA Life and AVMA PLIT under a new umbrella trust is as significant as the establishment of Life and PLIT some 60 years ago. It helps ensure that the diverse products and services provided to AVMA members by the Trusts are integrated within the AVMA's overall strategic plan. The restructuring will now allow for expanded offerings beyond insurance and, over time, a seamless member experience.
We have often heard from members about their desire for the AVMA to again sponsor group health insurance plans. As a result of recent federal regulatory changes, planning is well underway to again sponsor health plans, and—absent disruption from an ongoing national legal challenge to all association health plans—the AVMA will again offer plans in a few states very soon, with the anticipation that the number of states will grow as the state regulatory environments allow.
Dr. Gary Brown, 2018–19 AVMA Board of Directors chair
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
Similarly, integration of the AVMF more closely with the AVMA assures a common strategic future for both.
More than 400 volunteers contributed to the deliberations of our councils, committees, panels, working groups, and task forces, many of which sent substantive recommendations to the Board for action. These ranged from the adoption of principles and definitions important to effective antimicrobial stewardship to the development of a program to support workplace well-being in veterinary practices.
Other key topics the Board has addressed include policies and resources on opioids and prescription drug monitoring programs, guidance on the depopulation of animals in response to disease and destructive human-caused or natural events, and veterinary licensing in waters of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (the area of coastal water and seabed where the federal government has jurisdiction over natural resources). One of the most impactful AVMA policies is our Model Veterinary Practice Act. Efforts to update it have drawn from the expertise of volunteers across the profession through a working group convened under the guidance of the Council on Veterinary Service. While the update remains a work in progress, including consideration of valuable suggestions submitted recently by the House of Delegates, we believe we are very close to achieving consensus.
Creation of the new budget, a collaborative effort led by our treasurer, Dr. Arnold Goldman, required careful scrutiny of AVMA operations to assess programs for member value and to ensure efficiency. While that careful evaluation found opportunities for streamlining certain areas, it also revealed the need for a modest increase in dues to ensure that the AVMA can continue to deliver quality products and services, education, professional resources, and advocacy for its members. The expected outcome of that increase will be a financially strong AVMA that has the means necessary to address current and future member needs.
The AVMA has worked hard this year to nurture its relationships with other organizations to ensure a climate of support for all veterinarians and all members of the veterinary team. The AVMA's administrative support for the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America, Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative, and Veterinary Medical Association Executives is an important part of that effort. When these organizations succeed, their members succeed, and that success trickles down into the business of veterinary medicine—whether that business is an independent or corporate practice, allied industry, or government.
Q. WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO SEE WITH THE NEW AVMA WEBSITE?
A. The Board is steadfast in its commitment to the new www.avma.org, as demonstrated by its appropriation of substantial financial and staff resources. We know this is a very high member priority, and I believe our members will be excited by the result. Objectives include ease of use and search, with fewer clicks to reach the desired page, and I expect to see a contemporary and friendly homepage, with current items of interest for members and the public. I look forward to a much-improved governance portal, an aspect of www.avma.org important to the House of Delegates, Board, councils, and committees.
Overall, I expect a site that members will find easy to use and one that educates the public, advocates for the profession, communicates the vast library of information we offer, and is useful to veterinarians.
Q. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VETERINARY STATE BOARDS RESTRUCTURING THE REQUIREMENT FOR A VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP AS IT RELATES TO TELEMEDICINE?
A. The AVMA, Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, and AAVSB are jointly and actively supporting opportunities to enhance veterinary practice through the adoption of telehealth and telemedicine technologies. At the same time, ensuring that the legal definitions of the VCPR that exist in federal law, state veterinary medical practice acts, and state veterinary board regulations are robust, consistent, unambiguous to practitioners, and in the best interest of patients and clients is critical to the efficacious and safe practice of veterinary medicine. Technological advancements have altered and in some respects enhanced how veterinarians conduct examinations of their patients.
However, until technology becomes capable of delivering the equivalent of hands-on or eyes-on observations and until it can adequately capture what are often nuanced interactions with clients, I believe an in-person examination or—in the case of groups of animals—an in-person visit to the facility should continue to be required for establishment of a VCPR. In the meantime … we are monitoring technological advancements and learnings from real-world implementations of telemedicine and telehealth very carefully to make sure that AVMA policy stays up to date with innovations and the experience of veterinarians and their clients.
Q. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE AVMA'S NEW FOCUS ON IMPROVING ACCESS TO VETERINARY CARE?
A. The thought that some animals are lacking appropriate veterinary care creates angst for all compassionate veterinarians. Barriers to service can take a variety of forms, including insufficient economic resources, impaired access to veterinary practices, and language and cultural differences. The AVMA has long focused on improving access to veterinary care. Discussions during a recent Veterinary Information Forum kicked off the AVMA Access to Veterinary Care Initiative. As part of that initiative, the AVMA has convened a working group of stakeholders who are sharing information about how existing programs, practices, and tools are overcoming these barriers to securing veterinary care. That information will be distilled into practice models to assist veterinarians in working effectively and collaboratively within their communities. It should help them actively evaluate opportunities to increase access to veterinary care by applying learnings that might best be adapted to their unique situations. As this initiative evolves, its scope is designed to respond to needs across different sectors of veterinary medicine and to provide resources for individual veterinarians, traditional practices, and nonprofit organizations. When it comes to increasing the availability of care in underserved areas, it's important to remember that related shortages exist in more than 180 rural communities across the country.
The AVMA's ongoing advocacy for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program has facilitated some loan repayment for veterinarians in exchange for serving at least three years in federally designated shortage areas. And when cost is the determining factor that prevents animals from receiving needed care, veterinarians can help their clients through the AVMF's Veterinary Care Charitable Fund.
Finally, the 2017–18 edition of the AVMA Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, which became available a few months ago, analyzed pet ownership and pet care trends and identified opportunities for enhancing and expanding veterinary services.
Q. CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE WORKING GROUP BEING FORMED ON VETERINARY TECHNICIAN UTILIZATION? WHAT COULD COME FROM THAT?
A. During the January AVMA House of Delegates session, the House requested the Board convene a task force to study how to improve veterinary technician utilization. In response, I have asked the AVMA/NAVTA Leadership Committee and the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities to collaborate and submit a recommendation for consideration at the April Board meeting. I directed them to propose the charge of the new task force, identify its representative members, and propose its budget.
This initiative holds great promise, not only to promote overall practice economics, but also to improve the well-being, financial success, and work-life integration of veterinarians and veterinary technicians alike. The veterinary workplace is commonly referred to as family. Families help one another, and the AVMA wants all its families to succeed.
The responsibilities of the AVMA Board of Directors' chairmanship are challenging, ever-changing, and require a unique blend of problem-solving, mentorship, and growth. I've been blessed with a supportive Board and an amazing AVMA staff. I strive daily to earn their confidence and to honor the Association we all humbly serve.
Pre-empting zoonotic disease threats
Researchers focus on animal reservoirs for Lassa and Ebola viruses
The Ebola virus causes a potentially fatal hemorrhagic fever in mammals. From 2013–15, an Ebola epidemic in West Africa resulted in the deaths of more than 11,000 people.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
A multimillion-dollar Defense Department grant is helping veterinary researchers predict the emergence of highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses and prevent them spilling over to humans.
In February, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced an agreement with scientists at the University of California-Davis, the University of Idaho, and Plymouth University in England to work on the agency's Preventing Emerging Pathogenic Threats program. DARPA has committed up to $9.37 million in support for the program over 3 1/2 years.
With U.S. military forces deploying throughout the world, the Defense Department's PREEMPT program is designed to preserve military readiness by protecting troops from infectious diseases. Instead of treating people, PREEMPT focuses on animal reservoirs and insect vectors where viral pathogens originate.
“DARPA challenges the PREEMPT research community to look far earlier on the emerging threat timeline and identify opportunities to contain viruses before they ever endanger humans,” explained Brad Ringeisen, PhD, the agency's program manager for PREEMPT, in a press release. “We require proactive options to keep our troops and the homeland safe from emerging infectious disease threats.”
DARPA was established by the Eisenhower administration in 1958 in response to the Soviet launch of Sputnik 1 the previous year. For the past several decades, the agency has been responsible for developing emerging technologies for the U.S. military.
The PREEMPT research team, led by the One Health Institute at the UC-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the Center for Comparative Medicine at the UC-Davis School of Medicine and veterinary school, will concentrate efforts on the Lassa and Ebola viruses. Both zoonotic viruses are seen as significant biological threats to deployed military personnel, local communities in West and Central Africa, and global health security.
Despite a worldwide investment of time and resources, the ability to predict with certainty which viruses will make the zoonotic jump into humans remains elusive. As a result, responses to outbreaks have been reactive, with the focus on containing the spread of virus through behavior change and treating or vaccinating people infected after the initial spillover.
The first phase of the project is underway in Sierra Leone. Field teams will collect and test samples from Mastomys rats, a widespread local rodent and known reservoir for Lassa virus.
The team works closely with the Sierra Leone government, University of Makeni, Njala University, and community partners, leveraging relationships established over the past five years through the U.S. Agency for International Development–funded Predict project, also headquartered at the UC-Davis One Health Institute.
Researchers will integrate data from the field studies, along with viral testing and probability models, to predict the real-time risk for the emergence of Lassa virus and spillover into people.
“PREEMPT takes a deep dive into Lassa virus and its ecology,” said Dr. Brian Bird, co-principal investigator of the PREEMPT project and global lead of Predict-Sierra Leone, in the press release. “We want to understand why one particular variant of the virus spills over into people versus another.”
In the program's second phase, researchers will design and test a novel vaccine in collaboration with The Vaccine Group and the Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology.
“A vaccine designed for broad uptake within a specific animal community could be a game changer,” said Peter Barry, PhD, co-principal investigator and professor emeritus with UC-Davis Center for Comparative Medicine, in the press release. “If we can disrupt the spread of a virus within an animal community, we will help to eliminate the threat of animal diseases ultimately spilling over into humans.”
The One Health Institute has been integral in global surveillance of zoonotic disease and capacity building through its leadership of Predict. In 2018, the Predict team announced the discoveries of a new species of ebolavirus and a closely related cousin, Marburg virus, in bats in Sierra Leone prior to those viruses ever being detected in a sick human or animal.
The PREEMPT team's plan to use cytomegalovirus, a common virus, to vaccinate animals against other viruses, such as Lassa virus and Ebola virus, is a direct result of work initiated by Dr. Barry to develop a nonhuman primate model of human cytomegalovirus.
“This type of collaboration across disciplines made possible through this DARPA cooperative agreement is how we'll get in front of the unpredictable nature of zoonotic diseases,” said Dr. Michael Lairmore, dean of the UC-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, in the press release. “PREEMPT exemplifies the level of innovation that's possible using a One Health approach, and it will protect lives on a global scale.”
INVESTMENT FIRM BUYS STAKE IN VETERINARY CLINIC CHAIN
Another company has entered the veterinary market by buying a major stake in a chain of veterinary clinics.
JAB Holdings announced that it had signed a definitive agreement with the private equity firm Quad-C Management Inc. to buy the latter's stake in Compassion-First Pet Hospitals, which operates 41 specialty, emergency, and general medicine veterinary clinics in the U.S. The agreement is based on a total enterprise valuation of $1.2 billion. The exact amount of the purchase was not disclosed, but a JAB spokesman said it gave the buyer majority control, according to a Feb. 25 article in the Financial Times. Founded in 2014, the chain has expanded from a small group of veterinary hospitals in the Mid-Atlantic region to dozens more locations in 13 states, mostly in urban and suburban areas.
Veterinary service providers who are currently investors in the company will maintain a significant stake going forward, and Compassion-First's management team, including founder and CEO John Payne, will also continue to be significant investors and lead the company in the next phase of its development, according to a Feb. 25 JAB press release. Payne is former CEO of Banfield Pet Hospital and past president of Bayer Animal Health North America.
This is JAB Holdings' first foray into the animal care market. According to the Financial Times, JAB Holding Co. is owned by the Reimann family, one of the richest families on the planet—worth at least $19 billion, according to Forbes. Since 2012, according to the Financial Times, JAB chairman Peter Harf “has embarked on an aggressive expansion into the coffee business, as well as casual dining. JAB now owns or backs a number of companies, including Keurig Dr Pepper, Pret A Manger, and cosmetics maker Coty.”
Mars remains the world's largest operator of veterinary hospitals after acquiring VCA Animal Hospitals in the U.S. for $9.1 billion in 2017 and, in 2018, the Linnaeus Group Ltd. and AniCura Holding AB, which both have clinics in Europe.
2+2 PROGRAMS ADD UP
Veterinary colleges partner with other universities to educate more students across state lines
By Kaitlyn Mattson
“To get to see and work with those kinds of athletes is really incredible,” Josh Link said of sled dogs. (Photo by J.R. Ancheta/UAF)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
Prospective veterinary students from states that lack an AVMA Council on Education–accredited veterinary college can still pursue a veterinary career by applying to a 2+2 program, which allows them to complete the first two years of a four-year veterinary curriculum at a campus separate from a veterinary college. In theory, these programs enable states without a veterinary college to increase the number of veterinarians in the state, and they seem to be doing just that. Most of the programs haven't been around long enough to determine definitively whether they have made a dent in veterinarian shortages. However, academic leaders and veterinary students are positive about the opportunities these programs can bring to a community or state.
LOCALLY FORTIFIED
Link said the 2+2 program connecting UAF and CSU properly prepares people for the rigors they will face in Alaska, where during the winter, it can hit 50 below zero, with as little as two hours of light during the day.
“I think a program like this gets people exposure to those areas and helps retain people that already live there,” Link said.
The UAF-CSU 2+2 program accepts 10 students each year. It is just one of several across the U.S. Other 2+2 and related programs include the following:
Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine.
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Idaho Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, and the Montana Cooperative Program with Montana State University. Montana students spend one year at MSU and then move onto WSU, USU is a 2+2 program, and Idaho students spend all four years at WSU.
University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and South Dakota State University Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences Department announced in February a plan to establish a 2+2 program. Its first class will graduate from Minnesota's veterinary college in 2023. About 20 students a year will receive a spot in the program.
FIRST OF ITS KIND
Iowa State's veterinary college and UNL formed the first 2+2 veterinary program in 2006.
“The idea was that we would be able to combine the resources of Iowa and Nebraska to prepare more highly qualified veterinarians,” said Jared Danielson, PhD, associate dean of academic and student affairs at ISU's veterinary college.
The first two years of a 2+2 program's curriculum consists of basic sciences and classroom work. The third year, when most students come together at the veterinary college, is more clinically focused with some continued classroom work. The fourth year is typically dedicated to clinical training.
The most expensive portion of a veterinary education is the fourth-year clinical instruction. Thus, the 2+2 program between ISU and UNL allowed Nebraska to educate about 26 veterinary students a year in a cost-effective way, while leveraging existing expertise and educational facilities at UNL, Dr. Danielson said. For Iowa State, the 2+2 has provided quality students who have enriched the program, he said.
The Class of 2019 will receive diplomas that depict the ISU and UNL logos on the document, said Dr. Danielson, to showcase the work that UNL does to educate the students.
GO WEST
The idea for the program at WSU came from Dr. Bryan K. Slinker, dean of WSU's veterinary college, as another alternative to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. WICHE is a 15-member state regional organization that works to improve access to higher education through student exchange programs, allowing students to pay in-state tuition at out-of-state institutions.
Dr. Bill Dernell, WSU associate dean of veterinary medicine, said, “We are very involved in WICHE, and we are a big supporter of WICHE, but the funding is getting questionable. It's dwindling. A lot of states have decreased WICHE funding. Some states don't know how many positions they will fund until the last minute, which is very difficult from a recruiting standpoint.”
For WSU's veterinary college, the possibility of expanding its applicant pool by teaming up with other universities was a pragmatic decision.
“We were seeing our qualified Washington applicant pool decreasing. The number of applications was decreasing, and we don't know why,” Dr. Dernell said. “But that was also a part of the impetus (behind the program). If we are thinking about expanding our class size, where do we go? We don't feel comfortable digging deeper into the Washington pool, but what about these stellar students from these other states? Let's go where our power is.”
Importantly, 2+2 programs benefit not only students but also the veterinary school financially.
Students graduating this year from the Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine gain clinical experience at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. (Courtesy of WSU CVM)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
“From a financial standpoint, these programs are very good for us,” Dr. Dernell said. “We end up with a lot more tuition from out-of-state students than we do from in-state students. All these students are essentially paying out-of-state tuition. The states are supporting the difference.”
WHERE'D YOU GO?
Dr. Barry Pittman, Utah state veterinarian since 2015, signs all the state's veterinary accreditation papers. He said he has noticed a jump in the number of veterinarians coming back to work in Utah. The reason for that may be the 2+2 program between USU and WSU veterinary college, he said.
Most program leaders agree that a majority of students report that they have or will return to their home state after graduating.
For example, more than 60 percent of the graduates of the 2+2 program between ISU veterinary college and UNL have returned to Nebraska, Dr. Danielson said, although there is no requirement to do so.
The results are similar at WSU veterinary college.
“The vast majority of Washington resident students will end up somewhere in Washington,” Dr. Dernell said. “Most of our Utah resident students end up going back to Utah. … Our Idaho students somewhat spread, but again, most go back to Idaho or close by, and then the same with the Montana students. In a way, the states are seeing what they wanted to see, which was getting veterinarians trained and back to the state.”
The Washington-Idaho-Montana-Utah Regional Program in Veterinary Medicine does not require that students return to their home state.
The 2+2 program between CSU veterinary college and UAF also does not obligate veterinary students to return to Alaska.
However, at least five students from the first cohort graduating in May plan to return to the state, said Dr. Karsten Hueffer, associate dean of the Department of Veterinary Medicine at UAF.
According to Josh Link: “A lot of veterinarians in the area have been waiting for this program because (the graduates) have already been to Alaska, lived in Alaska, and are interested in staying in the state.”
Before this program, practitioners could hire people from other states, but getting someone to stay for a long time was difficult, he said.
2+2 AND RELATED PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
| PROGRAM | SPONSORED TUITION RATE | OUT-OF-STATE TUITION RATE | NUMBER OF STUDENTS | YEAR ESTABLISHED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine AND Utah State University School of Veterinary Medicine | $24,992/$25,530⁁ | $32,213 | about 35 | 2012 |
| 2 Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine AND Montana Cooperative Program with Montana State University* | $22,067/$25,530⁁⁁ | $32,213 | about 10 | 2014 |
| 3 Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine AND University of Idaho Department of Animal and Veterinary Science** | $25,530 | $32,213 | about 12 | 1979 |
| 4 University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine AND South Dakota State University Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences Department | not reported | not reported | about 20 | 2020 |
| 5 Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences AND University of Alaska-Fairbanks | $30,784 | $57,325 | about 10 | 2014 |
| 6 Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine AND the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine | $25,588 | $51,231 | about 26 | 2006 |
Montana students spend one year at MSU before moving to the WSU campus in Pullman, Washington.
Idaho students spend all four years at the WSU campus in Pullman, Washington.
The cost of attendance while Utah students are on the USU campus is $24,992 and $25,530 once they reach the WSU campus.
The cost of attendance while Montana students are on the MSU campus is $22,067 and $25,530 once they reach the WSU campus.
Source: Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges Cost Comparison Tool, university websites
A white coat ceremony held at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine for the Class of 2022 (Courtesy of WSU)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
Billyann Monrean (left) and Claire Squires, students at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, check sled dogs at a clinic ahead of the Yukon Quest race. (Photo by J.R. Ancheta/UAF)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
At UAF, (left to right) students Natasha Worker, Brittany Hellem, and Roxane Aflalo learn from Dr. Vaughan Seed. The 2+2 program between UAF and Colorado State University will graduate its first class in 2019. (Photo by Brianna Pauling)
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
Also, prior to this program, students interested in veterinary medicine who lived in Alaska had to attend a four-year veterinary school elsewhere.
“After those four years, most students were not interested in coming back because they had started new lives in other states and had developed networks and business opportunities and never returned to Alaska,” Link said.
One of the goals for the new 2+2 program between South Dakota State and Minnesota's veterinary college was to find a creative solution to the lack of rural and food animal veterinarians in South Dakota. So, SDSU will require some of its students to return to the state.
“The program that we currently have envisioned is that six students would have an obligation to return to the state,” said SDSU Provost Dennis Hodge.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
A successful 2+2 program requires communication and curriculum planning between the two institutions, according to academic leaders.
“A member of the UNL faculty sits on our curriculum committee, so they contribute to and learn from any discussion we have regarding the curriculum and are aware of any changes that occur,” said Dr. Danielson at ISU. “We also have regular oversight of courses to compare objectives. We also use the Veterinary Education Assessment, administered by the International Council for Veterinary Assessment, to give us an independent perspective regarding how well prepared our students are.”
WSU surveys its students on a yearly basis. Nearly all have reported no issue in making the transition from their state university to the WSU campus, both personally and academically.
“Our students integrate very well,” Dr. Dernell said.
For Josh Link, the transition to Colorado during his third year was easier than he expected. Third-year students at CSU move to the veterinary teaching hospital down the road from the main campus, and so the new area was fresh for everyone.
“We didn't know the facility that well, but a lot of the third-year students when we got there also were unfamiliar with it,” he said. “It really went much better than I was expecting.”
Link also said CSU veterinary college and UAF work hard to make the 2+2 program work. He said he is optimistic about the future and the continued success of 2+2 programs.
“I had never been to Alaska before I went to veterinary school there, and I fell in love with the place. Not all my classmates are coming back, but my classmates that are want to be there.”
BUILDING A 2+2 PROGRAM
Academic leaders suggest that veterinary colleges interested in starting 2+2 programs consider the following:
Try to start a partnership with a university that is geographically close (ideally in a border state) or culturally aligned.
Make sure both schools are interested in a partnership and willing to help each other thrive.
Research prospective student interest.
Loop in the existing veterinary community in both areas: Is there a need for more veterinarians?
Discuss how the partnership will work, including tuition.
Coordinate curriculum in advance, and discuss whether distance learning will be necessary.
People
IOWA STATE RESEARCHER HONORED FOR FOOD SAFETY WORK
Dr. Qijing Zhang
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
The American Association for the Advancement of Science recognized an investigator at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine for his contributions to the field of food safety and animal health. Earlier this year, Dr. Qijing Zhang was inducted as a fellow of the AAAS, the world's largest scientific society.
Dr. Zhang is associate dean of research and graduate studies for ISU's veterinary college and the Dr. Frank K. Ramsey Endowed Chair in Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine. He was honored for his research on deciphering antimicrobial resistance and pathogenic mechanisms for foodborne pathogens.
Specifically, Dr. Zhang's work focuses on understanding how bacterial pathogens infect animals and how they develop resistance to clinically important antimicrobials. His study is instrumental in discovering emerging antimicrobial-resistance threats and has provided critically needed information for risk assessment and development of control strategies, according to an ISU press release.
Dr. Zhang received his veterinary degree in 1983 from Shandong Agricultural University in China. He then earned his master's in veterinary microbiology in 1986 from the National Institute of Veterinary Biologics in China. In 1994, he attained a PhD in immunobiology from Iowa State, and he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular microbiology in 1997 from the University of Missouri.
He is an honorary diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists as well as a council member and president of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases.
The new class of AAAS fellows was announced in the Nov. 29 issue of the journal Science. Election as a fellow is an honor bestowed on association members by their peers. The association's fellowship program recognizes individuals whose efforts toward advancing science applications are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished.
CLARIFICATION
The article “Canine heart disease may related to legumes, potatoes” in the April 1, 2019, issue of JAVMA News, page 764, has been updated online to note that the Food and Drug Administration has received unusual reports of dilated cardiomyopathy in breeds that have no known genetic predisposition to the disease.
MISSOURI VMA
EVENT
127th annual convention, Jan. 24–27, Columbia
PROGRAM
The convention offered more than 60 continuing education lectures and drew more than 600 attendees.
AWARDS
Veterinarian of the Year
Dr. Charles L. Barry (Missouri '87), Warrensburg. Dr. Barry owns Lifetime Animal Center, a mixed animal practice in Warrensburg. He is a past president of the Missouri VMA and Missouri VMA Academy and a past chair of the Missouri Veterinary Medical Board.
Dr. Charles L. Barry
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
President's Award
Dr. Abby Whiting (Missouri '11), St. Louis.
Dr. Whiting practices at Veterinary Specialty Services in St. Louis. She also serves as a moderator for Not One More Vet, an online veterinary support group.
William A. Wolff Volunteerism Award
The Christian Veterinary Mission was honored for its service to veterinary medicine in Missouri and around the world.
Missouri Veterinary Medical Foundation Distinguished Service Award
Dr. William Shore (Missouri '79), Woodstock, Georgia. Dr. Shore owned Brentwood Animal Hospital in St. Louis prior to retirement. He is a past chair of the MVMF.
Missouri VMA Academy Distinguished Service Award
Julie Braun, Osage Bend. Braun has worked for the MVMA for the past 13 years and serves as the association's operations manager.
Dr. Carol Ryan
OFFICIALS
MVMA—Dr. Carol Ryan, Troy, president; Dr. David L. Gourley, Mountain Grove, president-elect; Dr. Marcy Hammerle, O'Fallon, vice president; Dr. Shelia L. Taylor, Springfield, secretary-treasurer; Dr. Cynthia Vedder-Penrod, Fulton, board chair and immediate past president; and Richard D. Antweiler, Jefferson City, executive director. Missouri VMA Academy—Drs. Bruce Whittle, Trenton, president; Julie King, Ozark, vice president; and Jessica Stroupe, Armstrong, immediate past president. MVMF—Drs. Philip R. Brown, Chillicothe, board chair; Scott Fray, Boonville, board vice chair; George Buckloo, Lake Tapawingo, secretary-treasurer; William J. Shore, St. Louis, immediate past chair; and Roger Dozier, Jefferson City, museum director
Dr. Carol Ryan
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGISTS
Following the certification examination it held Nov. 16–17 in Fort Collins, Colorado, the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists welcomed new diplomates in the following categories.
BACTERIOLOGY/MYCOLOGY
Stephen Cole, Philadelphia
Ignacio Correas, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Neha Dabral, College Station, Texas
Marie-Lou Gauthier, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Giovanni Ghielmetti, Zurich
Nathaniel Haas, Spring Green, Wisconsin
IMMUNOLOGY
Mohamed Abouelkhair, Knoxville, Tennessee
Stephen Cole, Philadelphia
Neha Dabral, College Station, Texas
Suresh Kuchipudi, University Park, Pennsylvania
Abdul Lone, Pullman, Washington
PARASITOLOGY
Jeba Jesudoss Chelladurai, Ames, Iowa
VIROLOGY
Ignacio Correas, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Neha Dabral, College Station, Texas
Namita Mitra, Houston
Yung-Yi Mosley, West Lafayette, Indiana
U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE HONORS 19
The U.S. Public Health Service honored 19 veterinarians for their work in emergencies and health campaigns.
The 2018 Commissioned Corps Veterinary Responder of the Year Award went to 17 of the service's veterinary officers who worked in the response and recovery to the 2017 hurricanes that hit Texas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The veterinarians led projects related to public health assistance, health messages, occupational health, and disease surveillance.
The recipients are Lt. Cmdr. Laura Adams, Capt. Alicia Anderson, Capt. Casey Barton Behravesh, Cmdr. Heather Brake, Lt. Cmdr. Nelva Bryant, Cmdr. Sherry Burrer, Capt. Bryan Buss, Lt. Caitlin Cotter, Capt. Randolph Daley, Lt. Cmdr. Laura Edison, Cmdr. Mark Freedman, Capt. Renee Funk, Capt. Hugh Mainzer, Cmdr. Catherine Rockwell, Lt. Cmdr Ilana Schafer, Lt. Cmdr. Ann Schmitz, and Capt. Brianna Skinner.
Capt. Kis Robertson Hale
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
The service also honored Capt. Kis Robertson Hale, deputy assistant administrator and chief public health veterinarian for the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, with the James H. Steele One Health Outstanding PHS Veterinary Career Award. The award is named in honor of Dr. James Steele, who was the first chief of the CDC Veterinary Public Health Division. The USPHS honored Dr. Robertson Hale for her versatility, rapid professional growth, and an impressive performance record since starting her career in public health service in 2003 at the FSIS.
Dr. Robertson Hale joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemic Intelligence
Service in 2008, developed expertise on rabies, and transferred in 2010 to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene where, as a CDC fellow in preventive medicine, she led an educational campaign to improve clinicians' adherence to protocols on rabies post-exposure prophylaxis. In 2011, Dr. Robertson Hale returned to the FSIS, where she worked as an epidemiologist and team leader and instituted processes to improve data quality, data analysis, and reporting. She also coached and aided staff on using data for policy development, which increased participation in professional conferences, publication in journals, and collaboration on projects. She now is the agency's lead resource on animal health issues.
Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Doyle
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 254, 8; 10.2460/javma.254.8.895
Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Doyle, senior veterinary medical officer for the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Coordinated Outbreak Response, received the 2018 Junior PHS Veterinary Officer of the Year Award. The USPHS honored him for his leadership and excellence in protecting public health during outbreaks of foodborne disease.
From April 2017 through March 2018, Dr. Doyle spent 184 days as a leader for Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation teams that worked on seven national outbreak investigations. He gave advice and guidance, delegated work, briefed senior managers, and tried to ensure that the teams worked well. Dr. Doyle's other activities include serving as executive secretary of the USPHS Veterinarian Professional Advisory Committee and as a member in the preventive medicine branch of a USPHS rapid deployment team.
Obituaries: AVMA MEMBER | AVMA HONOR ROLL MEMBER | NONMEMBER
ALAN BACHRACH JR.
Dr. Bachrach (Pennsylvania ‘68), 78, Petersham, Massachusetts, died Sept. 2, 2018. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, he owned a practice just outside Boston prior to retirement in 2017. During his career, Dr. Bachrach also conducted research, instituted clinical ophthalmology rounds at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, and helped establish the ophthalmology department at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, where for several years he provided clinical support to the university and contributed to the academic curriculum.
His wife, Debra, survives him. Memorials may be made to Mass Lions Eye Research Fund, c/o Dr. Jim Roth, 43 Stewart Terrace, Belmont, MA 02478, or Class of 68 Scholarship, c/o Office of Advancement, Alumni Relations, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce St., Suite 172E, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
LAWRENCE E. GREEN
Dr. Green (Ohio State ‘43), 101, Atlantic Beach, Florida, died Feb. 11, 2019. A small animal veterinarian, he co-founded Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Copley, Ohio, in 1968. In 1989, Dr. Green moved to Atlantic Beach, where he joined the veterinary practice owned by his son, Dr. John L. Green (Ohio State ‘73). Early in his career, he practiced in Akron, Ohio.
Dr. Green was a member of the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board from 1965–70 and served multiple times as president of the Ohio VMA. In 1969, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine awarded him a Distinguished Alumnus Award. He is survived by his son, two daughters, four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
DICKSON G. HAVILAND
Dr. Haviland (Guelph '76), 74, Queensbury, New York, died Feb. 2, 2019. Prior to retirement, he owned Mohawk Valley Animal Hospital in Amsterdam, New York, where he initially practiced mixed animal medicine, switching later to solely small animal practice. Dr. Haviland served as the official veterinarian for the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York. In retirement, he volunteered with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Upstate New York.
Dr. Haviland was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War. His two daughters, four grandchildren, two sisters, and a brother survive him. One daughter, Dr. Kristen Haviland (Pennsylvania ‘01), works at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California. Her husband, Dr. David Sierra (California-Davis ‘03), is a small animal veterinarian in San Francisco. Memorials may be made to K9s for Warriors, an organization that provides service dogs to military veterans, at 114 Camp K9 Road, Ponte Vedra, FL 32081, www.k9sforwarriors.org.
DUANE L. MACH
Dr. Mach (Kansas State '59), 85, Peoria, Illinois, died Feb. 8, 2019. Following graduation, he joined McGinnis-England Veterinary Hospital in Peoria. Dr. Mach later expanded the practice, which was renamed Meadowbrook Veterinary Clinic. He retired in 1998. Dr. Mach was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, Illinois State VMA, and Mississippi Valley VMA. He was also a member of the Rotary Club and a Paul Harris fellow. Dr. Mach is survived by his wife, Virleen; a son; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother and a sister. Memorials, toward the Mortgage Abatement Program, may be sent to United Presbyterian Church, 2400 W. Northmoor Road, Peoria, IL 61614.
NEWELL P. NETSCH
Dr. Netsch (Missouri '54), 89, Stockton, Missouri, died Jan. 24, 2019. He owned a practice in Tomah, Wisconsin, prior to retirement in 1994. Early in his career, Dr. Netsch served two years in food inspection with the Army. He was a member of the Wisconsin VMA and Masonic Lodge. Dr. Netsch is survived by his wife, Sherlene; a son, a daughter, two stepsons, and a stepdaughter; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a brother. Memorials may be made to the Stockton Area Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, P.O. Box 171, Stockton, MO 65785.
WAYNE D. OXENDER
Dr. Oxender (Michigan State '67), 87, Fort Myers, Florida, died Feb. 2, 2019. A diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists, he was professor emeritus and a former head of what was known as the Department of Food Animal and Equine Medicine at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Following graduation, Dr. Oxender joined the veterinary faculty at Michigan State University, where he served as a professor of large animal medicine and was acting assistant dean for research and graduate education in the veterinary college and assistant coordinator of animal health and disease research programs in the Agricultural Experiment Station. While at MSU, Dr. Oxender also served a year as a visiting professor at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. He joined the NCSU veterinary college in 1980.
Dr. Oxender was a member of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners and American Association of Equine Practitioners. His wife, Rita; three daughters and a son; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, East Lansing, MI 48824.
CLAY E. PIERCE
Dr. Pierce (Texas A&M '74), 68, Thibodaux, Louisiana, died Nov. 12, 2018. Following graduation, he established Lafourche Animal Hospital, a small animal practice in Thibodaux. Dr. Pierce subsequently expanded his practice to a second location in Cut Off, Louisiana. He is survived by his fiancee, Linda; two daughters and three stepsons; three grandchildren and eight stepgrandchildren; a great-grandchild; and two brothers and two sisters. Memorials may be made to the K.C. Toups DVM College of Agriculture Endowed Scholarship, LSU College of Agriculture, 106 Martin D. Woodin Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
CHARLES W. SMITH
Dr. Smith (Illinois '65), 78, Champaign, Illinois, died Aug. 31, 2018. From 1969 until retirement in 2000, he served on the veterinary faculty of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During his tenure, Dr. Smith was an instructor, chief of small animal surgery, and professor of veterinary clinical medicine. He received what is now known as the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award in 1977, 1983, and 1991. In 1995, Dr. Smith was honored with the Chicago VMA Outstanding Instructor Award and the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine All-Around Excellence Award. In 2000, he received the Campus Award for Excellence in Professional and Graduate Student Teaching. Following his retirement from the veterinary college, Dr. Smith consulted for several veterinary practices, primarily in Bradley, Illinois, and Bloomington, Illinois. Early in his career, he worked in Dundee, Illinois, and Rockford, Illinois, and served in the Army Veterinary Corps.
Dr. Smith was a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and was named an ACVS Foundation Honored Mentor in 2014. He was also a member of the Illinois State VMA. Dr. Smith is survived by his wife, Ann; two daughters and two sons; 11 grandchildren; and two brothers. Memorials may be made to Cornerstone Baptist Church, 702 E. Church St., Savoy, IL 61874, or Class of 1965 Scholarship Endowment Fund, University of Illinois, Office of Advancement, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61802.
CARLISLE W. VAN DEUSEN
Dr. Van Deusen (Cornell '44), 97, North Bangor, New York, died Dec. 18, 2018. He owned a mixed animal practice in North Bangor for 60 years. Active in his community, Dr. Van Deusen helped establish the North Bangor Fire Department, serving as fire chief for a period. In Bangor, New York, he was a past president of the Bangor School Board and served as a city councilman. Dr. Van Deusen was an Army and Navy veteran of World War II. He is survived by five daughters, three sons, 19 grandchildren, and 26 great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the North Bangor Fire Department, 2367 US-11, North Bangor, NY 12966, or Meals on Wheels, c/o Office of the Aging, 355 W. Main St., Malone, NY 12953.
ERIC S. WALKER
Dr. Walker (Texas A&M '02), 42, Carnegie, Pennsylvania, died Dec. 10, 2018. He practiced small animal medicine at Big Easy Animal Hospital in Pittsburgh. Dr. Walker is survived by a son; his parents; and a sister.
FRANK D. YTURRIA
Dr. Yturria (Texas A&M '46), 95, Brownsville, Texas, died Nov. 26, 2018. He was a rancher in south Texas. Active in local and national politics, Dr. Yturria served as collector of customs for the 23rd Collections District of Texas from 1956–61, was appointed to the South Pacific Commission in 1982, and was a two-time chair of the Inter-American Foundation, a government agency funding grassroots economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
A staunch conservationist, he lobbied for the restoration of the Bahia Grande into its native estuarine habitat, helped restore the Aplomado falcon to south Texas, fought to save the dwindling population of ocelots in Texas, and repurposed his ranch as a wildlife refuge. In 2017, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas honored Dr. Yturria with the International Award for Excellence in Conservation.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; two daughters; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister and a brother. Memorials may be made to the Frank Yturria Fund for Ocelot Conservation, c/o Dr. Michael Tewes, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, 700 University Blvd., MSC 218, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, TX 78363.
