IN SHORT
AAFP RELEASES NEW FELINE END-OF-LIFE EDUCATIONAL TOOLKIT
The American Association of Feline Practitioners released an online educational toolkit in late May that provides information to help veterinary professionals facilitate a peaceful and painless transition for cats at the end of life.
According to the AAFP, the euthanasia appointment is the last opportunity a veterinarian has to serve a patient, and the experience will have a lasting impact on cat owners. The new toolkit covers options and contingencies to consider when working with cat owners during this crucial step in the relationship with their cat.
The toolkit addresses several key aspects of the euthanasia process, such as quality-of-life discussions, decision-making, the euthanasia experience for both veterinary professionals and cat owners, and how to support a client through final arrangements and beyond. The toolkit also offers answers to frequently asked questions, client resources, and further reading for veterinary professionals.
The document is at catvets.com/end-of-life-toolkit. The AAFP also provides resources to help cat owners understand more about euthanasia, quality of life, and end-of-life decision-making. These resources are at catfriendly.com/grieving and catfriendly.com/end-of-life.
NATIONAL CHECK THE CHIP DAY IS AUG. 15
The AVMA and the American Animal Hospital Association team up each year to co-sponsor national Check the Chip Day on Aug. 15, to remind pet owners about having their pets microchipped and keeping their registration information up to date.
To help veterinarians promote the event, the AVMA and AAHA developed resources with support from microchip manufacturer HomeAgain. The resources are accessible at avma.org/checkthechip.
One resource for AVMA members is a flyer that they can print and fill in to provide a record of a pet's microchip information for the client. The flyer also lists the websites of microchip manufacturers that participate in the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool at petmicrochiplookup.org. The tool helps pet owners who do not know where a pet's microchip is registered.
Another resource is an infographic on microchipping, for embedding on blogs or other websites or for sharing via social media. According to the infographic, “Microchips don't replace a tag and collar, but they can make all the difference when it comes to getting your pet back.”
Members of the AVMA also have access to a toolkit for Check the Chip Day. The toolkit offers resources on stress-free ways to observe the event, posts and images for social media, a newsletter article, a sample proclamation for a mayor or governor, and a sample press release.
TUSKEGEE STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL, CAREER AID THROUGH FELLOWSHIP
Three Tuskegee University veterinary students will receive financial support, internships, mentoring, and job opportunities through a U.S. Department of Agriculture fellowship.
Patricia Bradley, Kennedy Miller, and Terrance Mitchell are the first participants in a veterinary fellowship program with the Foreign Service of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is available to Tuskegee students who have completed at least one year of study in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Bradley and Miller are in the veterinary college's Class of 2023, and Mitchell is in the Class of 2024, an announcement from the college states.
The program provides up to $66,000 annually for 2.5 years, two summer internships at APHIS headquarters in Maryland and a U.S. embassy or consulate, mentoring by APHIS Foreign Service officers, and an offer of employment by the APHIS Foreign Service following graduation.
Rabbit, hare populations recovering from viral disease
RHDV2 continues spreading, despite an unexplained pause at the edge of the Great Plains
By Greg Cima
Rabbit and hare populations in the Western U.S. seem to have rebounded quickly after outbreaks of a deadly viral disease.
Dr. Julianna B. Lenoch, national wildlife disease program coordinator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Wildlife Services, said lagomorphs that either survived infections with rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 or avoided infection were quick to reproduce following dips in local populations. As a result, wildlife managers reported they found no signs of broader impacts on food webs, including those involving predator species.
Animal health authorities first found RHDV2 among U.S. wildlife in March 2020, when laboratory testing identified the virus in rabbits and hares found dead in New Mexico.
The virus had been identified since February 2018 among pets and feral European rabbits in British Columbia, Ohio, Washington state, and New York City, but its impact had been limited before it emerged in the Southwest.
Since then, RHDV2 has spread to a mix of domestic and wild rabbits and hares in at least 11 states and northern Mexico, causing die-offs among naive populations. The affected animals include species native to North America and European rabbits that live either in captivity or as feral populations.
APHIS officials have previously reported that evidence from die-offs suggested the virus has a mortality rate somewhere between 50% and 90%.
Rabbits and hares infected with RHDV2 often die without clinical signs, sometimes with blood-tinged nostrils, APHIS information states. Clinical signs in affected animals can include neurologic signs, respiratory disease, and jaundice, and survivors may show dullness and anorexia. The virus causes disease in rabbits as young as 15 days old.
Dr. Peter Mundschenk, Arizona state veterinarian, said it's unclear how long RHDV2 will circulate in wild rabbits, but it is now considered at least nearly endemic in the Southwest. Confirmed infections have occurred throughout his state since spring 2020.
“A year ago, we were having reports in our really heavily hit areas of dead rabbits everywhere,” he said.
But his office is receiving fewer reports of deaths from the virus this year, and he hopes that is a sign the infection rate is decreasing.
Dr. Ralph Zimmerman, New Mexico state veterinarian, said he received a few reports in late spring of deaths among wild cottontails. But populations in his state, too, had largely recovered from lows in 2020.
“Most of the places where we saw very few or no rabbits last year, as far as wildlife, we're seeing rabbits back again this year,” he said.
STALLED AT THE PLAINS
From 2016 through early 2020, animal health authorities discovered sporadic cases of RHDV2 infections among domestic rabbits and feral European rabbits in Quebec, British Columbia, Washington state, Ohio, and New York City. One isolated infection occurred in Florida near the start of 2021. All other recent confirmed infections have occurred in the West.
Bryan Richards, emerging disease coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, said it's unclear why all of the recent RHDV2 infections occurred to the west of a line running from Mexico City to southern Montana. He cited a USGS map that shows confirmed infections throughout the range of jackrabbits and desert and mountain cottontails but halting at the Great Plains.
“Why are we not picking up disease moving east?” he said. “After all, when you get into this area, you're starting to get into eastern cottontail country—fairly contiguous habitat, one would suggest—and so it's kind of an anomaly.”
APHIS reports confirm at least some eastern cottontails have become infected in the wild, along with desert and mountain cottontails as well as antelope and black-tailed jackrabbits and brush rabbits. APHIS research also has shown eastern cottontails are susceptible to experimental infection with RHDV2.
APHIS officials are working with local wildlife managers to protect endangered and threatened species in North America and collections in zoos. Officials from the Oakland Zoo announced in September 2020 they had been working with state and federal wildlife partners to capture endangered riparian brush rabbits and vaccinate them against RHDV2 to protect them from extinction.
Dr. Julia Lankton, wildlife pathologist for the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, said the virus may be more lethal to certain lagomorph species, but that difference is hard to see without more information.
RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE VIRUS SEROTYPE 2 IN RABBITS, HARES
“The mortality rate is really difficult to know when you don't know how many are infected, how many survived, and how many died,” Dr. Lankton said.
Richards said state wildlife agencies conduct population surveys for deer, ducks, and other game species, but few do so for rabbits. USGS is offering states guidance on methods of surveying rabbit populations.
While Richards said it also would be interesting to trap wild rabbits after an outbreak and test whether they have immune responses to the virus, he's unaware of any state agencies conducting such testing.
PROTECTING DOMESTIC, ENDANGERED ANIMALS
Some cases of the disease have been detected in eastern Wyoming, not far from the Nebraska border. Todd Nordeen, disease and research program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, said his agency is conducting field surveillance of wild rabbit populations, investigating reports of rabbit deaths, and educating the public on the disease. His office also is coordinating with the Nebraska and U.S. agriculture departments and would follow their protocols in responding to potential RHDV2 infections.
Given the infections in neighboring states, Nordeen said, “It is likely just a matter of time before it is confirmed in Nebraska.”
Dr. Dennis A. Hughes, Nebraska state veterinarian, said his office has been warning rabbit exhibitors about the virus and the need for biosecurity.
RHDV2 spreads through contact with an infected rabbit's waste or blood, as well as through contaminated food or water, APHIS information states. People can carry viable virus into a rabbit pen on their clothing or shoes. The virus also remains viable through extreme temperatures.
Dr. Lenoch encourages rabbit owners to reinforce their biosecurity at home and take extra care in transporting their rabbits. Veterinarians who see unexplained deaths or suspected infections should contact state animal health authorities.
“It's a scary disease and one that should be respected,” Dr. Lenoch said. “We want our pet owners to certainly be vigilant, cautious, and careful if they're anywhere where the virus is known to be.”
APHIS officials are allowing use, under special permits, of two killed RHDV2 vaccines licensed in the European Union. No RHDV2 vaccines are licensed in the U.S.
Dr. Mundschenk, of Arizona, said local veterinarians have been administering the European vaccines to owned rabbits in his state. He noted that the death rates in naive herds had varied widely, wiping out some herds yet killing only fragments of others.
Dr. Lenoch also noted RHDV2's arrival in the U.S. is part of an unexplained global trend. Animal health authorities on other continents also began dealing with the arrival of RHDV2 in 2020 and 2021, with outbreaks occurring in China, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Senegal, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
“We are working with our global partners on that, to share genome sequences to see if they're closely related and see if we can figure out whether there's any other routes of exposure for disease transmission,” she said.
NOVEL ORTHOPOXVIRUS LIKELY ORIGINATED IN RODENTS
A novel orthopoxvirus likely spread from rodents to two Alaska residents, causing mild illnesses.
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said both women lived near Fairbanks and both recovered following the infections in 2015 and 2020 with what has since been named Alaskapox virus. The women each developed a lesion on one shoulder—one of the women suspected she had a spider bite—and they developed fatigue, fever, malaise, and tender lymph nodes.
Subsequent animal trapping and sampling showed 30 rodents in the area had detectable antibodies against a generic orthopoxvirus. Samples from 12 red-backed voles and one shrew were positive for DNA of the Alaskapox virus, and health authorities were able to isolate viable virus from one vole and one shrew.
Dr. Florence Whitehill, an officer in the CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service, said during the CDC's Zoonoses and One Health Updates webinar in June that the virus seems to cause self-limiting illness and the public health experts who responded to the infections concluded person-to-person transmission is uncommon.
“The fact that both patients were identified in an outpatient setting and that their lesions resolved suggests that Alaskapox does not cause severe illness,” she said. “But, with just two documented cases, much is unknown.”
CALIFORNIA VETERINARIAN GOING TO THE OLYMPICS, THEN PRISON
A federal judge in May sentenced Dr. Jack Ray Snyder, a former University of California-Davis veterinary faculty member, to six months in prison and six months home detention after Dr. Snyder pled guilty to one count of tax evasion last August.
U.S. Senior Judge William Shubb also fined Dr. Snyder $30,000 and ordered the veterinarian to pay $134,497 in restitution.
Still, Shubb is allowing Dr. Snyder to work at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, ordering him to report to prison on Aug. 17, just over a week after the games conclude.
An equine surgeon, Dr. Snyder (Washington State '82) has treated horses at previous Olympics.
Efforts to contact Dr. Snyder, who has home addresses in California and Florida, were unsuccessful.
In 2018, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Dr. Snyder containing three counts of tax evasion and five counts of filing false tax returns. He was facing a maximum of 40 years in prison and $800,000 in fines.
According to court documents, Dr. Snyder underreported his income in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and deducted items that were not deductible between 2011 and 2014, resulting in an additional tax liability of approximately $134,497.
For the 2011 tax year, Dr. Snyder earned outside income as an equine practitioner in addition to his salary as a professor at UC-Davis. He endorsed outside client payment checks to directly pay credit card bills and also failed to report $212,953 in income for the 2011 tax year, prosecutors said.
Dr. Snyder was previously sued in 2014 by the University of California Board of Regents, alleging he earned more than $1 million in outside income as an employee at the UC-Davis Center for Equine Health. As a faculty member, Dr. Snyder had a contractual obligation to the university to pay extra income into a profit-sharing plan to fund grants and research at UC-Davis.
The Board of Regents claimed Dr. Snyder went to great lengths to hide the money he owed to the university. Dr. Snyder has denied those allegations. The lawsuit is still pending, with a trial date set for this September. According to a university spokesperson, Dr. Snyder resigned in January 2014 while the university was investigating the incidents that led to the lawsuit and shortly after the university initiated the disciplinary process.
REPORT DETAILS $7.2M IN USDA VETERINARY LOAN REPAYMENT
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture released its Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program annual report for fiscal year 2020, during which roughly $7.2 million went to bolster veterinary services in underserved areas.
The VMLRP provides up to $25,000 a year to repay veterinary educational debt in exchange for at least three years of service in a USDA-designated veterinary shortage area. In 2021, the USDA declared 221 shortage areas in 48 states.
Since the program's inception in 2010, NIFA has received over 1,700 VMLRP applications and awarded support to over 600 veterinarians across the country.
During the 2020 cycle, NIFA reported receiving a total of 150 applications. Loan repayment awards were made to 76 applicants—59 new awardees and 17 renewal awardees.
Highlights from the VMLRP report include the following:
Forty-four percent of new awardees and 18% of renewal awardees had educational debt greater than $150,000.
Twenty-five percent of new awardees and 23% of renewal awardees had educational debt from $100,001 to $150,000.
The mean number of years after graduation for FY 2020 applicants was 4.5, with graduation year ranging from 1999-2020.
The highest number of applicants (25) and highest number of awardees (15) were graduates of Iowa State University.
NIFA has established three VMLRP shortage classifications according to type of practice and percentage of full-time–equivalent employees needed to serve the specific needs of each shortage situation area. Percentage FTE is based on a 40-hour workweek.
Type I shortage situation areas require a commitment of at least 80% FTE to food supply private veterinary practice. Among Type I shortage situations awarded, 38% were filled by new awardees and 5% by renewal awardees.
Type II shortage situation areas are in rural areas and require a commitment of at least 30% FTE dedicated to food supply private veterinary practice. Among Type II shortage situations awarded, 29% were filled by new awardees and 22% by renewal awardees.
Type III shortage situation areas require a commitment of at least 49% FTE to public practice. NIFA reserves 10% of VMLRP awards for Type III shortage situation areas. Among Type III shortage situations awarded, 16% were filled by new awardees and 2% by renewal awardees.
As a result of a withholding tax on VMLRP awards, 37% of the federal funding provided to the program goes to the U.S. Treasury Department.
For years, the AVMA has lobbied Congress to eliminate the tax by passing the bipartisan Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act, reintroduced this April in the House of Representatives (HR 2447).
“Eliminating the tax on VMLRP service awards would allow more veterinarians to reach rural communities that need their essential services,” AVMA President Douglas Kratt said in a statement.
Numerous veterinary and livestock organizations support the bill's passage.
“Recruitment and retention of veterinarians in rural practice continue to be a challenge for the profession,” said Dr. K. Fred Gingrich, executive director of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, in a statement. “The VMLRP has proven successful with retention; however, the tax implications for the award decreases its impact factor.”
IN VIDEO, FDA URGES ADVERSE EVENT REPORTING
By Greg Cima
Whenever an animal drug is linked to an adverse event—in an animal or a person—Food and Drug Administration officials want to know about it.
In June, FDA officials released a new video to educate veterinarians and animal owners about why they should report any adverse events linked with use of animal drugs and how they can do so. The video is available at jav.ma/adverse.
Dr. Linda Walter-Grimm, acting director of the Division of Veterinary Product Safety in the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, said adverse event reports are an important way that agency officials learn about animal drug safety, efficacy, and quality. But any such reporting system that relies on volunteer submissions tends to have substantial underreporting.
She noted that previous studies found that clinicians in human medicine reported 5%-10% of adverse events, and she noted that one scientific article published in 2018 in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy describes a 2% rate of filing reports to the FDA in response to adverse events linked with dietary supplements.
Dr. Walter-Grimm also noted an article published in 2017 in Veterinary Record Open that describes results of a survey of 3,545 veterinarians by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe. The survey results indicated the typical veterinarian saw about one adverse event in every 100 treatments given yet reported less than one adverse event per year.
The video starts with hypothetical examples from the perspectives of pet owners, one whose cat vomited after receiving a new oral medication and another who went to an urgent care center with eye irritation after her dog shook its head and sent drops of ear medicine flying.
The video's narrator, Heather Tate, PhD, of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, states: “CVM's veterinarians and animal scientists want to know about these incidents, so it's important to report them. With any side effect, our first priority is the safety of you and your animal.”
The agency recommends veterinary professionals and animal owners report side effects to drug manufacturers, which are required to further report the incidents to the CVM.
FDA WANTS TO BRING MORE ANTIMICROBIALS UNDER VETERINARIAN CONTROL
Federal regulators plan to give veterinarians oversight of all animal uses of antimicrobials considered important for human medicine.
Over the next two years, Food and Drug Administration officials expect pharmaceutical companies will voluntarily agree to changes in the remaining drug approvals that allow over-the-counter access to such drugs for administration to animals. Guidance published in June indicates the request comes with the threat of regulatory proceedings against companies that fail to comply.
“If we determine that adequate progress has not been made by the end of the 2-year timeframe, we will consider whether further action under the existing provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) for addressing matters related to the safety of approved new animal drugs may be appropriate,” the document states.
FDA officials previously convinced drug companies to voluntarily make similar changes to approvals that had allowed over-the-counter access to medically important antimicrobials administered in the feed or water of animals raised for food. The affected companies agreed, and all of those changes took effect by January 2017.
FDA officials consider an antimicrobial medically important if it is in the same drug class as antimicrobials used in human medicine. About 96% of such animal-use drugs are administered under veterinarian oversight, an FDA announcement states.
The guidance published in June applies to that remaining 4% of antimicrobials considered important for human medicine and still available over the counter, such as those delivered through injections or oral boluses.
“Veterinarians have specialized scientific and clinical training and practical experience that can help guide the judicious use of antimicrobials,” the announcement states. “FDA believes good antimicrobial stewardship practices in animals helps slow the development of antimicrobial resistance and preserve the effectiveness of these drugs in both humans and animals.”
The action affects 94 drug approvals, with applications in companion animal and food animal medicine, according to a list published by the FDA at jav.ma/druglist. The agency also published an FAQ document that addresses concerns from farmers and ranchers, available at jav.ma/FAQ.
EQUINE FEAR FREE CERTIFICATION LAUNCHES
By Kaitlyn Mattson
The Fear Free organization has launched an equine certification program for veterinary professionals.
The course consists of eight one-hour modules that cover Fear Free concepts using video clips and slides to show participants how to examine equine patients safely by using gentle techniques, perform routine procedures in a nonthreatening way, recognize signs of stress in equine patients, and help owners train their horses to cooperate in medical care, hoof care, and more.
Dr. Stacie Boswell, a board-certified large animal surgeon and one of the authors of the course, said she spoke with Dr. Marty Becker, founder of Fear Free, in 2018 about creating an equine program.
“We do not get enough behavioral training in school,” Dr. Boswell said. “Having a way to communicate and teach these concepts is so important.”
The concepts included in the course are similar to the concepts for other species, Dr. Boswell said. The three most important are considerate approach, touch gradient, and gentle control.
For example, a considerate approach in horses includes knowing how to manage the interaction within the environment. If a client brings two horses in together, they're not separated, Dr. Boswell said.
The course also includes advice on how equine veterinarians can help owners in training their horses for care.
“I worked in one practice that was not Fear Free, and the difference in what I see in my patients and my technicians and the team and how owners respond is night and day,” Dr. Boswell said.
In fact, she now has a handful of clients who come to see her specifically because she uses Fear Free techniques.
“It makes a huge difference in how animals respond,” she said.
The other authors for the course include Dr. Tamara Grubb, Dr. Manon Hynes, Dr. Claudia Richter, and Sherrie Yuschak, a registered veterinary technician.
Participants will earn a total of eight hours of continuing education credit approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards' Registry of Approved Continuing Education after finishing the course.
The Fear Free certification programs are available at fearfreepets.com. Students and faculty and staff members at veterinary colleges and veterinary technology programs are able to receive free access to the certification programs. The membership application is at jav.ma/FearFree.
HOW'S YOUR ‘WEBSIDE MANNER'?
By R. Scott Nolen
Veterinarians offering telehealth services will want to ensure they're showing their best side when interacting with clients during online visits.
It's called “webside manner,” the virtual equivalent to a doctor's bedside manner or demeanor during in-person interactions with a patient or client.
“We're talking about those verbal and nonverbal cues you give when talking with a client,” explained Dr. Lori Teller, clinical associate professor of telehealth at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. And those cues are just as important during telehealth visits as when meeting face to face.
Dr. Teller, who is also chair of the AVMA Board of Directors, offered tips for fostering an effective webside manner during a June 3 presentation about telehealth on AVMA Axon. “When you start a visit, you really want to greet the client warmly, perhaps wave or something like that,” she said. “If it's the client's first telemedicine appointment, acknowledge that. Tell them it could feel awkward and that's OK, and you're happy to work through that.”
“Always start and end appointments with a smile,” Dr. Teller added.
Make sure the client can hear and see you, and find out if there's something you can do to make the experience easier. You may need to adjust your camera or microphone or talk louder.
Eye contact is especially important during virtual visits.
“When you're in an exam room, if you look away to take notes or speak with a technician, the client can see why you're doing that,” Dr. Teller said.
During a telehealth visit, however, all the client sees is you're no longer visually engaging them.
“They don't know if you're distracted or if you're ignoring them, so be mindful of where your eyes are,” she said.
Dr. Teller recommends informing clients at the start of the visit that you may look away to consult records or to take notes. “It's important that clients understand that you're not bored or distracted,” she said.
PRIDEVMC RELEASES DOCUMENT OUTLINING CIVIL RIGHTS EXPECTATIONS FOR TRANSGENDER, NONBINARY PEOPLE
By Kaitlyn Mattson
The Pride Veterinary Medical Community is working to support transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals in the veterinary profession.
The PrideVMC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group recently released the Gender Identity Bill of Rights to help address inequality and inequity in veterinary spaces.
“PrideVMC acknowledges the importance of clear and unequivocal commitment to equality, equity, and the human rights of the transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals of our diverse LGBTQ+ family in a time where the acceptance of our brethren by the general public is uncommon,” a PrideVMC press release states.
Across the U.S., state legislators have introduced over 100 anti-transgender bills in areas such as access to medical care and restroom access.
“It is time to make our profession a safer space for the transgender community,” the press release states. “This Gender Identity Bill of Rights for the veterinary profession is simply a start. We invite you to take this bill of rights to your workplaces and academic institutions and implement it to take an active stand in making the veterinary profession an inclusive space.”
According to the authors, the document may be revised or added to as feedback is received. Currently, the bill outlines civil rights expectations for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals in veterinary medicine.
Some of the rights include the following:
Right to identity: Gender identity is personal and individual. No one other than the individual should dictate the terms of gender identity, gender expression, or processes involved in gender affirmation. Additionally, there should be equal opportunities in education and employment within the profession regardless of gender identity.
Right to names: Addressing an individual by their name demonstrates respect and acknowledges you trust that they know themselves better than you do. Intentional ‘deadnaming,' whether as a continued deliberate campaign or wantonly neglectful use of a person's birth or current legal name rather than a chosen name is an act of violence against transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals and should not be tolerated.
Right to pronouns: Pronouns can be fluid and subject to continual change by the individual. Correct use of pronouns is a right; therefore, the introduction of pronouns in conversation, pronouns on name badges, and pronoun tags on emails that can be readily altered should be standard practice to create inclusive spaces in the veterinary profession.
Right to privacy: Transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals have a right to privacy and should not be mandated to expose private medical information or any details regarding their lives, bodies, gender expression, and/or identity. Employers and colleagues should not discuss any medical information or details regarding these individuals with other employees, clients, etc.
Protection from co-worker discrimination/harassment: It should be the responsibility of the veterinary profession and the employer/institution to commit to identify and reduce learning space/ workplace/workspace harassment and discrimination of any type.
The Gender Identity Bill of Rights can be found at jav.ma/BillofRights.
The authors are Drs. Erika Lin-Hendel, Ewan Wolff, and Jenna Ward. A number of reviewers and contributors also were involved.
A second resource from PrideVMC, the Gender Diversity Guide, will be released in 2022. It will expand on the 12 points in the Gender Identity Bill of Rights and will discuss best practices for gender affirmation and provide links to established resources.
The authors welcome feedback on the Gender Identity Bill of Rights and acknowledge that there are needs likely not addressed in the document. PrideVMC encourages anyone with comments to email GenderIdentity@PrideVMC.org.
ZOETIS PLEDGES $35M FROM NEW FOUNDATION TOWARD VETERINARIANS, FARMERS
A new philanthropic effort directed toward those who care for animals and their communities is building on donations of nearly $6 million in 2020.
On June 3, Zoetis announced the formation of the Zoetis Foundation—a $35 million dollar commitment over five years to advance opportunities for farmers and veterinarians globally.
Initially, the foundation is focusing on scholarships and diversity initiatives “to help drive a more inclusive veterinary community in the U.S.,” according to the company.
Last year, the foundation's investments included over $6 million “to support animals and people who care for them,” 9.6% of which supported COVID-19 relief. More than $1.83 million was donated to care for animals impacted by disasters, nearly $1 million in scholarships was given to 400-plus veterinary students, and about $975,000 was given in veterinary training initiatives.
One recent example of Zoetis' giving was through the American Veterinary Medical Foundation's COVID-19 Disaster Relief Grant Program, which was originally funded by a $200,000 donation from Zoetis along with the same amount from Hill's Pet Nutrition and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America.
In addition, Zoetis and the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges have been partnering to provide $2,000 scholarships to second- and third-year veterinary students in the United States and Caribbean. As of 2020, the Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship program has awarded over 3,600 scholarships totaling more than $7 million.
In 2022, the foundation's work will expand to support veterinary debt relief, additional diversity and inclusion programming, and mental wellness for farmers and veterinarians in the U.S., as well as support farmer and veterinarian livelihoods in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Brazil, China, and Europe.
“Prior to the Foundation, Zoetis was already making contributions to a number of organizations across the globe and supporting disaster relief efforts,” according to a statement from Zoetis. “The newly created Zoetis Foundation will provide opportunities for amplified impact through strategic and coordinated giving across key markets—including internationally. Creating the Zoetis Foundation also demonstrates Zoetis' commitment to transparency, as giving through foundations is public information that anyone will be able to see. We are excited to help create positive impact in our communities.”
More information about the Zoetis Foundation is available at jav.ma/zoetisfoundation.
Pet food sustainability, in and outside the bag
Programs to recycle packaging, alternative ingredients are part of companies' efforts
By Kaitliyn Mattson
Most pet food companies know that consumers are interested in sustainability. Not surprisingly, then, many have shifted to more environmentally friendly models, and at least some are working to develop more sustainable practices.
The Pet Sustainability Coalition, a nonprofit organization working with companies to employ sustainable practices, reports an estimated 300 million pounds of pet food and treat bags are generated in the U.S. every year, and over 99% of those bags aren't recycled.
However, 12% of pet owners prefer food with environmentally friendly packaging, and 7% of pet owners prefer sustainably, humanely sourced ingredients, according to a preview in Pet Business of the 2021-2022 American Pet Products Association's National Pet Owners Survey.
“Pet lovers care about how their pet's food and litter are made and that it's done in a responsible way,” said Brian Seevers, director of technical packaging at Nestlé Purina.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
Purina is working to make 100% of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. Currently, the packaging for about 80% of Purina's products is recyclable, and packaging for another 15% is recycle ready or made from materials that are capable of being recycled, although most recycling facilities don't currently have the infrastructure to process those materials, Seevers said.
“One way we're approaching more sustainable packaging is by investing heavily in research and development of new packaging solutions,” Seevers said, adding that Purina is also working to use more post-consumer recycled materials in its plastic packaging and eliminate unnecessary packaging.
For example, the company's Tidy Cats Naturally Strong litter container is made of 50% recycled content, primarily recycled milk jugs.
TerraCycle, a recycling company that operates in 20 countries to collect hard-to-recycle materials, is currently partnering with 11 pet food companies to make it easier to recycle packaging through free recycling programs.
The process includes creating an account with TerraCycle, signing up for a program, then downloading a free shipping label and mailing in waste packaging to be recycled by the company. Once TerraCycle receives a shipment, the materials are sorted and separated by characteristics and compositions and then cleaned, shredded, and molded into plastic pellets to be used for new products. More information is available at terracycle.com.
WellPet, a pet food brand, is one of the companies involved in a TerraCycle partnership.
“Taking action to improve the sustainability of our business remains a top priority to align with the values of our team and customers and do our part in protecting the planet we all call home,” said Chanda Leary-Coutu, director of consumer experience and marketing at WellPet.
Since the company began partnering with TerraCycle, more than 360,000 empty dry food bags have been diverted away from landfills through the program, Leary-Coutu said. The new raw materials from those recycled bags have been used for things such as pencil cases, storage bins, and playgrounds.
Several other pet food companies have sustainable goals in mind too. Mars Petcare, for example, plans to reduce its use of “virgin” plastic—plastic that has never been used or processed before —by 25% and plans for 100% of its plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025.
Hill's Pet Nutrition is launching a recyclable bag in its European markets this year and is working to launch recycle-ready packaging in the U.S. in 2022.
Currently, no requirements exist for companies to pursue sustainability efforts, nor is there a standard definition for sustainable products. And in fact, much of what is being sent for recycling still ends up in landfills, partly because of various difficulties with recycling many plastics.
INSIDE THE BAG
Recycling packaging and developing packaging from recycled materials are just a few parts of sustainability efforts.
Shameless Pets, a dog and cat treat company, has a mission to reduce waste differently.
The company uses upcycled ingredients to make its products. Upcycling is the process of creating a new product from something unused, in this case misfit or surplus food, that would normally go to waste.
Alex Waite, co-founder of Shameless Pets, said seeing the amount of food that gets thrown out at the retail, production, and sourcing levels is what spurred the company's creation. But the company is working to do more.
“We're constantly thinking about ways to be sustainable beyond the ingredient level,” Waite said. “Though upcycling foods is our main gig, we recognize the surrounding impact of making and distributing our treats. We want to create a holistic approach to being a sustainable pet company that's not only nutrition driven but also environmentally conscious. We're on a mission to waste less at every level, like evaluating our energy consumption in production and reducing single use of virgin plastics in our packaging.”
The Upcycled Food Association, an organization centered around reducing food waste and fighting climate change, has about 10 member companies in the pet food industry, including Shameless Pets and Nestlé Purina PetCare.
Cats and dogs are responsible for 25% to 30% of the environmental impact of meat consumption in the U.S, according to a 2017 study from the University of California-Los Angeles.
In response to the study, the Pet Food Institute provided the following statement to JAVMA: “Pet food is an important sustainability partner in the production of human food. By using the parts of the animal raised for human food that Americans choose not to eat, pet food makers are able to provide cats and dogs with essential nutrition while reducing environmental impact and supporting sustainability by reducing food waste. These ingredients, called by-products, are strictly defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), an organization that develops model regulation for use at the state level.”
One company, Jiminy's, is focused on using a different kind of ingredient—insects. Anne Carlson, founder and CEO of Jiminy's, said she started the pet food company after a conversation with her daughter.
“She told me she didn't want to have kids because she was worried about what the world would look like, so I decided I wanted to do something that would tackle climate change,” Carlson said. After that conversation, she read about how insects could solve world hunger.
After several years of research and development, the company currently sells dog food and treats that use crickets and grubs as their main protein sources. The grubs are specifically dried black soldier fly larvae. The company also has plans to produce cat food.
AAFCO has tentatively defined dried black soldier fly larvae as an ingredient for use in adult dog food. The organization is prepared to receive definition requests for insects to be used in animal food, according to a spokesperson. The definition request process is explained on the AAFCO website at aafco.org, and questions can be sent to definitions@aafco.org.
Hill's Pet Nutrition has also identified that the protein choices in its food are often a key contributor to carbon emissions, so the company is working on alternatives, said Dave Baloga, head of science and technology at Hill's Pet Nutrition.
“People are hungry for more sustainable products, and pet owners who also care deeply for their pets do not want to make a choice between the right nutrition for their pet or the planet,” Baloga said. “As proponents of science, we are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint, replenishing natural resources, and leading our industry in more-ethical, -responsible practices. We are evaluating our supply chain, including how our ingredients are grown.”
Because, Animals, a biotech startup, is another brand that is focused on the ingredients inside pet food bags.
The company is in the process of developing cultured meat products, or meat made without animals, for cats and dogs.
Shannon Falconer, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Because, Animals, said, “Cultured meat may sound like science fiction, but it's not. The same technology, namely feeding cells the nutrients they need to grow and divide inside a warm vessel called a bioreactor, is already used to create many of the foods we consume, including probiotics, beer, and Marmite.”
Dr. Falconer said veterinarians will play a huge role in the company's success.
“In order for us to succeed, we need veterinarians to tell us what their concerns are and what questions we will need to answer in order for them to feel comfortable endorsing cultured meat,” Dr. Falconer said. “When it comes to pet food, we must all acknowledge that there's a sustainability problem.”
People
Veterinarian hospitalized 104 days because of COVID-19, complications
Former Minnesota VMA president says he's lucky to be alive
By Malinda Larkin
Dr. David Fell and his wife, Barb, took precautions when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, not seeing family or friends and wearing masks if they went out, which was rare.
But on Nov. 10, 2020, Dr. Fell started to have symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. So, the 74-year-old went to the local hospital in Jackson, Minnesota, and got tested for SARS-CoV-2. The results didn't come back until three days later; he was positive. By Nov. 17, he couldn't even make it from his house to the car, so his wife called an ambulance.
Following testing and radiography at the emergency room, he was transferred from Sanford Jackson Medical Center to Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a teaching hospital affiliated with the University of South Dakota.
When he first saw the hospital staff members there, Dr. Fell said, “They looked like they had just landed on the moon,” with the hoods and dressing gowns they wore. “They changed with every patient they saw. They were really cautious. It's the place to be when you're sick.”
Little did Dr. Fell know that he wouldn't get out of the hospital for about 3 1/2 months, with most of that time spent recuperating.
After graduation, Dr. Fell (Iowa State '70) practiced in Iowa for three years before moving to Jackson, Minnesota. There, he joined Jackson Veterinary Clinic, which transitioned over the years from a large animal clinic to a small animal clinic. He retired in 2016.
Dr. Fell served on the AVMA Committee for Veterinary Technician Education and Activities from 2001-07 and was president of the Minnesota VMA in 2018.
Back in mid-October, Dr. Fell had surgery for prostate cancer. Just when he had recovered from the surgery, he contracted COVID-19.
QUICK DECISION
Dr. Fell vividly recalls that on Dec. 1, 2020, the doctors told him to make a decision.
“I remember that I was quite sick, but I didn't know I was that sick until they told me that my oxygen level was low,” Dr. Fell said. “I had two choices.
They could take me to the intensive care unit and sedate and intubate me, with a 40% chance of saving me. Or they could continue what they were doing, and I was probably going to die that day. That's when it hit me.
“I asked if I could call my wife, and they said: ‘You don't have time. We need an answer now.'”
He agreed to go to the intensive care unit, where he was sedated and intubated for a week.
During that time, Barb also got sick with COVID-19. She stayed in a hospital in Worthington, Minnesota, for five days.
At one point, the staff at the Sanford USD Medical Center told Dr. Fell's son, Brian, and daughter, Liz, that they didn't think he'd make it.
LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY
When he woke up, Dr. Fell didn't know where he was or what was happening.
“I asked if I was dead or alive, and they told me I was alive,” Dr. Fell said.
They also told him he received the same antibody treatment as had former President Donald Trump, who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 weeks earlier.
Rehabilitation proved difficult. He was transferred to the rehabilitation unit in Sioux Falls to recover. At first, he said, “When they tried to sit me up, I'd pass out. Those were the two big hurdles— getting me off oxygen and getting me to sit and stand up.”
The hospital wasn't allowing visitors, so Dr. Fell spent his time reading books, writing emails, and virtually visiting with friends and family. A number of fellow veterinarians called to check on him.
He spent time every day sitting up. “When you're sitting in that chair for two hours, twice a day, you get bored in a hurry. It sounds easy, but it wasn't. It was an acclimation process, even getting used to sitting up,” he said.
On Christmas, Dr. Fell visited virtually with his family members, who were all at his daughter's house, so he could watch them open presents.
“That was tough, but I made it,” he said, adding that he had never been away from his wife for this long during their more than 50 years of marriage.
A low point came when he developed a cyst on his lumbar vertebrae. It was so painful he couldn't roll on his side or move. The doctors drained and cultured the cyst. Vancomycin was one of the few drugs that successfully treated it.
After 72 days in Sioux Falls, he was transferred back to Sanford Jackson Medical Center.
Dr. Fell relearned how to get up and down steps, dress himself, and retrieve items from cabinets, which he practiced in the hospital's conference room. A physical therapist worked with him five days a week, and an occupational therapist worked with him four days a week. He walked the halls with the nursing staff on weekends.
Everyone encouraged him, telling him if he couldn't do something today, maybe he could tomorrow. “And sooner or later they were right. I could,” he said.
Toward the end, his wife would drive into the ambulance bay, and he worked on getting in and out of the car.
AFTERMATH
Dr. Fell finally went home on March 1. He slept eight to 10 hours a night and napped about three times a day. He was exhausted much of the time.
“I pretty much got myself weaned off those (naps) but still have fatigue and have a struggle with stamina. But I'm fortunate. A: I'm alive. And B: I'm not on oxygen like I know some people still are,” he said. He doesn't use a walker or cane anymore, although he does have some short-term memory loss and coughs more than he used to.
He still doesn't know how he got COVID-19, but that doesn't matter at this point.
“There's a lot of people praying for me, which made me feel better they cared enough to do that,” Dr. Fell said. “I'm just extremely grateful to the three hospitals and their staff for taking care of me. There was a time when they told my children they didn't think they could save me. Here I am. I'm feeling very grateful and happy that I'm here.”
The Fells have had friends stop by to visit, but they are still cautious, making sure to observe social distancing. They're getting out more, seeing their four grandchildren, who range in age from 6-13. They've missed dance and piano recitals as well as basketball games and karate performance tests.
“I know of some individuals who are worse off than I am,” Dr. Fell said. He considers himself lucky to do things he used to not like, such as household chores.
His wife had surgery on a rotator cuff in May, so after her taking care of him for his first two months home, he was taking care of her. That lasted until early June, when he started radiation therapy for eight weeks to get rid of some remaining prostate cancer cells.
“Getting old is not for sissies. That is so true,” he said. “You just have to take one thing at a time. But I feel good. I can't do much more than walk across the house before I have to sit and rest, but it's like I have a new life.”
Veterinary deans on the move
Leadership changes made at Florida, Louisiana State, Minnesota, and North Carolina State
By Kaitlyn Mattson
Four veterinary colleges recently announced changes in their leadership. New deans were announced at the University of Florida, Louisiana State University, and the University of Minnesota, and the dean at North Carolina State University will step down.
DEAN APPOINTED AT UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
Dr. Dana N. Zimmel was appointed the permanent dean of the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in June. Dr. Zimmel had served as interim dean since December 2019.
“During the past year and a half, Dana has worked tirelessly with her leadership team to ensure the safety of the college's faculty, staff, and students along with the successful continuance of its research, teaching, and patient care missions,” said David R. Nelson, MD, senior vice president for health affairs at UF, and Scott Angle, PhD, vice president for agriculture and natural resources at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, in a joint statement.
The two administrators said it was important to keep leadership steady as the veterinary college approaches its next AVMA Council on Education accreditation site visit in 2022.
Dr. Zimmel was previously the lead administrator of the UF Veterinary Hospitals and served as associate dean for clinical services. Under her leadership, the hospital's caseload nearly doubled, and the UF Small Animal Hospital earned accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association in 2015.
Dr. Zimmel is an alumna of the UF veterinary college, and she previously worked in private practice in Ocala, Florida. She later taught at the University of Georgia and then returned to Florida in 2002 to teach at UF as an assistant professor. Her clinical interests include neonatology, exercise physiology, and endocrine disease.
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY NAMES NEW DEAN
Dr. Oliver Garden was announced as the new dean of the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Pending approval from the LSU Board of Supervisors, Dr. Garden will assume his new role on Aug. 31.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to be entrusted with the deanship of the School of Veterinary Medicine,”
Dr. Garden said in a press release. “I could not be more excited to be joining the LSU family, and I very much look forward to working with the students, staff, faculty, and alumni of this great academic institution to build upon our world-class programs in teaching, research, and public service.”
Dr. Garden is the current chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences & Advanced Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. He previously held positions at the Royal Veterinary College in London, the University of South Carolina, Cornell University, the Imperial College London, and Queen Mary University of London. Dr. Garden is board certified in small animal internal medicine.
Dr. Garden will lead the departments at the LSU veterinary college in the areas of comparative biomedical sciences, pathological sciences, and veterinary clinical sciences. He will also oversee the Veterinary Medicine Library, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
Dr. Garden will succeed Dr. Joel Baines, who has served as dean since 2014 and will move into a full-time faculty position at the veterinary school.
With a research background in pathobiological sciences and more specifically in viruses in animals, Dr. Baines has been instrumental in guiding the university during the pandemic.
Researchers at the veterinary school worked with local hospitals to provide COVID-19 testing, and others did work to track the virus on campus, Dr. Baines reported in the veterinary school's magazine last year.
Dr. Baines has overseen an accelerated program of research funding for the veterinary school and landed an $11 million grant to create the Center for Pre-Clinical Cancer Research. Dr. Baines also has raised funds for the new Stephenson Pet Clinic, which will expand pet wellness services and provide much-needed space for clinical care.
Dr. Baines has been an advocate for increasing diversity, moving research programs forward, and increasing the caseload and faculty numbers at the veterinary teaching hospital, he wrote in the magazine column.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA APPOINTS DEAN
The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine has named a new dean after a national search.
Dr. Laura K. Molgaard took over the position on June 21. She has served as interim dean at the veterinary college since August 2019. She has occupied other leadership roles and has been as a faculty member since 1997.
“I look forward to encouraging more of the great work that made this one of the world's premier colleges of veterinary medicine,” Dr. Molgaard said in a press release. “I am fortunate to be starting from a position of strength and opportunity, and I'm proud to be the first woman to lead the College as dean.”
Before joining the University of Minnesota, Dr. Molgaard worked as a small animal veterinarian and taught at a veterinary technology program. She is a member of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Competency-Based Veterinary Education Working Group, and she is on the executive committee of the International Competency-Based Medical Education Collaborators, a group of educational leaders in human medicine.
She is active in veterinary pipeline development, admissions, and issues of campus climate.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE DEAN STEPS DOWN
Dr. Paul Lunn, dean of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, will step down in January 2022.
Dr. Lunn, who has led the veterinary college since 2012, is leaving to be dean at the University of Liverpool School of Veterinary Science.
During Dr. Lunn's time as dean at North Carolina State, the veterinary college grew its class size from 80 to 100. The college has seen a rise in philanthropic support during his tenure, and research funding has doubled to over $20 million.
Dr. Lunn led several new construction projects at the veterinary college, including the Biomedical Partnership Center and an equine theriogenology facility. More projects are in the works, including a modern dairy facility and a new equine hospital.
More recently, Dr. Lunn helped lead an effort to make the veterinary college into a COVID-19 testing laboratory for the NC State community. He also made diversity and inclusion a priority within the veterinary college, and a diversity committee was formed during his time as dean.
Dr. Lunn was recently appointed as a member of the Racetrack Safety Standing Committee of the new Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. He is the current president of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.
Obituaries
AVMA MEMBER | AVMA HONOR ROLL MEMBER | NONMEMBER
DAN W. BROWN
Dr. Brown (Missouri '77), 70, Rolla, Missouri, died May 11, 2021. Following graduation, he began his career in mixed animal medicine in Rolla, serving the area for several decades. In 2008, Dr. Brown entered Missouri politics as a member of the state's House of Representatives, representing the 149th district for two years. He was subsequently elected to the Missouri Senate, where he served eight years, chairing the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee during the last two years. Dr. Brown later continued to practice veterinary medicine in Rolla.
He was a life member of the Missouri VMA and a member of the Missouri Farm Bureau. Dr. Brown's wife, Kathy; a son and a daughter; five grandchildren; and two brothers survive him. Memorials may be made to Phelps Health Delbert Day Cancer Institute, 1060 W. 10th St., Rolla, MO 65401; Greentree Christian Church, 800 Greentree Road, Rolla, MO 65401; or Rolla Animal Shelter, 1915 Sharp Road, Rolla, MO 65401.
PAUL E. FENWICK
Dr. Fenwick (Auburn '56), 93, Louisville, Kentucky, died Jan. 17, 2021. He owned Fenwick Animal Clinic in Louisville before retiring from veterinary practice and embarking on a career in real estate development. During his veterinary career, Dr. Fenwick also served as the veterinarian for Churchill Downs Racetrack and the Rock Creek Horse Show.
A past president of the Kentucky VMA, he was named Kentucky Veterinarian of the Year in 1964 and received the KVMA Distinguished Service Award in 1967. Dr. Fenwick served in the Army during the Korean War.
His two daughters, a son, and four grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, 400 Rose St., Lexington, KY 40506, or the Father McGee Memorial Fund, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 3345 Lexington Road, Louisville, KY 40206.
ALBERT A. GABEL
Dr. Gabel (Ohio State '54), 91, Dublin, Ohio, died April 12, 2021. Following graduation, he served two years in the Air Force as a public health inspector in Germany, receiving a Commendation Medal. Dr. Gabel subsequently earned his master's in veterinary anesthesia from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine and then joined the veterinary faculty. During his more than 30-year tenure, he headed the clinical equine section for 18 years, retiring as professor emeritus in 1989. Dr. Gabel was known for his expertise in equine and large animal anesthesia and surgery and for his techniques in diagnosing and treating lameness in horses. In retirement, he trained and drove Standardbred racehorses for several years.
Dr. Gabel was a charter diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and was a past president of the Ohio Standardbred Owners and Breeders Association, initiating its merger with the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association. He was a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, serving on its Racing Committee. In 1995, the United States Harness Writers Association named Dr. Gabel as Amateur Driver of the Year. In 2000, the AAEP honored him with a Distinguished Educator Award.
Dr. Gabel is survived by his wife, Lucille; four daughters and two sons; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a veterinarian brother, Dr. James Gabel (Ohio State '55). Memorials may be made to the Holy Family Food Pantry, 57 South Grubb St., Columbus, OH 43215; St. Brigid School Endowment Fund, 7179 Avery Road, Dublin, OH 43017; or the OSU Foundation (with the memo line of checks notated to #667490, Vet Med, 1954 Scholarship), The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Attn: Tiffany Connors, 1900 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210.
ROBERT M. MUIR
Dr. Muir (Michigan State '52), 95, East Lansing, Michigan, died Dec. 12, 2020. He was the founder of Deckerville Veterinary Clinic in Deckerville, Michigan. Later in his career, Dr. Muir served as Michigan's assistant state veterinarian. Active in his community, he was a member of the Deckerville Community Schools Board of Education and served on the board of directors of the Deckerville Community Hospital. Dr. Muir's wife, Sharon; two sons, two daughters, three stepsons, and two stepdaughters; 20 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a sister survive him. Memorials may be made to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 5589 Van Atta Road, Haslett, MI 48840, or Michigan State University (with the memo line notated to A606– Large Animal Clinical Sciences), Michigan State University, University Advancement, Spartan Way, 535 Chestnut Road, Room 300, East Lansing, MI 48824, givingto.msu.edu/gift/?sid=11545.
WILLARD G. NELSON
Dr. Nelson (Washington State '61), 83, Kuna, Idaho, died March 21, 2021. He served as director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture from 1990-95.
Following graduation, Dr. Nelson served in the Army Veterinary Corps. During that time, he traveled to Vietnam as an adviser for a sentry dog training program for the Vietnamese Army and was veterinarian-in-charge at Fort Myer, Virginia. Dr. Nelson attained the rank of captain.
He subsequently went into private practice in Kuna for a few years. In 1966, Dr. Nelson was appointed assistant to the director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. He then worked for the former Idaho Bureau of Animal Health, where he went from serving as assistant chief to chief. From 1981-90, Dr. Nelson was state veterinarian and administrator for the ISDA's Animal Industries Division, before becoming director of the ISDA. He was director of public affairs for the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation from 1995 until retirement in 2004.
Dr. Nelson was a past president of the Idaho VMA and a member of the United States Animal Health Association, Southwestern Idaho VMA, and Western United States Agricultural Trade Association.
In 1989, he was named Idaho Veterinarian of the Year. Dr. Nelson received an Outstanding Service Award from Washington State University in 2001. In 2018, Marquis Who's Who honored him with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.
Active in his community, Dr. Nelson served as a councilman for the city of Kuna from 1964-68 and was mayor from 1984-2004 and again from 2011-15. He was a charter member of the Kuna Lions Club and a member of the Kuna Historical Society and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Dr. Nelson served in the Idaho Army National Guard, attaining the rank of brigadier general. He was awarded the Legion of Merit.
Dr. Nelson is survived by a daughter, a son, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a sister. Memorials (with the memo line of the check notated to the Class of ‘61 Professionalism Endowment and Scholarship) may be made to the WSU Foundation, c/o Lynne Haley, P.O. Box 647010, Washington State University, Pullman WA 99164.
PHILLIP N. OGBURN
Dr. Ogburn (Washington State '65), 80, Bend, Oregon, died May 7, 2021. He was an associate professor of cardiology at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine prior to retirement. Dr. Ogburn also established an equine facility and Essergrief Kennels in Roberts, Wisconsin, breeding German Shorthaired Pointers. His wife, Peggy; a son and a daughter; and three grandchildren survive him. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, National Capital Area Chapter, 8180 Greensboro Drive, Suite 400, McLean, VA 22102.
DONALD L. SINGLETARY
Dr. Singletary (Illinois '59), 86, East Earl, Pennsylvania, died May 6, 2021. A poultry veterinarian, he worked at the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg prior to retirement. Earlier in his career, Dr. Singletary worked for Whitmoyer Laboratories in Myerstown, Pennsylvania; Victor Weaver Poultry in New Holland, Pennsylvania; and the poultry laboratory at Pennsylvania State University. His wife, Catherine; three daughters and a son; nine grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and a brother survive him. Memorials may be made to Hospice and Community Care, 685 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA 17604.