Veterinary Medicine

Summer 2004

Veterinarians Impact theLives of Minnesotans Every Day

■ Robert Washabau joins College as Veterinary

Clinical Sciences Department Chair

■ Campaign Underway for Equine Center

■ Corporate Programs Benefit Vet Students

■ Food Safety Q & A

■ Alumni Scholarship Support

■ Volunteers Donate Time, Energy, and More

■ Emergency Services

■ Gifts from the Heart

In this Issue

Contents

Celebrating Philanthropy

This Profiles highlights the many waysindividuals and corporations support ourCollege. As state support decreases, therole of private philanthropy is becoming increasingly important in ourability to provide that extra margin of excellence in our teaching,research, and service/outreach programs.

Gifts to the College come in many forms. About 110 practitioners in thecommunity participate in the clinical skills course, freely giving of theirtime to help freshman and sophomore students learn history-taking andphysical examination skills. More than 326 volunteers in The RaptorCenter and Veterinary Medical Center donate over 25,000 hours, anequivalent of 10 full-time staff. Fund-raising for campaigns such theequine facility on the St. Paul Campus and the Osborne/Hills EndowedChair would not be possible without dedicated campaign supporters.

Corporations provide very generous support. Company-sponsored feedingprograms provide students funds for activities. Our TransitionManagement Facility, used to train the next generation of dairy veteri-narians, could not have been built without the generous support of manyprivate companies. Corporations continue to fund critically needed facultyand graduate student positions and provide funds to augment researchprograms such as the Swine Disease Eradication Center.

Clients support many important programs. From equipment purchasesand facility upgrades to endowed positions, gifts make a tremendous positive difference in our ability to improve the health of animals todayand for many years into the future.

College alumni and faculty know firsthand the importance of a qualityveterinary education and understand the financial crisis that many oftoday’s students face. This College enjoys one of the highest percentagesof alumni giving at the University.

As you read the stories in this issue, please join me in celebrating philan-thropy—support that ultimately benefits an untold number of animalsand people. Thank you for your support of this great college of veteri-nary medicine.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey S. Klausner, D.V.M., M.S., D.A.C.V.I.M.Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine

From the Dean

■ Robert Washabau

Joins College 3

■ Campaign Underway

for Equine Center 4

■ Pumpkin Roams the Range 5

■ Corporate Programs

Benefit Vet Students 6

■ Clinical Skills Course—

Learning by Doing 7

■ Alumni Support Students

Through Scholarships 8

■ Q & A: Food Safety 9

■ Volunteers Donate Time,

Energy, and More 10

■ Emergency Services—

A Critical Need 11

■ Gifts From the Heart:

Hubert & Julie Thibodeau 12

■ Points of Pride

Research Days 13

■ News 14

■ Industry Support for

Veterinary Outreach 18

■ Contact Us 19

■ In Memory of William

the Conqueror Back Cover

Robert Washabau, V.M.D., Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, hasaccepted the position of chair of the VeterinaryClinical Sciences Department and will start his lead-ership in September.

Washabau is currently professor of medicine in theDepartment of Clinical Studies at the University ofPennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where hereceived his V.M.D. in 1982 and his Ph.D. in physiology in1990. His curriculum vitae documents acquisition of morethan $5 million in research funding, publication of 95 refer-eed journal articles and scientific abstracts, 12 review papers,and more than 20 book chapters. Washabau has participatedin 66 presentations and lectures and received 18 awards andhonors. He also holds editorial positions on several veteri-nary journals, including the Journal of the American VeterinaryMedical Association, American Journal of Veterinary Research,and the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. His primaryresearch programs are gastrointestinal motility and its disor-ders, gastrointestinal prokinetic therapy, feline exocrine pan-creatic diseases, and mechanisms of gastrointestinal inflam-mation.

“I am pleased that Dr. Washabau will be joining us and I lookforward to working with him in the years ahead,” says DeanJeffrey Klausner. “We owe a big thank-you to Trevor Amesfor serving as interim chair of the Veterinary ClinicalSciences Department in addition to his role as chair of theVeterinary Population Medicine Department over these pastyears.”

Robert WashabauJoinsCollege asVeterinaryClinicalSciencesDepartment Chair

Robert Washabau

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The Veterinary Clinical Sciences department (VCS), previ-

ously known as Small Animal Clinical Sciences, is dedicated

to improving the health of companion animals and the

well-being of owners by providing excellent veterinary

education, delivering outstanding medical and surgical

services, and generating new knowledge. It provides

instruction to veterinary students, interns, residents, and

graduate students in companion animal medicine, surgery,

cardiology, dermatology, nutrition, integrative comple-

mentary medicine, neurology, dentistry, oncology, theri-

ogenology, anesthesiology, ophthalmology, behavior, and

radiology.

The department has 15 veterinary residents, 16 graduate

students in the veterinary medicine graduate program,

and 7 interns.VCS faculty members are responsible for sig-

nificant portions of the clinical training program for third

and fourth-year professional students and provide instruc-

tion on small animal rotations for veterinary technicians

from Ridgewater College.

Treatment of referred cases, telephone consultations with

practicing veterinarians, and continuing education lec-

tures to veterinarians constitute another major responsi-

bility of departmental faculty. In addition, faculty are

actively involved in clinical and basic research and partici-

pate in the veterinary medicine and molecular veterinary

biosciences graduate programs.The VCS is the home of

The Raptor Center, the Comparative Surgical Laboratory,

and the Urolith Center. Many faculty are also involved in

research conducted in the Veterinary Clinical Investigation

Center, a collegiate center managed by Bert Stromberg,

associate dean of veterinary research and graduate pro-

grams.

The VCS department includes the following divisions:

Medicine

Emergency Medicine and Critical Care

Specialties. This division includes specialists in cardiolo-gy, dermatology, oncology, and internal medicine.

Comparative Anesthesiology

Surgery

Medical Imaging

Ophthalmology and Neurology

Theriogenology, Nutrition, Behavioral Health, andCommunity Practice

About the Veterinary ClinicalSciences Department

V E T E R I N A R Y C L I N I C A L S C I E N C E S ■ V E T E R I N A R Y C L I N I C A L S C I E N C E S

Wh e t h e ry o u ’ r ehelpinga competitivejumper get backinto the show ringor a newborn foalscramble to its feetfor the first time,there is somethingparticularly reward-ing about workingwith horses.

No one knows thatbetter than the equine faculty andstaff. For decades, the College’sequine experts have won nationalacclaim for their research, teaching,and clinical services, serving morethan 3,000 horses annually. All thisdespite aging and limited-access facil-ities that have not kept pace with thelarge population growth of horses inMinnesota or the diverse needs ofhorse owners, breeders, trainers, barnand track owners, farriers, and others.

“The Equine Center is long over-due,” says Dean Jeffrey Klausner.“This 50,000-square-foot, world-classfacility will offer new technology andequipment, superb research and teach-ing, and clinical diagnosis and treat-ment services.” The Center will fea-ture 50 stalls, an indoor arena andlunge area with natural light, a special-ly designed, secure loading area, and aseparate paddock area for outdoorexercise. The equine campaign willalso fund an endowed chair and pro-fessorship in sports medicine.

“With the Equine Center, our top-notch equine faculty will have a first-class equine facility where they can

offer advanced services and comple-mentary therapies and work with thebest diagnostic and treatment equip-ment,” Dean Klausner adds.Collaborations with the MedicalSchool and the College ofAgricultural, Food, andEnvironmental Sciences will positionthe Center as a nationally recognized,premier equine facility.

Giving opportunities exist at everylevel, and substantial gifts made byindividuals or groups will be recog-nized in designated areas of theCenter. For more information aboutthe Equine Center, contact DeanKlausner at 612-624-6244 or MaryEllen Kuhi, campaign consultant, at952-470-0856. An overview of theEquine Center campaign is availableon video or DVD. Print materials arealso available, and information is post-ed on the College Web site atwww.cvm.umn.edu.

E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E

Q: Why build an Equine Center now?

A: Expanded facilities have been neededfor some time.The number of horsestreated annually has grown six-foldfrom 500 in 1980 to more than 3,000last year.This growth has spurred thedevelopment of equine technology tokeep pace with the growing, diverseneeds of horse owners and others.Nearly 30 similar equine facilities havealready been built throughout theUnited States. In Minnesota, theequine industry continues to growand has become an important eco-nomic and social factor. Home to nearly500 state and local horse clubs,Minnesota has the 10th largest horsepopulation in the United States.

Q: What are the plans for the current largeanimal facilities? How will the existinglarge animal hospital be used?

A: The campaign will fund new equipmentand provide an updated surgical suite.Current facilities will continue to pro-vide services to treat and care for dairycows,cattle, llamas,alpacas,goats,andother large animals, including horses.

Q: What is the total cost for the center?

A: The total cost for building construction,endowments, and equipment is $10million. More than $4 million has beenraised to date.

Q: When will the new facilities be built?

A: Groundbreaking is tentativelyplanned for 2005.

Q: What role is the University playingregarding this center?

A: The University enthusiasticallyendorses the Equine Center on the St. Paul campus and has provided thebuilding site.

Q: Is this the only new building planned?

A: The Equine Center is the first of twophases for equine facilities and servicesat this location.The second phase,as yet unscheduled, calls for the construction of a new, additionallarge-animal hospital.

Questions andAnswers aboutthe Equine Center

4

Campaign Underway for Equine Center

e loves his job!” Emily Bootesays of Pumpkin, a 13-year-old quarter horse gelding.

Together, they serve as members of

the Mounted Park Patrol Volunteersin Three Rivers Park District’s CarverPark Reserve. But it wasn’t always so.

Several years ago, Pumpkin was apatient at the Veterinary MedicalCenter, diagnosed as having polysac-charide storage myopathy (PSSM), amuscle disease that makes horses verysensitive to the hormone insulin.Symptoms range from muscle cramp-ing and stiffness to not being able towalk.

“We changed Pumpkin’s diet toinclude supplements that provide himproper nutrition, without added sug-ars,” says Stephanie Valberg,

D.V.M., a world expert on mus-cular disorders in horses. “ManyPSSM horses have wonderfulpersonalities and they are likemembers of the family. It’sreally satisfying to see thehorses and their own-ers back together ina happy situation.”

Back at home withhis new feeding reg-imen, Pumpkin waswalking, then goingup and down small

hills. Within a fewmonths, Pumpkin andEmily were riding againin Carver Park.

“Through our researchhere, we are better under-standing the genetics ofthis disease,” Dr. Valbergexplains. “We hope to beable to develop a test forPSSM in the near future,

but that will take additional researchand facilities. That’s one of the rea-sons why a new Equine Center is soimportant.”

“H

According to the most recent agri-culture census, Minnesota ranked10th in horse numbers.

Ottertail County had the mosthorse farms, with 307. BeltramiCounty had the least, with 155.

Washington County had the high-est total number of horses at1,996. Mille Lacs County had thelowest number of horses at 875.

Wright County had the highest val-ued horses, at $6,251 per head.

Total direct, indirect, and inducedeconomic value of the horse indus-try is estimated at $1 billion.

Value of horses increases dramati-cally in metro-area counties.

Comparative estimated horse-related expenditures averaged$4,300 per head, totaling $678 mil-lion per year.

Comparative estimated horse-related income was $2,000 perhead, totaling $312 million.

Comparative estimated horse-related assets were $37,494 perhead, totaling $5.8 billion.

Source: USDA, NASS, Equine Inventory,

released March 2, 1999.

Stephanie Valberg, D.V.M., is an expert on muscular disorders in horses.

5

E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E ■ E Q U I N E

Pumpkin Roams the Range

Emily Boote and Pumpkin.

In Minnesota…

6

At the College of VeterinaryMedicine, students have bene-fited from corporate givingprograms for many years.Corporations such as Hill’s and Purinadonate time, money, and resources tosupport veterinary students.

“Corporate-sponsored programsand donations are a win-win for bothparties involved,” says LauraMolgaard, D.V.M., associate dean ofacademic and student affairs. “Studentsget experience working with businessand earn money for activities, while thecorporations get great exposure andeducate students about their products.”

Currently, the University participatesin a college feeding program withHill’s. Hill’s provides pet food at nocharge to the college. Veterinary stu-dents sell the food at a discounted price

to faculty, staff, and students. Moneyfrom the sales supports almost all ofthe Student Chapter of the AmericanV e t e r i n a r yM e d i c a lA s s o c i a t i o n ’s(SCAVMA) pro-grams and activi-ties.

“The MinnesotaUrolith Center issupported by ane d u c a t i o n a lgrant fromHill’s,” says Heather Damico, Hill’sstudent representative. “This is a greatway for the University as a whole tobenefit from this corporate donation.”

Purina sponsors special programs andeducational opportunities for students.Each year, freshman students receive a

fully paid, daylong course in grief man-agement, pet loss issues, and emotionalintelligence by Carolyn Butler ofColorado State University’s ArgusInstitute.

“This full-day course provides studentswith training in one of the most diffi-cult areas—emotional interaction withclients,” says Michelle Rider, Purinastudent representative.

Each corporation designates studentsto represent their company on campusfor one to two years. During this time,the representatives assist in the man-agement and oversight of their corpo-ration’s programs on campus. Studentrepresentatives’ duties include distrib-uting information and materials, repre-senting the corporation at events, andcommunicating with the corporaterepresentatives. As compensation fortheir work, students receive a stipendeach semester and free pet food.

“Being a rep is one of the most funthings I havesigned up for as avet student,” saysKara Nel son ,Purina studentrepresentative. “Ireally believe inthe corporation Irepresent and I ame x c i t e d a b o u ts h a r i n g t h e i rproducts with stu-

dents and answering their questions.”

For more information on corporateprograms, call the Development Officeat 612-624-6744.

Corporate Programs Benefit Veterinary Students

CVM students sell discounted Science Diet and other Hill’s products to faculty, staff, and students to support SCAVMA, a student veterinary organization.

C O R P O R A T E S P O N S O R S H I P S ■ C O R P O R A T E S P O N S O R S H I P S

“Students get experience

working with business

and earn money for activi-

ties, while the corporations

get great exposure and

educate students about

their products.”

How does a veterinary studentlearn how to restrain anangry cat for a physicalexam? To palpate a dog’s abdomen todetermine whether its bladder isempty or full? To recognize the soundof a heart murmer in a horse? By fol-lowing step-by-step directions in atextbook? In class?

Actually, learning clinical skills likethese is a little bit like learning how toride a bike or drive a car. It doesn’thurt to read about it in a book, and it’shelpful to observe someone else doingit. But the only way to really get agrasp of all the subtleties – from exact-ly how and where to hold the animal tojust the right amount of pressure touse – is to do it yourself, and to do itmany times.

The College of Veterinary Medicine’sclinical skills courses are designed tointroduce freshman and sophomoreveterinary students to a variety of fun-damental clinical skills for both largeand small animal species. These skillsrange from taking a medical history,handling and restraint, physical exam-ination techniques, and common clini-cal procedures during the freshmanyear to specialty exams, observation,and practice in the sophomore year.

Joining the college in developing stu-dents’ clinical skills are about 110 vet-erinary practitioners whose specialinterests range from general small ani-mal practice to exotic species such asreptiles and birds to special interestslike dentistry, surgery, and behavior.These practitioners serve as preceptorsfor the students, who as freshmenmake four visits to a practice and workdirectly with the practitioner. As soph-

omores, theyreturn for twoadditional visits.

One of practition-ers is KathyCleary, D.V.M., agraduate of theCollege’s class of1996 who is now aveterinarian atApache AnimalHospital inM i n n e a p o l i s ,Minn. JennyWilson, class of2006, served a pre-ceptorship withDr. Cleary duringher freshman andsophomore yearsof veterinaryschool.

“The preceptor-ship gave me achance to apply thethings I’m learningin class to real-lifesituations,” Wilson says. “Forinstance, one day a client came intothe clinic with a dog that was sufferingfrom nystagmus, an eye problem. Thiscase was especially interesting for meat the time because we had just beendiscussing nystagmus in neurobiologyclass. Seeing the condition in a clinicalsetting had a much greater impact.”

Dr. Cleary also involves her staff inproviding a variety of learning experi-ences for students.

“She had one of the technicians bringin her dogs for me to practice on in asort of role-playing experience, withthe technician being the client and I

being the veterinarian,” Wilsonrecalled. “As Dr. Cleary observed, Itook a history, performed exams onher dogs, and even gave the vaccina-tions that they required. Afterwards,both Dr. Cleary and the techniciangave me helpful feedback on my per-formance.”

“I love it,” Dr. Cleary says of her expe-rience as a preceptor. “I have fun, andit gives me an opportunity to teachwhat I’ve learned as a veterinarian. Ialso get to see students like Jenniferdevelop their skills and their confi-dence level. It’s mostly about givingback to the profession.”

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Student Jennifer Wilson examines a Vizsla puppy’s eyes as Kathy Cleary, aveterinarian at Apache Animal Hospital, holds the dog.

INNOVATIVE LEARNING ■ INNOVATIVE LEARNING ■ INNOVATIVE LEARNING

Clinical Skills Course IncludesPreceptorships, Learning By Doing

Ascholarship or fellowship canhelp a veterinary student fulfill adream – or at least provide themwith some much-needed financial helpin completing theirveterinary education.

Faced with rising edu-cational costs anddeclining governmentsupport, the Collegehas worked hard tokeep tuition increasesto a minimum. Still,students’ expenses canbe staggering. The average indebted-ness of students at the College contin-ues to rise, mostly because of increasedtuition costs – which are the result ofmany factors, including a reduction inMinnesota state funding. The averageindebtedness of students in the class of2003 is $75,012.

These factors emphasize the need toincrease the endowments that producerenewable scholarships and fellowshipsin order to continue attracting and

r e t a i n i n g t o p veterinary medical students. Throughscholarships, alum-ni and friends havea special opportuni-ty to keep the tradi-tion alive.

“We all owe theCollege a great deal for our profession-al training and the opportunities that itprovided us,” says Wendell Niemann,D.V.M., class of 1957. “May the newyoung professionals gain as much bene-fit from their education as I have.”

Annual scholarships are providedthrough the establishment of an

endowed scholarship fund. An endowedscholarship fund may be named inrecognition of the donor or in honor ofpersons of the donor’s choice for a min-imum gift of $25,000. Endowmentfunds are held in perpetuity by theUniversity of Minnesota FoundationInvestment Advisors, a non-profitinvestment management subsidiary.

If you are interested in more informa-tion about how to establish anendowed scholarship, please contactthe Development Office at 612-624-6744. If you would like to make a giftor pledge to the College of VeterinaryMedicine’s general scholarship fund,please contact Stephanie Pommier,development officer, at 612-624-6146.

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At the annual college awards banquet in 2002, veterinary stu-

dent Gregg Phillips, class of 2004, happened to sit next to the

parents of a past veterinary student, Steve Ramsdell.The

Ramsdells got to talking about their son, who worked with a

roofing company during the summer after his sophomore year

in veterinary school – and, tragically, died from an adverse reac-

tion to a chemical used in roofing. In memory of Steve, the

Ramsdells established the Steve Ramsdell Memorial Scholarship

at the College of Veterinary Medicine.

A year later, Greg Phillips was the recipient of the scholarship.

“The award is given to a junior veterinary student chosen by his

class as someone who loves life,

has a positive attitude, has sig-

nificant interests outside of

school, has a good sense of

humor, and is an all around good

guy,” Phillips says.“After hearing

about Steve from his parents, I

hardly seemed worthy of such an award, but was grateful to be

thought of in the same way by my peers.The award went a long

way toward purchasing the books, white coats, scrubs, stetho-

scope, pen light, and ophthalmology lenses I needed.”

Gregg Phillips, D.V.M.

Gregg Phillips, Recipient of the SteveRamsdell Memorial Scholarship

“We all owe the College

a great deal for our

professional training

and the opportunities

that it provided us.”

Alumni Support Students Through Scholarships

S C H O L A R S H I P S ■ S C H O L A R S H I P S ■ S C H O L A R S H I P S ■ S C H O L A R S H I P S

O:

Will Hueston, director, and Shaun Kennedy, associate directorof the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS)answer our questions about food-borne illness and the work ofthe Center. The Center was created with funding from thestate legislature to promote farm-to-table food safety.

We hear about people getting sick from their foodall the time, but how common is it really?

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionestimate that there are more than 76 million cases of

food-borne illness a year, so your overall chances of con-tracting a food-borne illness could be as high as one out offour. The actual reported rates of food-borne illness aremuch lower than 76 million a year, as most people who getsick are not positively diagnosed, either because the persondoesn’t seek treatment or because there are no confirmato-ry tests conducted.

How sick can people get from food-borne illness?

The estimated 76 million cases result in 325,000 hos-pitalizations and 5,000 deaths - so you can get very

sick from food-borne illness. The more severe outcomesare among the young, the elderly, and the immuno-com-promised, but even perfectly healthy people can contract afood-borne illness and end up with a very serious disease.

What exactly is food-borne illness?

Simply put, food-borne illness occurs when a personingests a contaminant with their food that subse-

quently makes them sick. Typically, the illness results inmild to severe gastrointestinal problems such as cramping,diarrhea, and fluid loss. In some cases, it can includebloody diarrhea, fever, and more severe internal damage.The contaminants that cause the illness can be bacterial,viral, toxic, or chemical.

How does the food get contaminated?

The majority of food-borne pathogens can occur nat-urally in the intestinal tract of animals and humans. It

is usually the fecal contamination of the food product orequipment that leads to the problem. This can happen onany food and at any point and can result from field work-ers not washing their hands before picking produce,manure contaminating beef during processing, or a con-sumer not washing the cutting board between choppingchicken and carrots.

What can we do to decrease the chances of gettinga food-borne illness?

The majority of food-borne illnesses can be avoidedby proper cooking and handling. Simple things that

can help reduce the risk are always washing your hands andequipment after touching raw food products; washingfruits and vegetables or other products that won’t becooked before eating; and thoroughly cooking foods. Arare hamburger may taste good, but “if it’s too red, thebugs aren’t dead!”

What is the Center for Animal Health and FoodSafety doing about food-borne illness?

At the Center we work with faculty from the Collegeof Veterinary Medicine, other schools in the

University, state and federal agencies, and industry on foodsafety interventions at all stages in the food system, fromfarm to table. This ranges from research on how to preventfood contamination, to scientific input into food safetypolicy, to risk communication programs for industry andconsumers. We can’t reduce the risk of food-borne illnessto zero, but we can make it far less prevalent by advancingscience and behavior.

O&AA:

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Food Safety

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V O L U N T E E R S ■ V O L U N T E E R S ■ V O L U N T E E R S ■ V O L U N T E E R S

At the College of VeterinaryMedicine, giving comes in manyforms. While some donate funds,supplies, or equipment, others contributetime, effort, and, you might even say,love. They’re called volunteers, and theyallow the college to provide a level ofservice beyond what it could do with paidstaff alone.

One part of the college that is particular-ly dependent on volunteers is The RaptorCenter (TRC). Its volunteer corps of 326people donate about 25,000 hours a year,the equivalent of more than 10 staff peo-ple.

“It’s a significant contribution, especiallywhen you consider that we only haveabout 20 staff members,” says ElaineWyatt, associate director. Ten crews ofvolunteers help out in nearly every aspect

of the center’s operation, most notablythe clinic, where they help veterinary stafffeed, medicate, and care for recuperatingeagles, owls, hawks, and falcons, and edu-cation, where they greet the public, con-duct presentations, and help staff care forabout 30 resident education birds. Othervolunteer crews are responsible for exer-cising birds in preparation for releaseback to the wild, helping out with specialevents, doing office work, and maintain-ing cages, travel boxes, and perches.

For more information about volunteer-ing, contact Vivian Neiger, volunteermanager, at 612-624-3928 orneige001@umn.edu. Information is alsoavailable on the Web atwww.cvm.umn.edu/vmc/Volunteers/ andwww.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/volunteer/

Maggie Hill, a flight crew volunteer at The Raptor Center, exercises a red-tailed hawk in preparation forthe bird’s release.

Volunteers donate time, energy—and more

10

Beth Girard:‘I have learnedso much. . .’Beth Girard has been an education volun-

teer at The Raptor Center (TRC) for nearly

three years, conducting presentations

with live birds of prey. Every Thursday,

she makes the 50-mile drive from her

home in Cambridge, Minn., and volun-

teers the entire day at the Center.

“It is a long, wonderfully busy, and fulfill-

ing day,” Girard says.“The people make

the drive well worth it! The vets in the

clinic are always willing to answer ques-

tions and share information; the staff and

volunteers are all wonderful, energetic

people; and the visitors are interested

and excited about what we do here. Who

wouldn't want to be a part of such a

dynamic and necessary organization!”

Girard says she also gets a feeling of

accomplishment from meeting the public

and presenting information.“I have

learned so much about raptors, the envi-

ronment, and people in general.”

In fact, she enjoys her work so much that

she has inspired other members of her

family to join her as volunteers: daughter

Becky as an education crew leader and

daughter Jessica as a special events vol-

unteer. Her sons and husband have also

gotten involved by building stanchions

and installing mosquito netting over the

birds’ housing.

“Family involvement and the sharing of

time and talents has been a gift to all of

us,” she says.

Education volunteer Beth Girard introduces a pere-grine falcon to a group of children and their parentsat The Raptor Center.

Over the past year, theVeterinary Medical Center’s(VMC) emergency servicestreated 6,032 cases. The number wasup from past years because in October2003, emergency services becameavailable full time. The ER is nowopen 24 hours a day, seven days aweek, 365 days a year.

“It’s great to have emergency servicesavailable on a full-time basis for ourclients,” says Barb Klick, VMCadministrator. “We experience thehighest case load in April throughSeptember, so now is our busiest timeof year.”

The ER staff handles a variety ofcases. The most common problemsare vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy (aka:ADR - Ain’t Doin’ Right), hit by car,

bleeding disorders, and urinary diffi-culties (blockage and infection).

The expanded emergency servicehours have brought an increase inclients and the need for more space.

“Currently, the ER is using two examrooms for services,” says Pat Berzins,patient services director. “We need toexpand and renovate the emergencyservices area to improve wait time andefficiency.”

The VMC needs to raise $100,000 forrenovation and $25,000 for newequipment. The new space and equip-ment will allow staff to observepatients before admitting them to theintensive care unit (ICU), create a bet-ter workflow, increase efficiency, andallow for more privacy.

For more information, or to make adonation, contact the DevelopmentOffice at 612-624-6744.

Pfizer recently donated $4,000 to theVeterinary Medical Center to cover thecosts of 28 veterinary technicians to

a t t e n d t h eM i n n e s o t aAssociat ion ofV e t e r i n a r yTechnicians con-ference. This isthe third yearPfizer has madethis generous con-tr ibut ion. Thecompany also sup-

ports the college by providing trainingand development opportunities for staffand students.

Emergency Services —a Critical Need

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E M E R G E N C Y S E R V I C E S ■ E M E R G E N C Y S E R V I C E S ■ E M E R G E N C Y S E R V I C E S

Pfizer Helps CoverConference Costs

Jeffrey Klausner,dean,and Gene Warren,seniorarea veterinarian atPfizer Animal Health.

Olympus, a healthcare equipmentcompany, recently made a much-needed donation to the VeterinaryMedical Center. With the encour-agement of John Temple, regionalmanager for Olympus, the companydonated three telescopes, two gas-troscopes, one hystrofiberscope, anda printer.

“We asked Olympus for this dona-tion in a time of need,” says MarieBodin, principal veterinary techni-cian. “We needed new equipmentand knew that Olympus would gainexposure among the staff and stu-

dents by donating. It was a greatopportunity for both groupsinvolved.”

Olympus Donates Much-Needed Equipment

John Temple, Olympus regional manager;Marie Bodin, CVT; Steve O’Borsky, Olympussales representative; Kristi Strom, CVT; andRobert Hardy, small animal division head.

Veterinary Medical Center ER staff rush an injuredpatient to surgery.

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The furniture in the VeterinaryMedical Center’s IntensiveCare and Radiology waitingareas was in need of a facelift. It hadbeen decades since it had beenreplaced. Thanks to a generous dona-tion from Hubert and JulieThibodeau, these areas now have newfurniture.

Q: How did you firstbecome aware of theCollege of VeterinaryMedicine?

A: I (Hubert) became aware of theCollege of Veterinary Medicinewhen I started working at theUniversity in the 1960s. I workedas an electrical engineer and Ioften worked on buildings andprojects on the St. Paul campus. Isaw what was then the VeterinaryTeaching Hospital—now namedthe Veterinary Medical Center(VMC)—while I was working anddecided to bring my dog therefor care. We’ve been going thereever since.

Q: Tell me about your dogs.A: We’ve had five dogs, and all have

them have been cared for at theVMC. Over the years we havehad one Pomeranian and twopoodles. Currently, we have an11-year-old papillon namedTiffany, a retired show dog. Weadopted Tiffany over two yearsago, and she has been a greataddition to our family. We also

have an 11-year-old Nova Scotiaduck-towing retriever namedVixon. Vixon was diagnosed withsquamous cell carcinoma about ayear ago during a routine oralexam. The tumor was removed atthat time, but the cancerreturned. Prognosis is poor forVixon, but he is still living a fulllife – enjoying walks and playingat the park.

Q: What inspired you todonate money for thenew furniture?

A: We have been longtime PartnersProgram donors and we wanted

to donate to the College in a dif-ferent way. We’d always noticedhow old and run-down the furni-ture looked, so we decided todonate money toward new furni-ture. The VMC is a state-of-the-art facility, and the furniture did-n’t go with the place. We arehappy to supply the College withnew furniture that clients canenjoy and be comfortable on foryears to come.

Gifts From the Heart:An Interview with Hubert and Julie Thibodeau

Hubert and Julie Thibodeau in their St. Paul home with Tiffany and Vixon.

SPECIAL DONORS ■ SPECIAL DONORS ■ SPECIAL DONORS ■ SPECIAL DONORS

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U of M Named USDANational Research Site toStudy Johne’s and PRRS Displaying an $8.8 million check at the USDA grants announcement are JeffreyKlausner, dean; Michael Murtaugh, professor; Gene Hugoson, commissioner,Minnesota Department of Agriculture; Rodney J. Brown, U.S.D.A. deputy under-secretary for research, education, and economics; Robert Bruininks, president,University of Minnesota; Deborah Powell, dean, Medical School; Vivek Kapur,professor; and U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.

R E S E A R C H ■ R E S E A R C H ■ R E S E A R C H ■ R E S E A R C H ■ R E S E A R C H

The College held itsannual Points ofPride ResearchDays on March 9-10, hon-oring the research accom-plishments of graduate stu-dents, faculty, alumni, andcommunity partners.

“The new knowledge dis-covered by our students, fac-ulty, and alumni makes a realdifference to animals andhumans every day,” says College DeanJeffrey Klausner. “This was a celebrationto honor the individuals who play a crit-ical role in furthering our understandingof diseases and advancing animal andhuman health.”

This year’s Distinguished ResearchPartner Award went to R & D Systems,Inc., of Minneapolis, which has been avalued partner of the CVM for the past15 years.

“R & D has allowed us to developresearch in the area of animal cytokinesand their role in health and disease,”Klausner explained. “Their support

includes two large animal housing unitsand has permitted us to enhance ourteaching in the area of small ruminants.”

Also presented at the 2004 Points ofPride Research Days event were –

The Pfizer Research ExcellenceAward, which went to Jim Mickelson,professor, Veterinary and BiomedicalSciences. Mickelson’s primaryresearch goal is to identify the molec-ular bases of inherited neuromusculardisorders in animals and humans.

The Distinguished ResearchAlumni Award, which was given toDelmar Finco, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Class

of ’59), of the University of GeorgiaCollege of Veterinary Medicine. Aresearcher in the area of chronic renaldisease, Finco presented the Points ofPride Distinguished ResearchAlumnus Seminar, “Forty Years ofNephrology: Have We LearnedAnything?”

A poster competition also took place,with $250 awards bestowed to graduatestudents Laurie Brewer, SeongbeomCho, and Zhengguo Xiao, SummerScholar Kari Ekenstedt, and LarissaMinicucci of the Veterinary PopulationMedicine Department.

Delmar Finco, distinguished researchalumni award recipient and DeanJeffrey Klausner.

Associate Dean Bert Stromberg,second from left, poses with postercompetition winners Zhengguo Xiao,Laurie Brewer, Kari Ekenstedt, LarissaMinicucci, and Seongbeom Cho.

Monica Tseng accepted theDistinguished Research PartnerAward for R & D Systems, Inc.

Points of Pride Research Days CelebrateKnowledge Advancement Efforts

NEWS NEWS College News

Thousands of visitorsattended theCollege’s annual freeopen house onSunday, April 4.Sponsored by theStudent chapter ofthe AmericanVeterinary MedicalAssociation (SCAV-MA), the open housewas organized by ateam of first-year vet-erinary students andCollege staff mem-bers. The eventincluded tours of the Veterinary Medical Center and The Raptor Center; aveterinary school admission seminar and student panel; a petting zoo; ani-mal demonstrations; and exhibits from over 50 animal and veterinary-relat-ed booths. Mark your calendars for next year – Sunday, April 3, 2005.

Thousands Attend Open House

On May 8, the college’s graduating Class of2004 celebrated years of hard work at its cere-mony at Northrup Auditorium. RegentMaureen Reed conferred the Doctor ofVeterinary Medicine degree on 78 students andthe M.S./Ph.D. degree on 12 students from theVeterinary Medicine and Molecular VeterinaryBiosciences graduate programs. Dr. KevinFitzgerald, D.V.M., of Animal Planet’s“Emergency Vets” gave the graduation addresswith humor and a message for the students to“be involved with your community, be aresource, and give it your all.” Dean JeffreyKlausner congratulated the class on their

accomplishments. Student speakers included Gregg Phillips and Beth Sipe,who reviewed their years at the college. Jim Winsor, the president of theMinnesota Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA), welcomed the class intothe veterinary profession. Congratulations to our graduates – a job well done.

78 Graduate

Visitors to the College’s annual open house enjoyed theopportunity to see greyhounds and other animals up close.

The 77 members of the Class of 2005 wererecognized at the White Coat Ceremonyon March 28. The students were presentedwith their white coats, marking the transitionto the clinical phase of their veterinary educa-tion. The event was jointly sponsored by theCollege and the Minnesota VeterinaryMedical Association (MVMA), with addition-al sponsorship from Hills Pet Nutrition.Speaking at the ceremony were Dean JeffreyKlausner, Jim Winsor, president of theMVMA, and Stacy Tinkler, representing theClass of 2005.

Kevin Fitzgerald at the 2004 grad-uation ceremony.

White Coat Ceremony

Meet our Newest Faculty and Staff

Nicole KirchhofAssistant ProfessorVeterinaryPopulation Medicine

Paula BuchnerControllerAdministration

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Stacy Tinkler addressesthe Class of 2005

NEWS NEWS NEWStudent News

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The College’s April 29 spring awardsceremony, attended by more than 350D.V.M. students, faculty, and scholar-ship donors, recognized the manyachievements of students and faculty.Approximately $130,000 in scholar-ships were awarded. Some of the topawards included Minnesota VeterinaryMedical Foundation (MVMF) awards,Caleb Dorr Academic Scholarship,Joseph E. Salsbury OutstandingStudents in the Third-Year Class, andthe Carl Norden Teacher of the Year.Sponsors of the event included HillsPet Nutrition, Alumni and FriendsSociety, Midwest Veterinary Supply,Merial Ltd, and Schering-PloughAnimal Health. Thanks to the generoussupport of our donors and sponsorswe are thrilled to be able to celebratethese financial awards.

AVMA Auxiliary Award:Noah Barka (’04)

Dr. Allen D. Leman Swine MedicineAward: Darin Madson (’04)

Dr. Alvin F. and Eleanor E.WeberScholarship: Class of 2007’s JulieBryngelson, Katie Haupt, and Cynthia Panke

American Animal Hospital AssociationAward: Elizabeth Kirzeder (’04)

American College of VeterinaryRadiology Award: Illona Edens (’04)

American College of VeterinarySurgeons Award: Maria Killos (’04) andDarin Madson (’04)

Augustus Searles Scholarship forWomen: Class of 2004's JacindaChristie, Elizabeth Kirzeder, EricaMoore, Rebecca Tollefson, MaureenSecord, Melody Enck, Allison Johnson,Kathryn Cutting, Farrah Horowitz,Amanda Harlow, Lisa McCargar, andJamie Umber

Bil-Jac Scholarship: Dave Antenucci (’05)

Caleb Dorr Medal: Class of 2004'sJacinda Christie, Elizabeth Kirzeder,Erica Moore, and Rebecca Tollefson

Caleb Dorr Scholarship: Class of 2004'sJacinda Christie, Elizabeth Kirzeder,Erica Moore, and Rebecca Tollefson;the class of 2005's Kari Ekendstedt,Jennifer Hanson, Conni Wehaussen,and Jennifer Wass; and the class of2006's Kara Nelson, Allison Newman,and Joanne Swanson

Carl F. and John C. SchlotthauerMemorial Award: Maria Killos (’04) andDarin Madson (’04)

CENSHARE Dr.Werner & ElizabethSimon Scholarship: Rebecca Ripple (’07)

Class of 1953 Memorial Scholarship:Shayna Gotvaslee (’05)

Class of 1955 Memorial Scholarship:Class of 2004’s Keith Kinsley, JenniferKnutson, Kristen Roffey, and TrishaRoisum

Class of 1957 Memorial Scholarship:Elaine Eggelston (’05)

Class of 1960 Memorial Scholarship:Lucas Clow (’06)

Class of 1961 Memorial Scholarship:Sarah Stone (’04)

Class of 1969 Lee McDonald MemorialScholarship: Julie Wozniak (’04), infeline medicine

Class of 1978 Colin Krog MemorialScholarship: Karin Lock (’04) andCarrie Finno (’04)

Class of 1986 Steve RamsdellMemorial Scholarship: Dave Antenucci (’05)

Class of 1987 Jeffrey LindstromMemorial Scholarship: Donna Knevel (’04)

Student Council Awards: Beth Witte-Neuman (’04), Leslie Clapper-Rentz(’05), Jonathan Shearer (’06), and KellyGriffin (’07)

Donna Ant Scholarships: Class of2004’s Farrah Horowitz, ReneeHostetler, Karen King, and SaraKrumweide

Emergency and Critical Care Society:Jacinda Christie (’04)

Friends of the CVM Scholarships: Classof 2004's Jodi Carlson, Jennifer Carr,Wendy Gruber, Daniel Hoffman, MaliaIreland, Ken Larson, and Rebecca Sluis

Dr. H.C.H. Kernkamp MemorialScholarship: Gregg Phillips (’04)

Harvey Hoyt Memorial Scholarship:Noah Barka (’04)

Hill's "Buddy" Award: Erin Tripp (’04)

Dr. Richard and Glenda HustonScholarship: Dana Beckler (’05)

IDEXX/Dr. Allan H. Hart MemorialScholarship: Amanda Sundvhal (’04)

International Preceptorships: Class of2005’s Dana Beckler, Luther Groth, andAlexis Wongchaowart

Irvin Jorgensen Scholarship: AmandaDenison (’04) and Kara Schulz (’04)

James Ford Bell, Jr. MemorialScholarship: Isabel Grillo-Gonzalez(’04) and Bonnie Goldthwaite (’04)

John Aldrich Memorial Scholarship:Jason Johnson (‘04) and Kristy Klatt (‘04)

Joseph E. Salsbury Veterinary MedicalScholarship: Class of 2005's ClaudiaBowman, Sarah Crawford, KariEkenstedt, Kristen Groves, BrianHansen, Kirk Mueller, Lyndsay Raygor,Michelle Rider, Brian Rose, CorrieRuhlen, Ryan Signorelli, and Mary JoWagner

Maxwell the White Shadow Award:Illona Edens (‘04)

Minneapolis Kennel ClubScholarships: Class of 2004's LeeFeichtinger, Bonnie Goldthwaite,Amanda Harlow, Maria Killos, EricaMoore, Erika Olson, and RebeccaTollefson

MVMF Award: Noah Barka (‘04)

MVMF Award-Ben Pomeroy: LisaSchmidt

MVMF Award-Margaret Pomeroy:Kara Nelson (‘04)

MVMF Award-Spannaus: ConniWehausen (‘05)

MVMA Award-Companion Animal:Lisa McCargar (‘04)

MVMA Award-Food Animal: JessicaHammell (‘04)

MVMA Award-Public Health: MeghanCheyne (‘05)

Ned E. Olson Memorial Scholarship:Toby Sheely (‘04)

Nestle Purina Leadership Scholarship:Class of 2006’s Ahna Brutlag, AllisonNewman, and Jonathan Shearer

Novartis Animal Health Scholarship:Katie Carlson (’06)

Pfizer Animal Health StudentScholarship: Melissa Ekholm (‘05)

Pfizer Small Animal ClinicalProficencey Award: Jacinda Christie (‘04)

Robert Merrill Memorial Scholarship:Jason Johnson (‘04), Darin Madson(‘04), Dana Beckler (‘05), and LucasClow (’06)

Rupert Memorial Scholarship: IllonaEdens (‘04)

Sime Family Scholarship: Brian Daubs (‘05)

Simmons Associates Educational Trust Fund:Tawnia Prior (‘05)

Willmus Family Trust Scholarship:Kirk Mueller (‘05)

Dr.Winton G. Evans MemorialScholarship: Luther Groth (‘05)

Faculty Awards

Small Animal Clinical Sciences-Teaching Award: Dr. Jane Quandt

Small Animal Clinical Sciences-ClinicalAward: Dr. Jane Quandt

Small Animal Clinical Sciences-Resident Award: Dr. Brian Husbands

James O. Hanson ContinuingEducation Award: Dr. Richard Scroggin

Carl J. Norden 2002 DistinguishedTeacher Award: Dr.Victor Cox

Mark of Excellence Award: Dr. MichaelMurtaugh

Awards Ceremony

NEWS NEWS NEW

Justine Lee, D.V.M., assistant clinical professor, traveled toAlaska in March to work as a trail veterinarian at the Iditarod

Trail Sled Dog Race.She was one of 40veterinarians fromaround the world whowas responsible forsafeguarding thehealth of approxi-mately 85 teams of 16sled dogs – a total ofmore than 1,300 ani-mals – signed up toparticipate in the

annual race.

The Iditarod Trailruns more than 1,000 miles, from Anchorage in southeasternAlaska to Nome in the far north. In addition to pre-race check-ups, each dog undergoes an exam at each of 26 checkpoints alongthe way.

At each checkpoint, veterinarians insure that every dog is in goodcondition to continue the race. Among the problems they see aresore, swollen, or injured joints, muscles, and tendons, foot padcracks and abrasions, stress diarrhea, and dehydration. Dogs thatare not running well or are experiencing problems that do not

respond to treatment arepulled from the race andflown to Anchorage for treat-ment if necessary. The rest oftheir team then continues therace without them, takinganywhere from 9 to 20 daysor more to finish. Lee was onthe trail for two weeks, dur-ing which she worked at sev-eral checkpoints.

Lee also worked at the 1997,2002, and 2003 Iditarods, and always comes away with a sense ofadmiration for the dogs. “They’re great dogs,” she says. “Greatathletes.”

Lee wasn’t the only representative of the College to work withsled dogs this past winter. In February, Gregg Phillips, a fourth-year veterinary student, worked at the Yukon Quest, a 1,000-milerace between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse, Yukon. Part ofa team of 11 veterinarians, Phillips was on the trail for 16 days,driving to some checkpoints and flying to others in bush planes.

“It was a phenomenal experience I’ll never forget,” he says. “I’mgoing back next year.”

U of M Veterinarians Care for Sled Dogs at Iditarod, Yukon Quest

Justine Lee, D.V.M., worked as a trail veterinarianat the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in March.

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Gregg Phillips, D.V.M., worked at theYukon Quest in February.

Alumni NotesDale J. Kressin, D.V.M., 1983 alumnus,received veterinary dentistry and oral sur-gery board certification. Congratulationsto Dr. Kressin for his certification into thiselite group of colleagues.

Patricia Olson, D.V.M., 1970 alumna,was named executive director of theMorris Animal Foundation.

Merry C. Crimi, D.V.M., 1978 alumna,received the American Animal HospitalAssociation Practitioner of the Year Awardat the association's 71st Annual Meeting.Given for outstanding contributions to theprofession and the community, the awardis the association's highest honor.

Andres Gil, Ph.D., 1993 alumnus, was awinner of a 2004 DistinguishedLeadership Award for Internationals, aUniversity of Minnesota award for those

who have distinguished themselves as lead-ers in their professional careers. His thesison foot and mouth disease was creditedwith assisting in the eradication of the dis-ease from Uraguay, his native country. Dr.Gil is currently head of the epidemiologi-cal unit at the Ministry of Livestock,Agriculture, and Fisheries in Montevideo,Uraguay, as well as the head of theBiostatistics and Informatics Departmentat the Universidad de la Republica.

WS NEWS NEWOn May 18, the College hosted itsannual brick dedication ceremonyand reception for donors at theNestlé Purina Memories Garden.People shared pictures, poems, andother special memories of theircompanion animals.

The Nestlé Purina MemoriesGarden serves as a special place toremember all animals that havetouched a human life. The gardenprovides a private, outdoor place forpet owners and their pets.

Veterinary Medical Center clientscan purchase a brick engraved withtheir own special inscription honor-ing their pet’s life and the specialrelationship they shared. The brickis a lasting legacy in memory of their pet.

For additional information about purchasing a brick, please contact StephaniePommier at 612-624-6146 or pommi001@umn.edu.

Nestlé Purina Memories GardenA gift to animals that will last forever! A will or living trust is a statementabout what matters most in yourlife. It ensures that your intentionsare clearly understood and will befollowed by those administeringyour estate. If you value the work ofthe College, consider leaving a giftto the College from your estate.College development staff will beglad to provide you with the appro-priate language for your will ortrust or develop with you a memo-randum of agreement to ensure thatyour gift is put to work just as youdreamt it would be.

Or it can be as simple as designat-ing the College as a beneficiary thenext time you sign your employee-benefit forms. If your heirs are lim-ited, or you feel that they have suf-ficient financial resources withother assets, realize your dream ofproviding for animals and theirwelfare for future generations.

We don’t always think of contin-gency arrangements, but you maywant to consider the College if theunforeseen happens and your estaterequires a contingency heir. Formore information, without obliga-tion, contact Dawne Brown White,interim development director, at612-624-6744 or whit0517@umn.edu.

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KudosDean Jeffrey S. Klausner received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from theUniversity of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine on Apr. 17.

John Collister, an assistant professor in the Veterinary and Biomedical SciencesDepartment, was awarded a four-year grant of $825,000 by the National Institutesof Health (NIH) for his research, “Circumventricular Organs and CardiovascularRegulation.”

Sheri Ross, teaching assistant, will be awarded the 2004 Student AmericanVeterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) Teaching Excellence Award in the clin-ical sciences category at the American Veterinary Medical Association meeting inJuly. This award recognizes outstanding veterinary faculty members who botheducate and inspire their students. Students nominated Dr. Ross for the award.

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) honored the VeterinaryMedical Center for its 25-year commitment to excellence at its 71st annual meet-ing in Tampa, Florida, on Mar. 23.

In an annual poll, readers of the Minnesota Women's Press voted the VeterinaryMedical Center's small animal hospital as their favorite veterinary clinic for their pet.

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Industry sponsorship of the college’s continuing educationprograms takes many forms, but all help reduce program costs,which keep registration fees at an economical level and makelearning opportunities more available.

Some sponsorships are directdollar contributions that helpoffset the costs of speaker travel,wet labs, refreshment breaks,meals, and space rental. TheAllen D. Leman SwineConference receives this kind ofsupport year after year fromAgStar, Boehringer IngelheimVetmedica, Danbred NorthAmerica, MVP Laboratories,Novartis Animal Vaccines, PIC,PigCHAMP, and ScheringPlough Animal Health. TheLayer Schools and TurkeySchools receive similar supportfrom Fort Dodge AnimalHealth and the MolecularBioTechnology Workshop fromAffymetrix, BioRad, BD Biosciences, and Qiagen. TheMather Lecture Series has received support from Hill’sPet Nutrition and Waltham/Royal Canin.

Other sponsors make it possible for participants to gain valu-able experience by providing instruments, equipment, andsupplies for participants to use during hands-on wet labs.Cislak, Pfizer, and Summit Hill Labs have provided this typeof support for the Dentistry Workshop Series, AccuVet Laserfor the Small Animal Laser Workshop and Wet Lab. BDBiosciences, BioRad, Brinkmann Instruments, FisherScientific, ISC BioExpress, LabSource, Perkin Elmer-Applied Biosystems, Pharmacia Biotech, Qiagen, andSarstedt make it possible to offer the extensive lab experiencesthat are part of the Molecular Biotechnology Workshop.

Other companies provide extra value to our programs by offer-ing the opportunity for discussion and interaction in a more

relaxed atmosphere. It is important to provide time for col-leagues to learn from each other, reconnect with old acquain-tances, and build camaraderie with new associates. Biomunehosts a “get acquainted” reception at the Turkey and Layer

Schools; Alpharma, ElancoAnimal Health, and PfizerAnimal Health host receptionsat the Allen D. Leman SwineConference; and MonsantoDairy Business hosts anevening social event at theMinnesota Dairy HealthConference. Many other com-panies support the dairy andswine conferences through par-ticipation as exhibitors in thetrade show, paying fees thathelp underwrite some of theexpenses of the conference.

Other companies have providedsupport that has allowed thecollege to develop new formatsfor providing information. For

example, Monsanto provided the support for developing theDairyCOMP 305 training lectures into a Web-based course,making it accessible to registrants in their homes. The sup-port of Valley Agricultural Software also helped make thispossible.

“These companies are committed to improving the veteri-nary profession through education and value their associationwith the University of Minnesota,” says Jan Swanson, direc-tor, Veterinary Outreach. “We work collaboratively withmany of these companies to determine their needs and struc-ture our educational programs to enhance the skills andexpertise of our program participants to meet those needs.Thanks to the sponsorships provided by our industry part-ners, the college is able to provide better programs and con-nect with more people.”

Industry Support for Veterinary Outreach

Carlos Pijoan, professor, gives a keynote address at the 2003 Allen D.Leman Swine Conference, which received significant industry support.

I N D U S T R Y ■ I N D U S T R Y ■ I N D U S T R Y ■ I N D U S T R Y ■ I N D U S T R Y

Printed on recycled paper with minimum 10% postconsumer waste.

The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to itsprograms, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin,sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

Open to publicFamily Fun Nights: Thursdays, July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29, Aug. 5, and Aug. 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m., The Raptor Center, 1920 Fitch Ave., St. Paul Campus,University of Minnesota, Free! To register, call 612-624-4745. Contact: The Raptor Center, raptor@umn.edu,www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu

Pet First Aid: August 17 from 6-10 p.m., American RedCross will deliver first aid knowledge with a veterinarian-led behind-the-scenes tour. Contact: American RedCross, 651-291-6704.

State Fair: August 26-September 6. Miracle of BirthCenter: See baby animals born and learn what veterinarians do everyday to safeguard animals’ health and well-being. Free with paid admis-sion to fair.

Fall Raptor Release: Sept. 18, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Gale Woods,Minnetrista, Minn. Free! Contact: The Raptor Center, 612-624-4745,raptor@umn.edu, www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu

Mini-Vet School (first of six sessions): Oct. 5. Contact: VeterinaryOutreach Programs, 612-624-3434 or vop@umn.edu

Fall Fest 2004: Connecting U: Oct. 17, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free eventfor alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, and community members.Learn about bioscience and biotechnology, explore healthy foods andhealthy lives, delve into environmental and renewable energy, viewchildren, youth, and families initiatives, tour buildings, barns, and ani-mal hospitals, and enjoy the Harvest Bowl breakfast. Sponsored by theCollege of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, College ofBiological Sciences, College of Human Ecology, College of VeterinaryMedicine, and the Parents Association.

Veterinary Continuing EducationLaser Workshop: Basics, July 17; Advanced Procedures, July 18.

Molecular BioTechnology Workshop: July 19-23, University ofMinnesota St. Paul Campus.

Dental Radiology Techniques and Interpretation for VeterinaryTeams: July 24.

Volume 3 Number 3 Summer 2004

Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine .................Jeffrey Klausner

Editor ....................................................................................Jan Williams

Writers .................Mariah Carroll, Sue Kirchoff, and Jan Williams

Designer ............................................................................Shawn Welch

Production Supervisor ...................................Michelle Mero Riedel

Photographers .......................Michelle Mero Riedel, Sue Kirchoff

Designed and printed at University

of Minnesota Printing Services.

Credits

Veterinary Medical Center■ Comprehensive, innovative

medical services■ Open 24 hours a day,

7 days a week■ Fully staffed intensive

care unitEmergency: 612-625-9711Small Animal: 612-625-1919Large Animal: 612-625-6700 www.cvm.umn.edu/vmc

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory612-625-8787800-605-8787Fax 612-624-8707mvdl@tc.umn.eduwww.mvdl.umn.edu

Public Relations612-624-6228willi320@umn.edu

The Raptor Center612-624-4745Fax 612-624-8740www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu

Veterinary Outreach Programs612-624-3434www.cvm.umn.edu/outreach

Student Affairs and Admissions612-624-4747www.cvm.umn.edu/admissions

Development/Alumni612-624-6744www.cvm.umn.edu/devalumni

Contact UsVET MED

Upcoming Events

Epidemiological Skills for Swine Practitioners: Aug. 6-7.

Basic Dental Oral Surgery and Pain Management: Aug. 13.

Allen D. Leman Swine Conference: Sept. 18-21,RiverCentre, St. Paul, Minn.

Swine Disease Eradication Center Symposium: Sept. 19.

Epidemiological Skills for Swine Practitioners: Oct. 1-2.

To register, contact Veterinary Outreach Programs, 612-624-3434 orvop@umn.edu

In Memory of

University of Minnesota law professor Judith T.Younger and her family moved to Minnesota in1984. After Judith’s husband passed away in 1988,she bought a black poodle she named William theConqueror.

“William was an unusual dog,” says Judith. “Hewas quite royal – like a prince.”

William became ill in 2001, and Judith’s veterinar-ian referred her to the Veterinary Medical Centerfor treatment. At that time he was diagnosed withold dog syndrome, a memory-related disorder thatcauses disorientation and decreased responsive-ness. Within a week of being treated, William wasback to himself again. But the following year, hewas diagnosed with immune-mediated hemolyticanemia, a disease that destroys red blood cellsfaster than new cells can be produced. He diedlater that year due to complications of the disease.

“The doctors worked hard to save William,” saysJudith. “I was happy to know he was in the mar-velous hands of the staff at the U of M. They trulyloved and cared for him.”

In memory of William the Conqueror, Judithdonated $25,000. The generous contribution pro-vided the funds to purchase new medical equip-ment for the medical center. Thank you, Judithand William the Conqueror.

College of Veterinary Medicine

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Judith T. Younger and William the Conqueror.

William the Conqueror