Taking the World’s Best Veterinary Care to the Next Level
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UC Davis recently announced plans to raise $115 million in philanthropic support to update and improve three critical areas of the veterinary hospital: the Livestock and Field Service Center, the Equine Performance Center and the All-Species Imaging Center. This campaign, called “Leading the Way,” marks the first phase in a long-term plan to transform the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital into the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center.
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School of Veterinary Medicine Steps Up During Wildfires
For nearly a month this fall, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) helped rescue and save animals injured and/or displaced by the California wildfires that ravaged much of the Napa Valley area. Whether it was performing search and rescue missions in the fire zones, aiding at evacuation centers, or caring for hospitalized animals, the SVM played a major role in helping the animals of Northern California.
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3D Printed Mask Serves as Cast for Fractured Dog Skull
Loca, a 4-month-old female Staffordshire bull terrier, was bitten by another dog so severely that her right zygomatic arch (cheekbone) and mandible (jawbone) were fractured, and her temporomandibular joint suffered extensive damage. In addition, there were multiple puncture wounds on her face and neck. Faculty members Drs. Frank Verstraete and Boaz Arzi and resident Dr. Colleen Geisbush of the UC Davis veterinary hospital’s Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service knew this would be a challenging surgery due to the extent of the damage, but there were promising aspects to the case.
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Lions, Tigers and Bears – Oh My!
Lions, tigers, elephants and bears are routine patients for Dr. Jackie Gai, director of veterinary services for the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). Since graduating from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001, Dr. Gai has followed her passion for zoo medicine by working at the wildlife sanctuary with animals rescued from exotic and performing animal trades.
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A New Spring in Her Step
Animals suffer many of the same ailments that people do—including mastitis, a painful infection of the mammary glands. When Spring, a 12-year-old Nubian goat, began acting lethargic, lost her appetite and appeared to have a swollen udder this past May, the Sillis family grew concerned. Spring had been part of the family since she was born and raised on their property as part of daughter Claire’s 4H project.
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Farrier Shop Part of Many Wellness Services Available at UC Davis
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Lily, a 15-year-old registered Brabant mare (Belgian draft horse), has seen many of the wellness services at the UC Davis veterinary hospital’s Large Animal Clinic. Thankfully, all of her visits to the hospital over the past year since Keysha Scarfone bought her have been for wellness services. Perhaps her favorite of these is the farrier shop.
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UC Davis Helps Champion Roping Horse Return after Botulism Poisoning
John, an 11-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding, and his owner/rider Doug Parker worked for years to qualify for the World Series of Team Roping in Las Vegas. Just before that became a reality in 2016, however, John was stricken with botulism, a toxic poisoning that had already killed one of his stablemates. Mr. Parker, who knew the World Series was now out of the question, raced to the UC Davis veterinary hospital to save John’s life.
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Dog and Owner Help Each Other Beat Cancer
When Chance, a 12-year-old male golden retriever, was diagnosed with cancer a year ago, his owner Lauren Patterson knew she had to do everything she could to save him, for he had saved her a decade before when the same happened. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, Ms. Patterson enlisted Chance to be her hero through the ordeal. He was given permission to accompany Ms. Patterson to her appointments and was a source of encouragement during her fight. While she credits her doctors with saving her, of course, Ms. Patterson doesn’t dismiss the healing powers Chance held for her during that time.
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UC Davis Saves Dog’s Eye after Stick Pokes Socket
Arrow, a 2-year-old male Dachshund mix, was playing in his family’s back yard when his owners, Deborah and George Smith, heard a crying yelp. Upon investigating, they found him standing still in the yard with a 3-inch twig protruding from his right eye socket. They immediately brought him to the nearest veterinary emergency room where veterinarians sedated him, and told the Smiths they needed to bring Arrow to the ophthalmology specialists at the UC Davis veterinary hospital if there was any chance of saving his eye.
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Featured Clinical Trial
Dr. Carrie Palm is recruiting dogs diagnosed with Stage III chronic kidney disease for a new clinical trial. The trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of a novel treatment for chronic kidney disease in dogs. Owners are encouraged to enroll any dog diagnosed with Stage III chronic kidney disease that have no other serious illnesses. For more information about this and other groundbreaking trials,
visit the Veterinary Center for Clinical Trials website or email
vetclintrials@ucdavis.edu.
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UC Davis Welcomes New Clinician
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Emergency and Critical Care Service
Jamie Burkitt, DVM, DACVECC
Dr. Jamie Burkitt recently joined the Emergency and Critical Care Service as an assistant professor. She received her bachelor’s degree from Duke University in 1995 and her DVM from UC Davis in 2000. Dr. Burkitt completed a one-year small animal rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania in 2001 and a three-year residency in emergency and critical care at UC Davis in 2005. She joins UC Davis from VCA Bay Area Veterinary Specialist in San Leandro where she was an emergency and critical care specialist. Dr. Burkitt provides teaching, clinical service, and clinical research for the school and hospital, and provides leadership in directing research projects of residents and graduate students.
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…that
Drs. Boaz Arzi and Frank Verstraete of the Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service respectively won the 2017 Hills Research and Education Award and was granted the American Veterinary Dentistry College’s Zoo and Wildlife Dentistry Certificate?
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…that UC Davis is one of the leading training facilities for zoological and exotic species veterinarians in the world? The UC Davis Zoological Medicine Service and the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service continue to lead the way in preparing veterinarians for careers with exotic animals, as witnessed at the 2017 American Association of Zoo Veterinarians annual conference held recently in Dallas.
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Examples include:
- More than 20 of the presentations during the week had direct ties to UC Davis.
- The Scientific Program of the conference was chaired by former zoological medicine resident Dr. Kristen Phair.
- Current resident Dr. Molly Gleeson presented two papers at the conference.
- Dr. Julie Sheldon (class of 2016) won first prize in the American College of Zoological Medicine Manuscript Competition.
- Dr. Don Janssen (class of 1978) was awarded the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians Lifetime Achievement Award.
- UC Davis continues to be a world leader in zoological medicine, advancing clinical practice, training veterinary students and residents and disseminating cutting-edge research findings.
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…that two UC Davis residents
received multiple awards at the 2017 American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) annual meeting?
- Dr. Anna Massie, third year resident in small animal surgery, received 2nd place in the Small Animal Resident Research Award for “The Effects of Hole Diameter on Torsional Mechanical Properties of the Rabbit Femur.” Additional UC Davis veterinarians on the paper include: Drs. Amy Kapatkin, Tanya Garcia, Po-Yen Chou, David Guzman, and Sue Stover. Research for this paper was performed at the J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory. Dr. Massie also won the One AO Award.
- Dr. Marcos Perez Nogues, third year resident in equine surgery, received 1st place in the Large Animal Resident Research Award for “Evaluation of the Effect of Water Temperature on Fiberglass Cast Strength.” Additional UC Davis veterinarians on the paper include: Drs. Julie Dechant, Tanya Garcia-Nolen, and Sue Stover. Dr. Perez Nogues also won the One AO Award and ACVS/ECVS Exchange Award.
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Thanks & Praise from Grateful Clients
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Dear UC Davis veterinary hospital,
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I want to commend Dr. Devin Ancona for his wonderful work with our French bulldog, Truman. He was incredibly professional, compassionate and patient. I was amazed how quickly he arrived when we came in as an emergency at 9 p.m. Dr. Ancona already had the updates from our local urgent care vet and went right to work with Truman. During both of Truman’s stays, he gave us detailed updates and explained all the options we had for Truman. When we asked his professional advice, he was a great help as we made our decisions.
There was an extra bonus from this whole situation. Unexpectedly, we were shocked that while he was doing the MRI and evaluating the condition of Truman’s spine, Dr. Ancona found foreign bodies in Truman’s stomach that were concerning. He thought they should be addressed before discussing Truman’s spinal situation. I’m so grateful for the GI team and that everyone was able to turn on a dime to get those objects out of his stomach and then immediately switch back to treating Truman as a neurology case. Amazing – only something that could happen at UC Davis.
Dr. Ancona made an incredibly emotional experience much easier. Truman is recovering well and we are so happy.
My experience at UC Davis has taken my view of veterinarians and vet hospitals to a whole new level. I have not stopped talking about our experience there. From the receptionists to the students assigned to the pets to the amazing residents and doctors – I am simply amazed at the whole thing. Five stars. Phenomenal.
Thank you,
Dana F.
Danville, Calif.
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Upcoming Veterinary Continuing Education Events:
- February 3 - Winter Conference, UC Davis
- February 3 - 32nd Annual Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture, UC Davis
- February 24-25 - Wildlife & Exotic Animal Symposium, UC Davis
- March 19-24 - Renal Week, UC Davis
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Vet Med Apparel Available
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Looking for UC Davis Vet Med swag? Dozens of items are available
online through the UC Davis bookstore.
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Help Advance Veterinary Care
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With a simple
online donation, you could help save a life – like Abu, who was treated for burns following the California wildfires, thanks to the generosity of others.
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