I Want to Go to Vet School When - School of Veterinary Medicine ...

I Want to Go to Vet SchoolWhen I Grow UpVeterinary schools educate a wide variety of students. Thereare, of course, those students that attend to get a Doctor ofVeterinary Medicine degree, but veterinary schools also trainHouse Officers, those veterinarians who want specializedtraining and who work in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital asinterns and residents. There are also residents in the fields ofpathology and laboratory animal medicine. In addition, thereare a number of students pursuing Master’s and doctoraldegrees that have very little, if anything, to do with theveterinary curriculum.Hilari French (Class of 2009)Hilari French was born to be a veterinarian. Her grandfatherDonald is a veterinarian, her father Dennis is a veterinarian,and her mother Nina is a veterinary technician. “This is whatI was born to do,” says Hilari. “There were no other optionsfor me.” Hilari is in her fourth year of veterinary school and isparticipating in the DVM/PhD program. It will take her at leastone more year after she receives her DVM before she will gether PhD.“I want to eventually go into academia, so I knew that Ialso wanted to get my PhD,” said Hilari. Since LSU hasthe joint program, I can work on my DVM and PhD at thesame time.” Hilari participated in the Merck Merial SummerScholars Program during the summer after her first year ofveterinary school. Her research project became the basisfor her PhD project. “When I was working on my SummerScholars project, I found that I really liked research,” saidHilari. “I decided that I wanted to stick with it.” Hilari’s PhDproject focuses on Chronic Wasting Disease in deer andhypothesizes that one of the causative agents of the diseaseis spiroplasm mirin.2

“After school, I’d like to work with undergraduate students whoare interested in veterinary science,” said Hilari. “I’d like tohelp students get into veterinary school.” When asked whatadvice she would give those students right now, Hilari replied,“Train yourself to study during your first semester of college.Time management is very important. You have to give yourself plenty of time to study, but also leave free time so youcan be a real person.”David Schur (Class of 2010)David Schur is a non-traditional veterinary student; he was30 when he started veterinary school. “I had a biologicalbackground, and I was always good with animals, so one dayI said, ‘Maybe I can be a vet.’ It’s funny,” Dave recalls, “WhenI first called Claire Miceli in the Student Affairs office to askabout applying, she went over my transcripts and told me tostart over.” Not wanting to start from scratch, David set aboutfulfilling his pre-requisites and working with veterinarians inthe New Orleans area. “As soon as I set off down this path,wonderful things started happening for me. That’s how I knewI was doing the right thing.”ABOVE: Dr. Ashley Martin (LSU 2006) is currently a smallanimal medicine resident at the LSU SVM. Her clinicalinterests are infectious disease and nephrology.In addition to being a veterinary student, David is also thecurrent president of the Student Chapter of the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA). “I served asparliamentarian in SCAVMA because I wanted to be involvedin the organization. After that, I just wanted to continue thegreat work we started under Mike Ratcliff [past president].As president, I want to improve the lives of the students, andthe image of the School on a national level. We reorganizedthe Aesculapian Ball so it’s debt-free and are trying to makeimprovements to the cafeteria. We also made a great effort toplay host and welcome all of the out-of-state students at theAVMA Annual Conference. I want the students to know thattheir SCAVMA dues go toward something positive for themand for the School.”After graduation, David is considering an internship inradiology. “Dr. [Lorrie] Gaschen has been a mentor for me,”said Dave. She was my advisor for the Merck-Merial SummerScholars Program last year, and she hired me as a summerstudent worker this year.” For anyone considering a careerin veterinary medicine, Dave advises, “People can get lostin the process and think that one class or one exam meanseverything; remember that there’s a lot more to life than vetschool, and you should enjoy it.”ABOVE: David Schur (Class of 2010) is working with Dr.Lorrie Gaschen, associate professor of veterinary radiology,during the summer.ABOVE LEFT: Fourth-year veterinary student Hilari French(left) prepares to take a radiograph of a miniature horse withassistance from Meghan Johnson Respess (center), EmelieMcLellen (holding the horse), and Patricia Schuster (kneeling).All of these students are members of the Class of 2009.3

Jeff Cardinale, PhD StudentJeff Cardinale is working on his PhD in the Department ofComparative Biomedical Sciences at the LSU SVM. He isworking in the laboratory of Dr. Joseph Francis, associateprofessor, investigating the role of histone acetylasesand deacetylases in modulating TNF expression in theprogression of heart failure and hypertension. Cardinalereceived his BS in Animal, Dairy, Poultry Science: Scienceand Technology (along with a minor in Biology and Spanish)from LSU in May 2006.“Having had the opportunity to work here as anundergraduate around some great faculty (specifically Drs.Susan Eades, Ashley Stokes, and Rustin Moore), I cameto really appreciate the level of research they employed intheir labs and in the field,” said Cardinale. “Their enthusiasmtowards their research was strongly palpable and fosteredwithin me a desire to pursue that same feeling of discovery.Much of their research centered on inflammation’s role in thecontinuance of pathophysiological disorders, a subject thatreally interested me. Likewise, Dr. Francis’s lab intrigued medue to his investigation of these same processes regardingthe cardiovascular system, a system whose regulatoryabilities have also always interested me, making this lab avery nice fit.”ABOVE: Jeff Cardinale is working on his PhD in theDepartment of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at the LSUSVM. He is working in the laboratory of Dr. Joseph Francis,associate professor, investigating the role of histone acetylasesand deacetylases in modulating TNF expression in theprogression of heart failure and hypertension.Cardinale feels a strong connection with the SVM’s EquineHealth Studies Program. “I will always be indebted to theEHSP, from top to bottom (Catherine Koch, Michael Keowen,Drs. Britta Leise and Sara Lyle--just to name a few),” addedCardinale. He was able to work on several laminitis projectsand got a hands-on feel for all aspects of the field, bothveterinary and research.“I would like to continue to conduct research in cardiovascularpathophysiology and, hopefully, in time, aid in new therapeuticapproaches against heart failure and hypertension,” saidCardinale.Schools of veterinary medicine offer a wide array ofeducational and career opportunities. For more informationabout the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and itscurriculum and programs, go to www.vetmed.lsu.edu.ABOVE: Husband and wife veterinarians, Drs. Britton (left)and Brooke Grasperge are both alumni of the LSU SVM.Britton received his DVM in 2006, and Brooke received herDVM in 2007. Britton is currently a pathology resident in theDepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, and Brooke is alaboratory animal resident in the Department of ComparativeBiomedical Sciences. They will complete their respectiveresidencies in 2009.5

the mitochondria. Tempol is a superoxide-scavenger that quenches reactiveoxygen species; thus, it is thought that pre-treatment of cells with this chemicalcould protect them somewhat from the damaging effects of Carprofen.Julia has isolated the mitochondria from the liver cells and performedseveral different assays that appear to confirm that the mechanism bywhich Carprofen causes damage to cells that line the gastrointestinal tractis the same as that of other NSAIDs, and that tempol does, indeed, offersome protective effects. She performed a swelling assay using a multi-scanspectrophotometer to measure the integrity of mitochondrial membranes, andthis indicated that Carprofen does increase the porosity of the membranesin the same manner as other NSAIDs. Most impressive, however, werethe electronmicrographs of mitochondria from cells exposed to Carprofencompared to those of mitochondria in cells that had been pre-treated withtempol. These photographs indicate that, under controlled laboratoryconditions, tempol can reduce the cellular damage caused by Carprofen.Julia’s research may lead to future studies involving in vivo trials. Sheenvisions an investigation in which tempol will be administered to dogs priorto dosing with Carprofen in order to evaluate whether the protective effectobserved in her research this summer will translate to a procedure that canone day be used in clinical practice.Merck/Merial SummerScholars ProgramFor the seventh consecutive year,LSU SVM is conducting its SummerScholars Program. Funded by eightMerck-Merial Animal Health Grants,this competitive research effort isdesigned to further students’ learningand experiences beyond the requiredclassroom and clinical training. Theprogram encourages innovativestudies in human and animal diseasesand lends further understandingto veterinary careers in biomedicalresearch.For the fifth consecutive year, theNational Institutes of Health (NIH)also provided grants to LSU SVMstudents for summer study, makingthe LSU SVM one of only eightveterinary schools in the country withsummer grant programs funded byboth Merck-Merial and the NIH. Inaddition, for the second straight year,a student from the LSU SVM receivedthe single fellowship offered each yearby the Comparative GastroenterologySociety.ABOVE: Mitochondria after the pretreatment with Tempol and then being exposedto Carprofen.The Summer Scholars Programpositions are open to first-and secondyearveterinary students, who, underthe guidance of a faculty mentor,submit research proposals. Successfulapplicants receive a $5,000 stipend fortheir work and will travel to the 2008Merck-Merial Symposium, held thisyear at Michigan State University July31-August 3. Students from all theparticipating veterinary schools in theUnited States and Canada will gatherto present the results of their research.ABOVE LEFT: Julia Coutin (Class of 2010) is one of 16 students participating inthe Merck/Merial Summer Scholars Program. Her project is entitled, “The topicaleffect of Carprofen on the function of canine hepatic mitochondria.”7

Clinical Case StudyA Case of Esophageal Stricture in a10-Year-Old Boxer“Sonic” is a 10-year-old male boxer who presented oneSunday afternoon with a short history of acute retchingand coughing. Dr. Bettina Mayer-Roenne, now a secondyearresident in Small Animal Internal Medicine, was onemergency duty that day and examined him.On examination, Sonic seemed well, except for occasionalretching. After discussion, it was decided to radiograph hischest. The radiograph showed a large mass between hisheart and stomach, indicating either a foreign body or a massin the esophagus.An immediate endoscopy was recommended, and Sonicwas given a full pre-operative workup. The results of alltests were within normal values, so he was anesthetizedand endoscopied. The operating team discovered a largepiece of bone, to which dog food was adhered, lodged in theesophagus just before the opening to the stomach. The bonewas removed, but it was noted that there was considerabledamage to the esophageal mucosa.Sonic stayed the night at the LSU SVM, where he recoveredwell from the procedure. He was discharged home, eating and8

drinking normally. Within about a week, however, he beganregurgitating after feeding, so he was placed on a liquid dietfor two weeks at home. His condition did not improve, so hewas brought back to the Small Animal Clinic for a secondendoscopy.Dr. Mayer-Roenne and Cristin McCamish, a fourth-yearveterinary student, performed another endoscopy. Theyfound that Sonic had developed a severe esophagitis andthat scar tissue had produced a circular stricture that reducedthe lumen to about 2 mm. The opening was so small thatthey could not pass the endoscope into the stomach. Dr.Mayer-Roenne dilated the stricture using a small balloonand inflated it to gently stretch the esophageal lumen withoutcausing more damage; using successively larger balloons,she and Cristin were able to enlarge the opening to about 14mm. Sonic again recovered well and went home the sameday, able to drink normally and eat a liquid diet. He wasprescribed a course of sucralfate, to coat the esophagus, andomeprazole, to reduce gastric acidity, in order to encouragehealing of the esophagitis.At a scheduled 10-day recheck, Dr. Mayer-Roennediscovered that the lumen had a slight restricture—down to10 mm—which was not unexpected, given the severity ofthe initial condition. However, the esophagitis had resolved,indicating that the medications had worked as anticipated.This time, using larger balloons, they were able to open theesophagus to about 20 mm.Sonic returned one week later for his last endoscopy andwas found to still be doing well. Dr. Mayer-Roenne againballooned his esophagus to 20 mm as a precaution, but didnot anticipate any further significant restricturing.Sonic was to remain on the medications for three moreweeks, but no further procedures are anticipated. Hisprognosis is good, and he is expected to be able to eatcanned or blenderized food without problems from now on.His days of dining on bones and rawhide chews, however, arebehind him.LEFT: The radiograph showeda large mass between his heartand stomach, indicating eithera foreign body or a mass in theesophagus.ABOVE LEFT: Dr. BettinaMayer-Roenne, small animalmedicine resident, and CristinMcCamish, a fourth-yearveterinary student, with Sonic.9

Dr. James Rundell (left), president of the Louisiana Veterinary MedicalAssociation, bestows the LVMA Outstanding Student Awards on (from leftto right) Julie Schexnider (Class of 2008), Holly Brown (Class of 2010), andMarc Bordelon (Class of 2009) at the LSU SVM Awards & Honors Banquetheld on May 2. Over $130,000 was distributed to students at the banquet inthe form of wards and scholarships.Dr. David Senior, associate dean for advancement andstrategic initiatives, congratulates Jana Doege (Class of 2008)at the Awards & Honors Banquet upon her receipt of theArkansas Veterinary Medical Foundation Jack R. Redman andElizabeth G. Redman Senior Award. Not pictured is the otheraward recipient Rachel Warner (Class of 2008).Over 130 alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the LSU SVMattended the reception at the Tropical Isle on Bourbon Street in NewOrleans, La., as part of the American Veterinary Medical AssociationAnnual Conference.LSU SVM alumni (from left to right) Drs. Amy Porter (LSU 2007),Amy Nunemacher (LSU 2007), Erica Wallace (LSU 2006), and AlissaWhitney (LSU 2006) attended the alumni and friends reception at theTropical Isle.If you have photos of your time at the LSU SVM and would like to share them, please contact Ginger Guttner, coordinator of publicrelations, at 225-578-9922 or gguttner@vetmed.lsu.edu.15

House OfficersResidents and Interns in the Departmentof Veterinary Clinical SciencesDr. Petrisor Baia,intern, Equine Medicine and Surgery(7/14/2008-7/10/2009), received hisDr.med.vet from Banat’s University ofAgricultural Science and VeterinaryMedicine in Timisoara, Romania, in2004.Dr. RetoBarmettler, resident,Companion Animal Medicine (7/1/2008-6/30/2009), received his DVM fromVetsuisse-Faculty of Zurich (Switzerland)in 2003. He then completed a smallanimal internship at the Vetsuisse-Faculty in Bern in 2007.From 2004-2006, Dr. Barmettler did a doctoral thesis at theuniversity of Bern in combination with anesthesia service inthe Department of Radiology for all MRI patients in Bern.He then started his first year of the residency in Bern and iscurrently in his second year.Dr. HuguesBeaufrere, resident,Zoological Medicine (7/14/2008-7/15/2011), received his DVM from theNational Veterinary School of Lyon,France, in 2006. He then completed asmall animal and exotics medicine internship at the BrasseurVeterinary Clinic in Manage, Belgium, and an avian andexotics medicine internship at the University of Guelph inOntario, Canada. Dr. Beaufrere’s clinical interests are inavian medicine, and he was a falconer for three years prior tostarting his two internships.Dr. Justin Card,intern, Companion Animal Medicine andSurgery(6/16/2008-6/30/2009), receivedhis DVM from Purdue University in 2008.Dr. IsabelleCattin, resident, Small AnimalMedicine (7/16/2007-7/15/2009), receivedher DVM from the University of Bern inSwitzerland in 2001. She completed asmall animal internship at the Universityof Vienna in Austria in 2006, and herclinical interests are hematology, immunology and neurology.Dr. Kemba Clapp,intern, Radiology (7/14/2008-6/30/2009),received her DVM from TuskegeeUniversity in 2007. She then completeda small animal medicine and surgeryinternship at Fifth Avenue VeterinarySpecialists in New York, N.Y.Dr. Myra Durham,intern, Equine Medicine and Surgery(7/1/2008-6/30/2009), received her DVMfrom North Carolina State University in2007. She then completed a large animalmedicine and surgery internship at theUniversity of Georgia.Dr. Alina Evans,intern, Companion Animal Medicine andSurgery (6/16/2008-6/30/2009), receivedher DVM in 2008 and her MPH in 2007,both from the University of Minnesota.Her clinical interests are in conservationmedicine and ophthalmology.Dr. DionneFerguson, resident,Companion Animal Medicine (7/14/2008-7/14/2011), received her DVM fromLouisiana State University in 2007. Shethen completed a small animal internshipat the Louisiana Veterinary ReferralCenter in Mandeville, La. Her clinical interests are endocrineand infectious disease.16

Dr. TimmGudehus, resident, EquineSurgery (7/16/2007-7/15/2010), graduatedfrom the Ludwig Maximilians University inMunich, Germany, in December 2003 inthe department for experimental surgeryfor human implantology. After completionof this internship at a clinic located at the Munich racetrack,he received his Dr.med.vet at his alma mater. He completeda second internship/fellowship in equine orthopedics andimaging/sports medicine at California Equine Orthopedicsin San Marcos, Calif., before coming to LSU for his equinesurgery residency. Dr. Gudehus’ clinical interest is equinesurgery, and his personal focus is equine orthopedics.Dr. EricaHartmann, fellow,Companion Animal Surgery (7/14/2008-7/13/2009), received her DVM fromKansas State University in 2006. Shethen completed a rotating small animalmedicine and surgery internship at the University of Illinoisand a surgical internship at the Dallas Veterinary SurgicalCenter.Dr. GwendolynJankowski, intern, ZoologicalMedicine (6/20/2008-6/30/2009), receivedher DVM from Oklahoma State Universityin 2008.Dr. Andrew J.Lewis, resident, Equine Surgery(7/17/2006-7/17/2009), received hisDVM from LSU in 2005. He completedan internship in Large Animal Medicineand Surgery at the University of GeorgiaCollege of Veterinary Medicine in2006. Dr. Lewis’ clinical interests areorthopedics, upper respiratory surgery, and abdominalsurgery.Dr. Dena Lodato,intern, Companion Animal Medicine andSurgery(6/16/2008-6/30/2009), receivedher DVM from Mississippi State Universityin 2008.Dr. Geoff Hennig,resident, Companion Animal Surgery(7/17/2006-7/17/2009), received hisDVM from Ross University in 2005. Hecompleted an internship at the Universityof Georgia in 2006, and his clinical area ofinterest is orthopedics.Dr. Jennifer Huck,resident, Companion Animal Surgery(7/14/2008-7/14/2011), received herDVM from The Ohio State Universityin 2006. She then completed a smallanimal medicine and surgical rotatinginternship at Michigan State Universityand was a post-doctoral research fellow at the University ofPennsylvania.Laboratory Animal ResidentsDr. Mark Bates (7/’1/2007-6/30/2009)Dr. Maggie Gilbert (7/’1/2007-6/30/2009)Dr. Brooke Fahrig Grasperge (7/1/2007-6/30/2009)Pathology ResidentsDr. Britton Grasperge (7/1/2006-2009)Dr. Sanjeev Gumber (5/1/2008-2011)Dr. Aradhana Gupta 8/2008 (Tentatively)Dr. Scott Reed (7/1/2006-2009)Dr. Eric Snook (8/1/2006-2009)17

VCS House Officers continuedDr. KerithLuchins, intern, CompanionAnimal Medicine and Surgery (6/16/2008-6/30/2009), received her DVM from theUniversity of Illinois in 2008.Dr. AshleyMartin, resident, SmallAnimal Medicine (7/16/2007-7/16/2009),received her DVM from LSU in 2006.She completed an internship at TuftsUniversity, and her clinical interests areinfectious disease and nephrology.Dr. BettinaMayer-Roenne,resident, Small Animal Medicine(7/16/2007-7/16/2009), received herDVM from the University of VeterinaryMedicine in Vienna, Austria, in 2002.She completed an internship at CornellUniversity in 2004, and then worked as an emergencyclinician and visiting instructor at Cornell in 2006. Herclinical interests are internal medicine (endocrinology andnephrology), emergency medicine and critical care, andneurology.Dr. Kelly Rachal,resident, Theriogenology (7/14/2008-7/15/2011), received her DVM fromTuskegee University in 2007.Dr. WilliamRatterree, intern, CompanionAnimal Medicine and Surgery (6/16/2008-6/30/2009), received his DVM from theUniversity of Georgia in 2008.Dr. CarleySaelinger, intern, Cardiology(7/7/2008-7/3/2009), received her VMDfrom the University of Pennsylvania in2007. She then completed a rotatinginternship in small animal medicine andsurgery at the University of Florida. Dr. Saelinger’s clinicalinterests include congenital cardiac disease in dogs andtreatment of arrhythmias.Dr. RodneySchnellbacher,intern, Anesthesia (6/16/2008-6/30/2009),received his DVM from the University ofMissouri in 2008.Dr. LauraSickafoose, resident,Dermatology (7/14/2008-7/16/2010),received her DVM from the Universityof California, Davis in 2007. She thencompleted a general rotating internship atSan Francisco Veterinary Specialists.Dr. Lynne A. Snow,resident, Companion Animal Surgery(7/16/2007-7/16/2010), received her DVMfrom the University of Illinois in 2004.She completed an internship with theVeterinary Medical and Surgical Groupin Ventura, Calif., as well as a surgicalinternship with the Animal SpecialtyGroup in Los Angeles, Calif. Dr. Snow’sresearch interest is cranial cruciate ligament rupture.Dr. Nora Springer,intern, Companion Animal Medicine andSurgery(6/16/2008-6/30/2009), receivedher DVM from Kansas State University in2008.Dr. SimonStaempfli, resident, EquinePractice (7/23/2007-7/17/2009), receivedhis DVM from Vetsuisse Faculty,University of Bern, Switzerland, inDecember 2003. He worked in privatepractice in Switzerland for two years,and he completed an internship inLarge Animal Surgery and Medicine at Ontario VeterinaryCollege, University of Guelph, Canada, as well as a18

esidency in Equine Practice at LSU. Dr. Staempfli’sclinical interests are equine surgery, medicine andtheriogenology.project involves the effects of clenbuterol on skeletal musclecomposition, cardiac function, and biochemical markers ofmuscle injury in exercising horses.Dr. JessicaThompson, resident,Equine Medicine (7/17/2006-7/17/2009),received her DVM in 2005 from TexasA&M University. She completed arotating medicine and surgery internshipat the Equine Medical Center of Ocalain Florida, in 2006. Her clinical interests are equineinternal medicine, especially neonatology, neurology,emergency/critical care, ultrasonography. Her MSDr. RebekahWestermeyer, resident,Dermatology (7/14/2008-7/16/2010),received her DVM from Iowa StateUniversity in 2006. In 1999, she receiveda MS in music from the University ofNebraska-Lincoln. Prior to coming toLSU, Dr. Westermeyer was an associate/relief veterinarian fortwo of four Caring Hands Animal Hospitals in Centreville andBristow, Va.Class of 2008 StatisticsEighty-three veterinary students received their DVMdegrees from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicineon May 12. Fifty-eight members of the Class of2008 participated in an American Veterinary MedicalAssociation survey for new graduates. According to thesurvey, 36 graduates are pursuing careers in veterinarypractices in the following states (the other 22 are goinginto advanced study):State Average Salary NumberArkansas $67,900 5California $85,000 1Florida $80,000 1Louisiana $72,929 14Michigan $85,000 1Nevada $84,900 7New York $50,000 1Texas $71,350 4Utah $87,000 1Virginia $85,000 1Of these 36 graduates, 30 are going into small animalpractice, four are going into a mixed practice, and twoare going into a large animal or equine practice.The average starting salary overall for the graduatesgoing into practice is $75,339. The average startingsalary for graduates staying in Louisiana is $72,929, andthe average salary for graduates pursuing careers out-ofstateis $76,873.The average debt for new graduates is $120,478.The debt for the Class of 2008 ranges from $8,500 to$335,000. Seventy-three out of the 83 graduates hassome debt.Class of 2012 StatisticsTotal number of applicants 713Total number admitted 84**This does not include two students who were readmittedfrom previous classes (one Louisiana residentwas readmitted and one Puerto Rico resident wasreadmitted).Breakdown by applicant typeLouisiana residents 55Arkansas residents 9Puerto Rico residents 2Out-of-State residents 18DemographicsFemale 64 (76.2%)Male 20 (23.8%)Average age 24.2Average GPA & GRERequired course GPA 3.76Last 45 hours GPA 3.79GRE score 113919

Equine Health Studies ProgramLimited Equine Lay DentistryShort Course Held at LSUThe 2008 edition of the Limited Equine Dentistry Short Coursewas held June 18-21, 2008, at the LSU School of VeterinaryMedicine. The course was designed to fulfill the requirementsof the Louisiana State Board of Veterinary Medical Examinersfor the practices of limited equine dentistry by the nonveterinarian.The course, which offered practical hands-on equine dentistryknowledge to five participants, included a review of equinedental anatomy, aging, common dental abnormalities inhorses, dental equipment and floating techniques andapproximately 10 hours of actual floating on 29 live horses.Lectures were provided by the faculty of the School ofVeterinary Medicine, and laboratory teaching was carried outby EHSP faculty, including Dr. Charles McCauley, Dr. DanBurba and technician John Ladner; and Mr. Frank Albert ofAlbert’s Equine Dental Supply. Albert’s Dental Supply alsoprovided all of the necessary hand equipment for the course.At the conclusion of the course, participants were requiredto complete an unassisted dental examination and a routinedental float on a horse. Participants also had to take andpass a written examination in order to receive a certificateof completion and have their names submitted to the stateboard to legally practice limited equine dentistry in the stateof Louisiana. The course is limited to a maximum of eightparticipants, and all five of the 2008 participants successfullycompleted the requirements for licensing.For questions or information on next year’s dental course,please contact the Equine Health Studies Program at LSU at225-578-9500.20

Alumni ProfileDr. Catherine White (LSU 1993, right), then president of the Louisiana Veterinary MedicalAssociation, and Dr. Craig Guidry (LSU 1990, left), then LVMA president-elect, bestowthe Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association Outstanding Student Awards in May 2006to (from left to right) Wesley Lee (LSU 2008); Brooke Fahrig (LSU 2007); Ashley Martin(LSU 2006).1993 Alumnus Dr. Catherine WhiteWhat made you want to be a veterinarian?In grade school, I really enjoyed science and math. A sixthgrade teacher encouraged me to think about veterinarymedicine as a career. My grandfather continued to cultivatemy interests by allowing me to help on his farm, working witha variety of animals. That year was a particularly bad lambingyear, with several dystocias. My grandfather’s hands weretoo large to reposition the lambs, so he talked me through theprocedure of “pulling” a lamb. I was HOOKED on my goal tobe a veterinarian!What was LSU SVM like when you attended?A large family with 64 brothers and sisters.How did the LSU SVM prepare you for your careerin veterinary medicine?LSU SVM certainly taught me a very large amount aboutveterinary medicine. You can, of course, never be taughteverything about your career by attending college.What does the LSU SVM mean to you?LSU SVM means a lot to me because that is where a majorgoal in my life was achieved.What are some of your most memorable momentsfrom LSU?Any LSU student’s answer would have to be “the footballgames!!” Watching the Mike the tiger cub running the hallsof the vet school was a memorable moment. There has tobe a memory of some sort about gross anatomy lab in everyvet school student’s mind! Farm animal and equine rotationswere very memorable.Bio Bullets• I’ve been married for 18 years with a son (age 14) anddaughter (age 11).• I was very fortunate to be able to move back to myhometown after graduation. I am a solo practitioner in smallanimal medicine.• My undergraduate work was at LSU Baton Rouge inDairy Production.• I am a member of the Louisiana Veterinary MedicalAssociation and the American Veterinary Medical Association,and I am very involved in my church and children’s school. Iam a present member and past president of the DeRidderLions Club, and I’m a current member and prior boardmember of the Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce.21

Alumni ProfileAdvanced Studies AlumnusDr. Bernhard KaltenboeckWhat made you want to be a research scientist?Since early childhood I was interested in finding out how toysor machines worked. I took apart many toys, and sometimeswas even able to re-assemble them. Later, my interest mademe study Chemical Engineering, but I stopped when I realizedthat University system in Austria, my home country, was notconducive to independent research. After completing mydegrees in Veterinary Medicine, I was a self-employed largeanimal veterinarian. During that time, my interest in sciencecaught up again with me when I identified subtle herd diseaseproblems in livestock that nevertheless had large economicimpact. At that time, I was willing to fully engage in scientificresearch on this problem, and I started graduate studies atLSU when this opportunity arose.What is your primary area of research?My focus has been, and still is, diseases in livestock causedby intracellular bacteria of the genus Chlamydia. Mygraduate research focused on molecular differentiation of thespecies of these bacteria and methods for highly sensitivedetection. Once this was accomplished, I switched to studythe pathogenesis of these diseases in mouse models, and theinfluence of host genetics, nutrition, and environment. I alsoused the mouse model approach to identify the protectivechlamydial proteins among all the chlamydial genes. Wehave successfully tested a therapeutic vaccine approach totreat mastitis, the infection of the mammary gland, and fertilitydisorders in dairy cows. In collaboration with industry, we arenow putting together a subunit vaccine for this purpose.22

Why did you choose to get your PhD from LSU?Dr. Johannes Storz, the head of the Department ofVeterinary Microbiology and Parasitology at that time, wasa world-renowned authority on animal chlamydial diseases.He accepted me for graduate studies and gave me theopportunity to pursue studies and education in the field of myinterest.What was the LSU SVM like when you attended?When I first visited LSU, the serenity of beautiful campus withthe huge live oaks struck me immediately, and I found theLouisiana approach to food and life very appealing. At theSVM, Dr. Storz had created in his department an atmosphereof intensive support for scientific research, pulling virtuallyevery faculty, staff, and of course, student into participation inweekly seminars. In their combination, the encouragementfor research at the SVM and the laid back Louisiana lifestyleproved irresistible. The graduate work at the LSU SVM wasone of the best times of my life. I felt completely in tune withthe spirit of the place and my colleagues and had the chanceto exclusively focus on research without ever worrying aboutfinancial or organizational issues.How did the LSU SVM prepare you for your careerin biomedical research?Intensive discussions were going on among faculty andgraduate students on all aspects of research, includinggrant writing and technology transfer. This gave me a goodunderstanding of what it takes to get research funded andtranslated through collaboration with industry. To this day,I give all of my graduate students a copy of a LouisianaAgricultural Experiment Station brochure from 1986: “How toprepare a Competitive Grant Proposal.” It is still the best suchinformation I have.Is there a memorable moment from your time atLSU that you’d like to share or a particular facultyor staff person you’d like to acknowledge?I could not have found a better advisor than Dr. JohannesStorz. He gave me freedom to define the research problemsand goals and supported me without any reservationthroughout my time as graduate student. I minored inBiochemistry, and the friendship with students on maincampus and advisors Drs. Sue Bartlett and MeredithBlackwell was a great experience. The lab support that Ihad from Mamie Burrell and Li Huang was also invaluable.And, finally, the cohesion and spirit among the LSU SVMgraduate students was unparalleled. My friend Cliff Monahanorganized wine tasting parties that started out as small eventsamong graduate students, but soon became such wonderfulinformal food events that faculty seemed to take pride inhosting such parties. I still cherish these memories of my timeas a graduate student at the LSU SVM.Bio Bullets• Dr. Bernhard Kaltenboeck earned the DVM degreein 1976 and the Dr. med. vet. degree in 1977 from theVeterinary Medical University in Vienna, Austria.• Between 1977 and 1987, he gained experience in foodanimal practice with emphasis on dairy cattle.• He received his PhD degree from Louisiana StateUniversity under the guidance of Dr. Johannes Storz.• In addition to several national honors for publicationsresulting from his doctoral research, he received theDistinguished Dissertation Award for 1991 from LouisianaState University for his dissertation, “PCR amplification ofchlamydial MOMP genes : detection, sequence analysis andevolution”.• After a two-year tenure at the Veterinary MedicalUniversity in Vienna, Austria, he joined the faculty at AuburnUniversity in 1994.There are currently 59 studentspursuing Master’s and PhD degreesat the LSU School of VeterinaryMedicine.23

Alumni Tracks & Baby Vets1981Dr. George Robinson is thenew Regional Medical Director-WesternUSA for Banfield, The Pet Hospital.Regional medical directors will leadregions, partner with medical directorsin those areas and report to the regionalvice presidents. George’s region is theWestern USA. His area of responsibilityincludes medical leadership for Oregon,Utah, Nevada, California, and Arizona.His responsibility for the Western regioninvolves over 165 hospitals, 500 doctorsand over 2,000 para staff.1986Dr. (Maj.) John Parsonsis presently an active-duty Armyveterinarian stationed at Fort SamHouston in San Antonio, Texas, andrecently recorded his “personal best”when he ran the Boston Marathon (andqualified for next year). He is also onthe Army 10-Miler team again and willrun the San Antonio Marathon again thisyear.1990Dr. Christine Navarre waselected Vice-President of the AmericanAssociation of Bovine Practitioners.Christine is the Extension Veterinarianwith the LSU AgCenter in Baton Rouge,La.1991Dr. Stephen L. Lemarieand Dr. Rose J. Lemarierecently moved into their new veterinaryreferral hospital, Southeast VeterinarySpecialists in Metairie, La. The newhospital is approximately 19,000 sq. feetand includes services in dermatology,surgery, oncology, internal medicine,rehabilitation and acupuncture andemergency and critical care. SoutheastVeterinary Specialists is also the firstveterinary hospital in the state ofLouisiana with an in house MRI. Roseand Stephen reside in Mandeville, La.1996Dr. Rhonda Leavenworth(Johnson) is working as a reliefveterinarian in Bridgewater, Va. Sheresides there with her husband JasonJohnson.1997Dr. Melissa A. (Harmon)McCormick works at HammondAnimal Hospital and Pet Lodge inHammond, La. She married her highschool sweetheart Brian, and theyreside in Albany, La., with eight dogs,four cats, and a turtle. Melissa is proudto announce that she coordinated herhospital’s entry into the 2008 NationalPet Dental Health Month AwarenessContest sponsored by Hill’s PetNutrition, and it was voted as one of thetop five entries of the 100 veterinaryhospitals that entered.2000Dr. Jennifer FaunceGarretson and husband,Stephen, are proud to announce thebirth of their third son, Ryan Gary Don.Ryan was born on May 27, 2008, inWaco, Texas. Ryan weighed 6 pounds12 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.He was welcomed by big brothers,Brendan (age 6) and Ethan (age3). Jennifer worked at Dallas CountyVeterinary Hospital in Mesquite, Texas,for two years before joining the staffof Frankford Crest Animal Hospital inDallas, Texas, as a full time associatefor three years. Jennifer is now programdirector and instructor for the VeterinaryTechnology Program at McLennanCommunity College in Waco. TheGarretsons have two horses, one mule,one donkey, one parrot, one guinea pig,one rabbit, one chinchilla, two tortoises,two cats, one dog, 22 chickens, anda handful of cattle. On weekends,Jennifer works as a relief veterinarianin Dallas and Waco. Her interestsinclude exotic animal medicine andsurgery, toxicology, frogs (especiallyDendrobatids), bats, mules, donkeys,horses, trail riding, and gardening.Drs. Ian Wiechert andKristi Pack Wiechert ofColorado Springs, Colo., have beenpromoted to the rank of major in theUnited States Air Force. The promotionceremony was held on May 27, 2008, atthe United States Air Force Academy.After graduating from LSU, Ian and Kristidid their internships at Atlantic Universityon Prince Edward Island, Canada. Thefollowing year, they were at KansasState University. Kristi is now stationedat the United States Air Force Academy,and Ian is stationed at Peterson AirForce Base in Colorado Springs. Theyare the parents of two children, AnjaLeigh (age 1) and Kai (age 3).24

2000 and 2002Dr. Matthew Wheelock(LSU 2002) and Dr. Jill Smith-Wheelock (2000) opened DilworthAnimal Hospital on June 9, 2008, inCharlotte, N.C. The website address iswww.dilworthanimalhospital.com. TheWheelocks have two sons, Douglas(age 5) and Thomas (age 3) and residein Charlotte.2006Dr. Amy SutherlandLambert and her husband Jasoncelebrated the birth of their first child,Kaitlyn Elizabeth, on May 19, 2008.Kaitlyn weighed 8 pounds, 7 ouncesand was 21 inches long. Amy isemployed at Riverlands Animal Hospitalin LaPlace, La. The Lamberts reside inDenham Springs, La.Liverpool, N.Y. She and her husbandRyan reside in Morrisville, N.Y.Alumni updates can be sent to theSVM using the form below or bysubmitting an on-line form on theSVM website at www.vetmed.lsu.edu. Go to “Alumni & Donors” andthen click on “Keep in Touch” under“Alumni Resources.”2002Dr. Kate (Shannon)Adams and her husband Tedwelcomed their second child, AllisonAnn, on February 16, 2008. Allie hasa big brother, Patrick (age 2 1/2). Kateis working with classmate Dr. MariaMitchell at Animal Health Clinic in BatonRouge, La. The Adams family residesin Walker, La.Dr. Vava C. (Hooper)Layne is an associate veterinarianwith Rose Animal Clinic in Bentonville,Ark. Vava and her husband Clay residein Centerton, Ark.Dr. Barbara Gandy Stilland her husband Brian welcomed theirthird child, Nolan William, on April 30,2008. Nolan weighed 7 pounds, 7ounces and was 19 inches long. Hewas welcomed home by his brother,Parker (age 4), and his sister, Landrie(age 2). Barbara works at Towne SouthAnimal Hospital in Shreveport, La. TheStills reside in Taylor, La.2007Dr. Jocelyn Hessel is workingas an associate veterinarian at QuitmanAnimal Clinic in Quitman, Texas,where she resides. Jocelyn was justelected as the newest president of theNorth East Texas Veterinary MedicalAssociation for the 2008-2009 term.2008Dr. Jennifer Fenner isworking as an associate veterinarian atSunridge Animal Hospital in Henderson,N.V. She resides in Las Vegas, N.V.,and is engaged to Jonathon Kohler.Dr. Anthony Ioppolois working at the Pet Care Centerin Metairie, La. He resides in NewOrleans, La.Dr. Sarah Crenshaw Pitreis an associate doctor at Banfield, ThePet Hospital in Oceanside, Calif. Sarahand her husband T.C. reside in SanDiego, Calif.Dr. Maghan Wormuth isworking as an associate veterinarianat Liverpool Animal Health Center inLSU SVM AlumniServe on Boardof Directors forSouth LouisianaVeterinaryAssociationThe South Louisiana VeterinaryAssociation is based in NewOrleans, La. The SLVA electedits 2008-2009 board members,and many of them are LSU SVMalumni.Dr. Stephen Lemarie, President(LSU 1991)Dr. Gregory Rich, President-Elect (LSU 1985)Dr. Emily Zeller Lemann,Secretary (LSU 2005)Dr. Chris Algero, Board Member(LSU 1992)Dr. Joseph Dalgo, BoardMember (LSU 1992)Dr. Bernhard Mayer, BoardMember (LSU 1980)Dr. David Hesse, Past President(LSU 1978)25

Nominate a Veterinarian for thedistinguished Alumnus AwardThe Distinguished Alumnus Award isa means to recognize alumni of theLSU School of Veterinary Medicine foroutstanding professional and personalachievements. The award, whichconsists of an individual plaque and theplacement of the honoree’s name on agroup plaque in the School of VeterinaryMedicine, will be presented at theAnnual Conference each year.Eligibility: Any veterinarian whoreceived the Doctor of VeterinaryMedicine degree from Louisiana StateUniversity before 1998 is eligible for theaward.Criteria: Candidates will be recognizedfor their accomplishments in veterinarymedicine and/or contributions to thecommunity through public service.To be considered for the 2008Distinguished Alumnus Award, acompleted nomination form along with asummary résumé of the nominee or thenominator’s cover letter describing whythe nominee is a distinguished alumnusmust be received no later than Friday,August 29, 2008.Please consider recognizing ouroutstanding alumni by nominating ahighly regarded peer who is deservingof this award. If you are one of theproud LSU SVM alumni, pleaseconsider nominating a fellow SVM alumtoday! To download a nominationform, go to www.vetmed.lsu.edu/Distinguished_Alumnus.htm.Past Recipients of the DistinguishedAlumnus Award:1990 Dr. Robert Lewis, ‘771991 Dr. Larry McCaskill, ’81; Dr.Mark Mikelonis, ’88; Dr. Jim Floyd, ‘811992 Dr. Allen J. Roussel, ‘772003 Dr. Mike Strain, ‘832004 Dr. Alfred Stevens, ‘792005 Dr. Gregory Rich, ‘852006 Dr. Mary Boudreaux, ‘792007 Dr. Robert Simmons, ‘77Drop Us A Line!Alumni updates can be sent to the SVM usingthe form below or by submitting an on-line form onthe SVM website at www.vetmed.lsu.edu.Go to "Alumni & Donors" and then click on "Keep inTouch" under "Alumni Resources."Mail to: Office of Public RelationsSchool of Veterinary MedicineLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, LA 70803E-Mail: gguttner@vetmed.lsu.eduPlease let us know how you are doing and what is going on in your life. Complete and return this form to us today!Name_____________________________________________________________________________________ Graduation Year_______________Address__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Home Phone___________________ Work Phone____________________ E-mail_______________________________________________News Item ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Please use the enclosed postage-paid envelope, or contact us on-line at www.vetmed.lsu.edu.July/August 2008 La Veterinaire26

Three LSU SVM Alumni NamedHealth Care HeroesNew Orleans CityBusiness magazine recently published its2008 class of Health Care Heroes issue. The 56 honoreeswho make up the class have proven their commitment to theregion based on their professional accomplishments andperseverance. The class is divided among six categories— animal care, first responders, nursing, physicians,professionals and volunteers. “This year’s five animal careheroes showed their commitment to patients who could notdefend themselves or communicate when they needed help.Their dedication to the care of animals continues to be feltas the recovery continues,” said Christian Moises, associateeditor.Three of the five animal care heroes are graduates of theLSU School of Veterinary Medicine: Dr. Joe Dalgo, Jr. (LSU1992), Dr. Kelly Kreider (LSU 1997), and Dr. Liz Saylor(LSU 2001). Dr. Dalgo, a veterinarian at Barataria AnimalHospital in Marrero, La., was recognized for his work withschool children. He makes entertaining and educationalpresentations, which combine magic and animal care.Dr. Kreider, owner and veterinarian at Lake Animal Clinic inMetaire, La., and her staff have volunteered to treat morethan 500 rescued dogs and cats displaced from their homesby Hurricane Katrina. She and her staff volunteer mostlyfor Animal Rescue New Orleans, a post-Katrina grassrootsorganization founded in October 2005.Dr. Saylor, veterinarian at Banfield: The Pet Hospital inSlidell, La., was also honored for her work with pets followingHurricane Katrina. For many people affected by the storm,their pets were among the few possessions they had left.To read about all of the Health Care Heroes, go to www.neworleanscitybusiness.com and scroll down to the “In andAround . . . City Business” box for a link to this issue.Advance Veterinary Medicine FundThank you for supporting the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine.I want my gift to support the 2008-2009 Advance Veterinary Medicine Fund (07/01/2008-06/30/2009)._____ Gift / _____ Pledge for the Hillmann Club ($100-$499), the Rhoades Club ($500-$999), the Jenkins Society ($1,000-$2,499), theBesch Society ($2,500-$4,999) or the Dalrymple Society ($5,000-$10,000). My pledge will be paid in _____ installments.Name ___________________________________________________________________________Graduation Year_______________Address___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Home Phone________________ Work Phone_________________ E-mail______________________________________________For credit card contributions: _____VISA _____MC _____AMEX _____DiscoverCredit Card Number______________________________________________________Expiration Date_________________________Cardholder’s signature _________________________________________________________________________________________Please make your check payable to: LSU FoundationMail to: Institutional AdvancementSchool of Veterinary MedicineLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, LA 70803Please use the enclosed postage-paid envelope to make yourgift, or call 225-578-9900 or 225-578-9948 to make your gift byphone! Visit www.vetmed.lsu.edu/giving.htm to give online.July/August 2008 La Veterinaire29

Upcoming SVM EventsAugust 18August 25August 30September 1September 6September 13September 20September 24LSU SVM semester beginsLSU classes beginAppalachian State vs. LSU FootballLSU Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LouisianaLabor Day HolidayTroy State vs. LSU FootballLSU Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LouisianaNorth Texas State vs. LSU FootballLSU Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LouisianaLSU Football vs. AuburnAuburn University, Auburn, AlabamaPhi Zeta Research Emphasis DayAuditorium, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LouisianaFor information on these and other SVM events, contact the SVM at 225/578-9900 or go to www.vetmed.lsu.edu.Louisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, Louisiana 70803Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 733Baton Rouge, LA