Preceptor Profile - Western University of Health Sciences

C V M C a l e n d a rVeterinary Board Exam Prep ..........................................................November 1, 2, and 3, 2010Job Fair .................................................................................................November 4 and 5, 2010A Tribute to Caring (www.westernu.edu/tribute)................................................November 13, 2010National Board Exam ........................................................November 15 to December 11, 2010Thanksgiving Break ............................................................................November 25 to 26, 2010Winter Break.................................................................December 20, 2010 to January 3, 2011Open House .............................................................................................................April 2, 2011Honors Day.............................................................................................................................TBASpring Break ................................................................................................March 21 – 25, 2011CAREs ..........................................................................................................March 23 – 25, 2011♥2 0 0 7 C V M C h a r t e r C l a s sA l u m n i C a l e n d a r♥Class of 2007 Five Year Reunion.........................................................................................2012Alumni Western States meeting, Las Vegas, Nev. ...............................................................TBA3

White Coat CeremonyWelcomes Class of 2014MEMBERS OF THE WESTERNU COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE Class of2014 took their first steps toward a veterinary degree on Aug. 7 duringthe traditional White Coat ceremony. The event, at Bridges Hall of Music inClaremont, followed the Convocation the same day at Ontario ConventionCenter.CVM Dean Phillip Nelson, DVM, PhD, welcomed the assembled faculty,students, family and friends. In his greeting, Vincent J. Naimoli of Tampa,Fla., a member of the WesternU Board of Trustees and father of a CVMstudent, extolled the 105 members of the new class to “do good things”with their veterinary degrees.Keynote speaker Clinton A. Lewis Jr., president of U.S. Operations forPfizer Animal Health, praised the education the studentswere about to receive. He stressed that it takes theright faculty, aswell as therightteachingand learningapproach, forsuccess and thenew class “will join along list of veterinarians who havebenefited” from WesternU. He saidthe WesternU model of problembasedlearning and the teamapproach should be the approach forteaching everywhere.“You have a distinct advantage,” hetold the students.As for practical advice, he offered alist that included:• Place value on communicationand business skills as well asthe clinical aspects.• Learn from the faculty. Talkwith them, explore with them.• Be flexible to new and different career opportunities. Consideremerging markets such as China, Asia and Eastern Europe.• Consider all options beyond private practice, such as food security,bioterrorism, and research.“The white coats symbolize an important step in yourjourney,” Mr. Lewis said.He added that the new class is “extraordinarilyprivileged to attend this wonderful, forward-thinkinguniversity.”Dean Nelson followed up Mr. Lewis’ speech bypresenting him with a plaque honoring his longstandingcommitment and support to veterinary medicine.The students were presented by Associate Dean of Academic Affairs,Teresa Morishita, DVM, PhD, and Josep Rutllant, DVM PhD, Director ofSecond Year Curriculum. Director of First Year Curriculum, John Tegzes,MA, VMD, DABVT, administered the Pledge of Commitment, whileAssociate Dean of Faculty Affairs, Stephen Waldhalm, PhD, DVM, led thefaculty in the Veterinarian’s Oath.In closing, Dean Nelson told the class, “The white coat represents asymbol of trust. There are people who will depend on you.”4

Shining STARS of Summer★★SEVENTEEN STUDENTS PRESENTED AN ARRAY OF SUMMER RESEARCH PROJECTS inthe CVM portion of Western University of Health Sciences’ Third AnnualStudent Technology and Research Symposium – STARS. The daylong eventon July 27 featured presentations on subjects as wide ranging aspedigrees of snow leopard and seal histology to canine ehrlichiosis in thehighlands of Peru.As part of the program, participating students wrote an abstract on theirresearch, then gave a 15-minute oral presentation and answered questionsfrom faculty, fellow students and visitors.Tom Phillips, DVM, PhD, who oversees the program, praised the projectsand presenters, noting this was the third year the event has been held. “Itstarted out as a college-sponsored event, but the last two years, due to itssuccess, it has been a university-wide event. Each year the quality ofpresentations, the data, and the research have improved over the previousyear’s entries.”★Dr. Phillips also lauded the benefits of the program itself. “The summerstudent research program is important, as it gives students, in a clinicaldegree program, a ‘taste’ of research. The STARS acronym really says it all,for participating students have the potential to become stars of theprofession – to contribute knowledge and understanding to the scienceof medicine, and to make new discoveries that will benefit human andanimal health. The students gain a better appreciation of research and theeffort needed to succeed in this field. This greater understanding will helpthem become better veterinary professionals, no matter what career paththey choose. Research is the underpinning of our current understandingof medicine and will be the source of future advancements. Byparticipating in this program, they are better positioned to determine thevalidity of new information and what changes, if any, should be made toveterinary practice. For those who consider a research career path aftergraduation, this early exposure will inform this important decision. We areproud of these students, for choosing to spend their summer in thepursuit of new knowledge.”Dr. Phillips said special thanks should go to the sponsors of the studentsummer research stipends: Merial, Morris Animal Foundation, WesternU’sSummer Student Research Grants, and CVM Summer Student ResearchGrants.Even though many of the students were nervous and had trepidationsabout presenting their results at STARS, a post-seminar survey revealedthat 92 percent of responding students (response rate, 64 percent)enjoyed the STARS symposium. And although awards wereonly given to four students, all the presentations were of an exceptionallyhigh quality, which made the selection process difficult, according toDr. Phillips.★★★★ ★ ★ This year, the following students participated in the CVM STARS program: ★ ★ ★Bradley Ahrens, mentored by Dr. Carlos CockerBacterial etiology of necrotic arachnidism in black widow spider bitesSuzanne Benedict, mentored by Dr. Linda KiddPersistent hyperadrenocorticism in dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism on trilostane therapyAleli Camacho, mentored by Dr. Kristopher IrizarryComparative analysis of gene expression in skin under pathologic conditionsJanet Cometa, mentored by Dr. Janis JoslinA study on the incidence of various diseases in captive snow leopards in North AmericaCharli Dong, mentored by Dr. Peggy BarrSnow leopard pedigreeSonia Fang, mentored by Dr. Wael KhamasHistomorphology and functional correlates of the vasculature in the female reproductive tract of northernelephant seals and California sea lionsErica Faulhaber, mentored by Dr. Kristopher Irizarry and Dr. Katherine Mitsouras from COMPGene amplification and analysis of snow leopard papillomavirusEric. J. Fish, mentored by Drs. Pedro Paulo Diniz, Frank Bossong,Ellen Collisson and Yvonne DrechslermRNA detection and genomic analysis of feline coronavirus in monocytes of healthy shelter catsin Southern CaliforniaGordon Hui, mentored by Dr. Kristopher IrizarryConstruction of host and papilloma viral protein interaction map to facilitate understandingof papillomavirus genomeKimberly Lin, mentored by Dr. Hrvoje SmodlakaSeal histologyLisa Lippman, mentored by Dr. Yvonne DrechslerIsolation and cloning of an avian coronavirusBridget Morton, mentored by Dr. Pedro Paulo DinizDetection of an intracellular pathogen by direct PCR from blood samplesBridget Morton, mentored by Dr. Pedro Paulo DinizCanine ehrlichiosis in the Highlands of PeruSean Perry, mentored by Dr. Pamela GovettComparing MS-222 (tricaine methanesulfonate) and propofol’s influenceon acid-base status in elasmobranches during anesthesiaLindsey Porterfield, mentored by Dr. Josep RutllantThe use of canine testicles as a model to retrieve viable epididymal spermatozoafrom related endangered speciesKursten Roderick, mentored by Dr. Jennifer BuurPharmacokinetics of N-acetylcysteine in healthy catsStephanie Rodriguez, mentored by Dr. Maria Pia PhillipsComparison of glutathione and liposomal glutathione on the levels of oxidativestress in FIV-infected astrocytesJennifer Scudder, mentored by Dr. Katherine Mitsouras from COMPand Dr. Kristopher IrizarryThe use of trait mapping to evaluate differences in phenotype and geneticvariation between bullmastiff littermates★ ★ ★This year awards were given to:Best Presentation (tie): Lisa Lippman and and Stephanie RodriguezMost Research Progress: Eric FishMost Potential for a High Impact Publication: Jennifer ScudderMost Daring Research: Bradley Ahrens5

PRECEPTOR PROFILEAT ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, students from WesternU’s College of VeterinaryMedicine receive a good deal of hands-on training – literally – under Dr. Alan Schulman, DVM,Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.“I want them to get used to doing a full exam on every animal,” he explains. “In addition, when wehave a normal dog, I want the students to feel the elbows, shoulders, hips and knees – I wantthem to get used to seeing and feeling what a normal dog feels like.”It is through these procedures that Dr. Schulman hopes to help instill confidence in the studentswho rotate through his practice. “We end up saying to the students that we know they haveexcellent didactic training, now I really want them to get the experiences that will make themfeel that much better about their abilities. I want them to feel good about handling animals anddoing surgical procedures.”At Animal Medical Center, located in Los Angeles, students in rotations may see a variety of cases.“The practice is a full-service, 24/7 emergency referral center and general practice,” Dr. Schulmanexplains. “We see a phenomenal cross section of cases – anything from the normal to all of the exoticspecialties that come in the door.”One to two students at a time spend four weeks in rotation with Dr. Schulman and his staff. “Myexpectations have been met by each and every student who passes through here,” he says.“WesternU students really do measure up. They seem well rounded, have a great attitude andgood surgical and tissue handling abilities.” And, he stresses, “they want to learn. They askbrilliant questions and are very receptive. They have received excellent trainingcomparable to some of the more established veterinary training facilities inthe U.S.”Dr. Schulman says serving as a preceptor has been beneficial tohim “because sometimes I forget the breadth of knowledge after27 years and take some things for granted. It’s great to be able toshare that knowledge.”His own interest in veterinary medicine developed when he wasa child, growing up in New York City. “I knew I wanted to be aveterinarian from the time I was a munchkin,” he relates. Hisparents were extremely supportive, and he reveled in summersin the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York where he learnedabout critters such as frogs, salamanders and snakes.He went on to earn his undergraduate degree from The Collegeof Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, followed bya DVM from The New York State College of Veterinary Medicine,also at Cornell. He completed an internship and surgicalresidency at California Animal Hospital in Los Angeles and set uphis own practice in 1989.In addition to his work as a veterinarian, Dr. Schulman also is afrequent, well-known guest expert on local and national newsand information programs. In his spare time, he likes to ride hishorse, ski, and work out, train and play with the New YorkYankees during the off season as well as many National HockeyLeague players.Dr. Schulman hopes that students who rotate through hispractice will “get the experience that will make them the bestdoctors.” In addition, he offers this advice: “Be patient and be ableto communicate with people. Never really forget thatcommunication is one of the important things to do as a vet.And, never be complacent, because when you’re complacent,you’re standing still, but you’re not really standing still, you’refalling behind. Keep up with new advancements anddevelopments.”6

University DedicatesNew BuildingsWESTERN UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES dedicated its twonewest buildings – the Health Education Center and thePatient Care Center – in late August during a ceremonyattended by university, state and U.S. dignitaries. California StateUniversity Chancellor Charles B. Reed, EdD, served as thekeynote speaker, noting that WesternU is addressing California'sdire need for more health care workers thanks to visionaryleadership.“The role of all universities, public and private, is to preparestudents to meet the future needs of our businesses andcommunities and families, and in doing so, universities need tobe fully integrated in their communities,” Chancellor Reed said.At WesternU, “community service has been a cornerstone ofthis university’s philosophy since it was first established morethan 30 years ago. Today’s dedication represents another newchapter in the expansionof WesternU’s efforts tomeet the needs of somany Californians.”He praised WesternUFounding President PhilipPumerantz for his longtermvision and forcontinuing to propel theUniversity to new andgreater heights.“He also deserves credit for developing a real sense of familyand community” at WesternU, the chancellor said during theAug. 25 event. “The personal experience that students havehere translates into the kind of experience that they can givetheir patients. And that is an incredibly important contributionto our society and to our state.”He also acknowledged thecontributions of WesternUProvost and COO BenjaminCohen, Assistant Provost forStrategic Operations andClinical Services Joan Sandell,Executive Director ofFacilities and Physical PlantTodd Clark and WesternUboard member Vince Naimoli.In addition, Dr. Pumerantzthanked the Board of Trustees for its support and Senior VicePresident for Advancement Thomas Fox for organizing thededication ceremony.Representatives from the offices of Assemblywoman NormaTorres, U.S. Rep. Grace Napolitano and state Sen. Gloria NegreteMcLeod presented Dr. Pumerantz with proclamations. PomonaChamber of Commerce Executive Director Frank Garcia andmembers of the Pomona City Council presided over a ribboncuttingceremony.7

OrientationA Team Effort at CVMTHERE WERE ACTIVITIES (NOT GAMES). There were lectures andlearning to trust each other. There was the consideration of aparadigm shift in how they view their profession.For the 100-plusfirst-year studentsand a handful offaculty from theWesternU College ofVeterinary Medicinewho participated,this was all part of ateam building andorientation programon campus prior tothe start of classes inAugust.The two-day event at WesternU was based on the curriculumof the national AVMA Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE),a five-day program put on each summer in Post Falls, Idaho,according to Betsy Charles, DVM, MA, who helped facilitate theCVM course.“The whole premise is that in order to be effectiveveterinarians or medical doctors or teachers, you need to beemotionally intelligent,” explains Dr. Charles. “And we believethe most effective way to lead is through servant leadership.The VLE curriculum is built on those ideas as are theorientation programs we provide.”After the variouscomponents werecompleted, the participantswere debriefed. “Wewanted to know ‘What didyou learn from this? Whathappened? How will youapply this to a veterinarypractice?’ ”Dr. Charles says this wasthe second year theprogram has been offeredat WesternU and feedbackwas extremely positive. “Many felt it gives them a skill set to beable to manage a difficult professional curriculum … Usuallythey are very skeptical at the beginning, but then they see howit works and get excited about it.”A part-time instructor in the CVM and a radiology resident, Dr.Charles was asked to head up the team-building event becauseof her background. She has a Master’s degree in organizationalleadership and is a member of the core leadership team for theAVMA VLE.She says the program has one key goal: “This is all abouthelping the students to become compassionate and caringhealth care providers.”Students were welcomed to campus for the 2010-2011 school year in August with a round ofactivities and special events. Among the highlights were university orientation, a lunch sponsoredby Novartis, sessions on problem-based learning, and a roundtable featuring “Students’ Secrets toSuccess.” Parent’s Night capped the day on Aug. 6.The final day, Aug. 7, began with University Convocation at Ontario Convention Center, followed bythe College of Veterinary Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony at Bridges Hall of Music in Claremont.The festivities concluded with the President’s Picnic at Ethan Allen Park on the WesternU campus.8

A Beneficial PartnershipCVM Teams Up with Claremont Organization to Aid SeniorsRVT LuAnn Manley holds Vinny in the VACS unit,which is providing free basic pet care to seniors inClaremont.SENIORS IN CLAREMONTARE BENEFITING from theknowledge of studentsand faculty atWesternU’s College ofVeterinary Medicinethrough the VeterinaryAmbulatory CommunityService Program (VACS).The program, which isoffering free basicveterinary care to thecity’s seniors for alimited time, is madepossible through a$9,800 grant from theClaremont CommunityFoundation, accordingto CVM’s Frank Bossong,DVM, Assistant Professorof shelter medicine.The program got underway on Tuesday,Sept. 28, 2010, when themobile VACS unit pulled up to the Joslyn Senior Center. Abouttwo dozen seniors turned out with cats and dogs, and duringthe day, three neutering surgeries were performed, accordingto Eva Jaeger, RVT at the CVM, whowas part of the VACS team. Theother RVT at the event was LuAnnManley.During the visit, each senior wasinterviewed by veterinary studentsand faculty to collect a thoroughhistory of their pets. Proceduresavailable included exams, spaying,neutering, pre-screening bloodwork, vaccines, micro chipping,heartworm testing and FeLV-FIVtesting. Veterinary students andfaculty explained the proceduresplanned and performed andanswered seniors’ questions.“Our goal for the students is for them to really get the conceptof community service – the importance of giving back to thecommunity,” Dr. Bossong said prior to the inaugural outreachevent. “Plus, they get really hands-on training in a situation likethis so they are practice ready.”Dr. Frank Bossong, assistant professor in shelter medicine, shows CVMstudents how to tell the age of a dog by looking at its teeth during the VACSunit’s stay at the Joslyn Senior Center on Sept. 28.First-year CVM students Lindsay Smith, Nicole Wyatt and Yvonne Rosales look overa Chihuahua as part of the VACS program.After the Sept. 28 session, Dr. Bossong noted that it “had a greatturnout and seniors were anxious to know when we werescheduling the next event. LuAnn Manley noted that we saw21 patients that day and several had never been to theveterinarian before and needed care. So, we feel the day was abig success.”Another VACS day is planned at the Joslyn Center in thecoming months.Nickia Cleaves, executive director of the ClaremontCommunity Foundation, said the program money was a giftfrom Dr. Cynthia Gordon ofClaremont, who requested it beused “for the care of companionanimals for people of restrictedmeans.” “We looked at differentoptions and when we heard aboutthe WesternU mobile unit thatseemed like a wonderful thing tosupport,” she explained.The overall mission and goal ofthe VACS program is to offer basicveterinary care to underservedanimal populations and thepeople who care for them. VACS isdedicated to increasing successfulpet-family relationships andreducing homeless animalpopulations through education and care. This service-learninginitiative promotes veterinary student learning about medicine,societal issues and community service through active civicengagement and outreach.9

C V M S t u d e n t P r o f i l e s - C l a s s o f 2 0 1 4♥Ann-Marie AumannRaised in Bedford, Mass., I graduated with a BAin Economics from Calvin College in GrandRapids, Mich. As an avid equestrian, with mycentral veterinary interest in equine sportsmedicine, I look forward to starting at WesternUin Southern California – a geographic hotbed ofhorse activity!Kendra Bettis-ScheibeI grew up in Golden, Colo., and received myBachelor's degree in Biology from theUniversity of California, San Diego. I workedfor a small animal practice in San Diego andI volunteered for Rescue House, a cat rescueand adoption organization. I am interestedin small animal medicine.I was raised in Southern California and received myBachelor’s degree from California State University,Long Beach in Microbiology with minors inChemistry, Computer Science, and Anthropology.I’ve worked with domestic, exotic, and marineanimals. I enjoy playing capoeira and all watersports, especially outrigger paddling and surfing.Ryneil CastroI am from Santa Fe, Texas, a small townjust outside of Galveston. I received myBachelor’s from Texas A&M Universitywith a major in Animal Science. I havespent the past five years working at aspecialty hospital in Houston, Texas. Myinterest is in small animal emergencyand critical care medicine.Jeannie ClarkKimberly DanaherI was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., andgraduated from Manhattan College in theBronx with a BS in Biology. My experienceincludes volunteering at a small animalclinic and a stable, and research inpaleontology. I am primarily interested insmall animal and wildlife medicine.Michelle CrupiI grew up in Derry, N.H., and received myBachelor’s degree in Pre-Veterinary Medicinefrom the University of New Hampshire.I worked for a mixed animal practice as anundergraduate, and I volunteered at a wildliferehabilitation sanctuary in Africa in June, 2009.I am interested in mixed animal medicine.Originally from Sturbridge, Mass., I receivedmy Bachelor’s degree in both Biology andSpanish from Drew University in Madison,N.J. My undergraduate research studied wildsmall mammals and deer, and I volunteeredat a wildlife clinic at Tufts University. I aminterested in wildlife medicine.Ian DeStefanoI grew up in Philadelphia, Pa., and receivedmy BS in Bioengineering from SyracuseUniversity in 2010. I am very interested inpursuing small-animal orthopedic surgery, butam also going into WesternU with an openmind. I’m really excited to try a little bit ofeverything and see where my passion lies.Christine DePompeoJanelle DumlaoI grew up in San Jose, Calif., and attendedUniversity of California, Davis for myundergraduate studies in Animal Science. I aminterested in all fields of veterinary medicineand am eager to learn all about my futurepatients. Here’s to an exciting and challengingjourney in veterinary medicine!Elizabeth FerderbarI grew up in Menomonee Falls, Wis., andreceived my Bachelor’s degree in AnimalScience from the University of Minnesota.I volunteered in Australia with exotics,interned at a cat and dog practice, andinterned at a raptor rehabilitation facility.I hope to practice exotic and companionanimal medicine.10

C V M S t u d e n t P r o f i l e s - C l a s s o f 2 0 1 4♥Marissa HeilI am interested in the behavior of all kindsof animals, including zoo, wildlife, and smallanimals. I completed my Bachelor’s degree atthe University of California, Davis, majoringin Animal Science with an emphasis onBehavior. I grew up all over but lived most ofmy life in Orange County, Calif.I was born and raised in South Korea and movedto Charlotte, N.C., when I was 14. I received myBS and MS in Biology from the University ofNorth Carolina, Charlotte. I am hopeful thatmany years of small animal experience andscientific research will contribute to mybecoming a successful veterinarian.Hye-Young (Erica) KimI grew up in New Jersey and graduatedfrom Rutgers University. I majored inAnimal Science, minored in the BiologicalSciences. I was a research assistant atschool, worked as a veterinary technicianat a small animal clinic, and volunteered asa veterinary assistant at an equine practice.Bryan LuiI grew up in the foggy, but beautiful town ofTiburon, Calif. I received my Bachelor’sdegree in Animal Science from CaliforniaPolytechnic State University, San LuisObispo. I worked for a small animal practiceand I assisted with elephant conservationresearch in Africa. I am interested in smallanimal medicine, especially surgery.Nicole MalecekAngelo MarcoI grew up in Southern California and receiveda BS in Human Biology from the University ofCalifornia, San Diego. I have worked in smallanimal medicine since 2001 and as an RVTsince 2009. My interests are in radiology,genetics, and theriogenology. I can’t wait tostart this most exciting journey!Elise McDevittOriginally from New Hampshire, I received myBachelor’s degree in Biochemistry fromWorcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusettsand completed my senior qualifying project inembryology at the University of MassachusettsMedical School. For the past two years I havebeen working for a contract researchorganization in pre-clinical drug testing.I was born and raised in Tucson, Ariz.I graduated from the University ofArizona with a BS in Veterinary Science.I worked in a small animal practice andhave volunteered with livestock, horses,and wildlife. I am primarily interested insmall and large animal medicine.Cynthia McGroganFollowing a successful business career, I wasinspired to pursue veterinary medicine whilevolunteering at a wildlife rescue facility inNorthern California. I’ve worked in a shelterand with equine facilities and a farm animalsanctuary. I am interested in becoming a ruralmobile vet and continuing my volunteer efforts.Sue MowattCaitlyn NealI graduated from Penn State University,double majoring in Animal BioScience andPsychology, and double minoring in EquineScience and International Agriculture. Mycurrent interests lie in the field ofpathology and shelter medicine but I guesswe’ll see where the next four years lead.Amanda PinderI grew up in Nassau, Bahamas, and justrecently graduated from the University ofFlorida with a Bachelor’s degree in AnimalScience with an emphasis in animalbiology. I have interned at a variety ofplaces including a dolphin encounterfacility back in The Bahamas.11

C V M S t u d e n t P r o f i l e s - C l a s s o f 2 0 1 4♥I grew up on the west coast of France. Imoved to Los Angeles 10 years ago where Iwent back to school. I followed the RVTprogram at Pierce College then completed theprerequisites for veterinary school. I workedwith large and small animals, wildlife, and wastrained in laboratory animals.Maritchu RavenscroftYvonne RosalesI was born and raised in Fontana, Calif., andreceived my BS in Animal Science with aminor in Microbiology from California StatePolytechnic University, Pomona. I work reliefat an emergency clinic in Upland, Calif., andwork at a day practice in Corona, Calif. I aminterested in laboratory animal medicine.I grew up in Palmdale, Calif. I receivedmy Bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciencefrom the University of California, Davis. Ihave worked in a small animal clinic anddid an internship at the UC DavisVeterinary Medical Teaching Hospital inlarge animal radiology. I would like tofocus on exotic animals.John RuitenbachI’m from Colorado Springs, Colo., andreceived my BS in Organismic Biology fromUniversity of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Iworked at a small animal-exotics-wildlifeclinic during undergrad, and also spent timedoing schutzhund training. I am interested insmall animal medicine.Karin SelbyKara SeylerBorn and raised in Southern California, Iobtained my BS in Biology from theUniversity of California, Los Angeles. Ihave worked in small animal privatepractice for a little over a year, and amexcited to explore other areas ofveterinary medicine at WesternU.Ryan SittonI was born and raised in central Arizona.In the fall of 2009 I received my BS inAnimal Physiology from Arizona StateUniversity. I enjoy camping, fishing andspending time on our family cattle ranch.I am the proud father of two youngdaughters. I am interested in food animalmedicine.Born in the Philippines, I grew up in SouthernCalifornia and graduated from the Universityof California, Irvine in 2009 with a degree inBiology. I am interested in laboratory and smallanimal medicine, specializing in oncology.I have three dogs: Duke, Venus, and Gale, all ofwhom live with my family in Texas.Stanley SowyI’m from a small town in New Hampshireand graduated from the University of NewEngland, where I majored in MedicalBiology and minored in Chemistry. Myundergraduate summers were spentworking at a mixed animal practice and Ivolunteered at a marine animalrehabilitation center while at school.Amanda WhiteKendall WilsonI grew up in Maryland and graduated fromCornell University with a BS in AnimalScience. While in college I worked in smallanimal medicine and research, and aftergraduating in 2008 I worked in healthcaremarket research in New York City. I amexcited to decide my career focus atWesternU!Josh YonasI am from Pittsburgh, Pa. I earned my BS inBiology from Dickinson College and afterworking as a marine mammal observer, Imoved to San Diego for my master’s. Iearned my MS from San Diego StateUniversity in Evolutionary Biology studyingwalruses. My interests are marine mammaland small animal medicine.12

C V M F a c u l t y U p d a t eRONALD L. TERRA, DVM, MS,MBA, has been named Directorof Fourth Year Curriculum. Hesucceeds Peggy Schmidt, DVM,MS, DACVPM, who moved to thenewly created position ofDirector of OutcomesAssessment.“I am looking forward to doing asgood a job as Dr. Schmidt,” hesays. “I hope to make fourth yearas enjoyable as possible whileenabling the students to learn asmuch as they possibly can toRONALD TERRA succeed.”Now in his fifth year at WesternU,Dr. Terra has been the course leader for clinical skills for the pastfour years. His background is in food animal medicine, for whichhe developed an interest working on his grandfather’s dairy farmin the tiny northern California town of Winton.He pursued animal science further at the University of California,Davis, obtaining an undergraduate degree in 1977 while also amember of the football and track teams for four years. In 1982, heearned both a DVM and an MS in Animal Science, both also fromUC Davis. He received his MBA in Agriculture from the Universityof Guelph in Ontario, Canada, in 2002.His professional career led him to Turlock, Calif., and the LanderVeterinary Clinic, where he practiced for 24 years. During hisspare time, he served as a high school football official andeventually football coach at Modesto Junior College.Dr. Terra and his wife, Deborah, are the parents of three grownchildren: Kevin, a recent CVM graduate and practicing vet;Rebecca, a high school teacher; and David, a computer softwareengineer.In his spare time, Dr. Terra enjoys reading, particularly historicalnovels, history books and science fiction, and watching football.His favorite teams?“The 49ers, of course!” For college, it’s his alma mater, UC Davis.“Go Aggies!”♥C V M F a c u l t y P r o f i l eLIFE ON A FARM IN BRAZIL AND A FATHER WITH A MICROSCOPE pavedthe way for a veterinary career for Pedro Paulo Diniz, DVM,PhD, who joined the CVM faculty in September, 2009. Hisspecialties are small animal internal medicine and vector-bornezoonotic diseases. “My father worked in the medical field andoversaw laboratory testing,” Dr. Diniz explains. “One of my earliestmemories is of me playing with his microscope. I loved toexplore the microscopic wonders.”That wasn’t all he played with during his eclectic childhood.From ages 2 to 8, he lived in the Brazilian countryside surroundedby cattle, sheep, chickens and other animals. Then, it was off tothe city – Sao Paulo, Brazil – with his expanding family, whichincluded his father, mother (who taught college-level Frenchliterature and later did post-doctoral training at the Sorbonne inFrance), and two younger brothers.Dr. Diniz’s own educational pursuits and quest for knowledge andinformation took him from his homeland to the United States. Heearned his DVM in 1999 from Sao Paulo State University, Collegeof Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Thatwas followed in 2002 by a residency certificate in Small AnimalInternal Medicine and a PhD in Clinical Sciences in 2006, bothalso from Sao Paulo State University. In 2009, he completed postdoctoraltraining in Microbiology at North Carolina StateUniversity in Raleigh, N.C.It was the lowly tick that brought him to North Carolina in 2005,as he furtively sought the reason why dogs in Brazil seemed to bedying – despite medication and treatment – from a tick-bornedisease. “Due to limited resources in my university, I had to carrymy canine samples around tonine different research institutes,migrating like a gypsy,” he recallsof his six years of research. “It wasvery challenging, and this questunexpectedly brought me to theU.S.” He would eventually figure itout, discovering that the mostfrequent tick-transmitted diseasein Brazil can cause cardiac injuryand dysfunction in dogs.Dr. Diniz says he appreciates thatthe CVM has a strong reverencefor life and enjoys its problembasedlearning approach to PEDRO PAULO DINIzeducation. “We want to inspirestudents to be lifelong learners,” he says. “Veterinary Medicine isevolving too fast, and we always have to keep looking andlearning.”Since arriving in California in 2009, Dr. Diniz and his wife, Marina,to whom he has been married for three years, have come toenjoy the Golden State. He takes advantage of its great weatherdaily as he bikes to work from his home in nearby Montclair. Intheir spare time, the couple likes to explore the region, taking ineverything from the beach, through the mountains to the desert,leaving little time – or room in their small apartment – to care foranimals of their own. Says Dr. Diniz, good-naturedly: “For now, Iam a vet with no pets.”♥13

GRADS IN THE FIELD“Grads in the Field” is a regular column in the Outlook. CVM alumni are encouraged to emailPaul Gordon-Ross, DVM, MS (pgordon@westernu.edu) sharing experiences from their first years as veterinarians.GROWING UP IN THESAN DIEGO AREA,AMBER ANDERSEN,DVM 2009, wasn’tone to shun thelimelight. Sheattended the SanDiego School ofPerforming andCreative Arts anddeveloped aninterest inentertaining. Butshe’d also decidedearly on that shewanted to be aveterinarian. So, afterobtaining her DVMlast year, Dr.Andersen opted tocombine her degreewith her love ofperforming byauditioning for a show about the human-animal bond on the newOprah Winfrey Network.Many shows on television today deal with animals, she explains,but few have a host who can speak from the standpoint of aveterinarian. So, she put together a professional audition tape for ashow she calls “Animal Dr. Amber.” As she says, “We have Dr. Phil forpsychology, Rachael Ray teaching us how to cook and Dr. Oztalking about human health. ‘Animal Dr. Amber’ will educate andentertain while exploring all aspects of the human-animal bond.”During the audition process, Dr. Andersen said she hoped such ashow would “increase the visibility of our profession in the mediaand give the public expert animal information. We will address allaspects of our relationships with animals. Topics will cover a widerange including pets, food animals, zoos, wildlife, marine life, publichealth and current events.”She submitted the video in May and online voting took place intoJuly. While Dr. Andersen’s show was not picked up as part of thelineup for the new network, which debuts on cable onJan. 1, 2011, she iscontinuing to pursueher love of mediaentertainment. Amember of VeterinaryNews Network, she is acertified veterinaryjournalist and has beenfeatured on severalradio interviews. Shealso is in the process ofputting together a webmagazine – a webizine– among her otherendeavors.She’s not one to sit still.Dr. Andersen earned anundergraduate degreefrom CaliforniaPolytechnic StateUniversity, San LuisObispo, and started inthe CVM in August2005. The next summer, she had the opportunity to visit SouthAfrica to interact with their wildlife. She also has worked withanimals and people in Native American tribes and rural areas ofMexico. While at WesternU, she served as the CVM’s studentrepresentative to the California Veterinary Medical Association in2006-2007. She also co-founded the university’s Disaster AnimalResponse Team, which aided victims of the 2007 SouthernCalifornia wildfires. She was recognized for her leadership byWestern Veterinary Conference and California Veterinary MedicalFoundation as a scholarship recipient. She completed externshipsat the San Diego Zoo, Sea World and the American VeterinaryMedical Association’s Washington, D.C., office.Dr. Andersen talks about the human-animal bond in this shot from her audition tape for theOprah Winfrey Network.After graduation, Dr. Andersen worked in small animal generalpractice and was offered a unique role developing the animalservices program for The Annenberg Foundation’s proposed publiceducation center in Los Angeles, a job she enjoys today.Amber Andersen, DVMClass of 2009To view Dr. Amber Andersen’s audition tape for “Animal Dr. Amber” or to find out more about her, log on to:www.facebook.com/animaldramberwww.youtube.com/user/AnimalDrAmber15

A Guessing GameCVM professor studies how dogs are identifiedFOR MANY ADOPTED DOGS, determining their ancestry is aguessing game, as people do their best to identify dogs ofunknown parentage. But how often do they get it right? That’swhat the CVM’s Victoria Voith, DVM, PhD, DACVB, wondered.So she, along with colleagues and students, set out todetermine the following: How often does a person’sassumption about a dog’s breed match what DNA reportsindicate the breed actually is?Dr. Voith’s first 20 subjects were randomly selected from a poolof family dogs that had been adopted by Western University ofHealth Sciences personnel – students, faculty, and staff. Thedogs originally came from 17 different canine adoptionagencies and were between 6 weeks and 5 years old whenadopted. All the animals had been identified as mixed breeds;16 were thought to be partially one or two specific breeds andfive as “types” of dogs. (One had been identified by breed andtype – a terrier-chow mix.)Only 25 percent of the dogs that had been adopted asprobably being of specific breeds also had one of those breedsidentified as a predominant breed by DNA. Even if DNAanalysis identified the same breed as the adoption agency, theDNA also identified breeds, of equal or higher percentage, thatwere not mentioned by the agencies.This should not be interpreted as adoption agency personnelnot knowing what purebred dogs look like, according to Dr.Voith. The dog may have been relinquished by an owner as aspecific breed, the mother of the puppy may have looked like aspecific breed, and mixed breeds often do not grow up to looklike any of their parents or grandparents.Next, Dr. Voith showed video clips of the 20 dogs to more than900 people in dog-related professions. She found the samething: there was a very lowcorrelation between what peopleguessed a breed was based on itslooks and what the DNA analysisindicated was the actual breedcomposition. Sometimes even if themajority of respondents were inagreement regarding a breed, the DNAdid not support their identification.Victoria VoithDr. Voith’s findings confirm those of earlier investigators, Scottand Fuller: Sometimes cross-bred dogs don’t look like thepurebred dogs in their ancestry – and, even more importantly,sometimes mixed breed offspring do not look like either theparents or grandparents. In fact, the mixed breeds may lookmore like other purebreds.The consequences of misidentification are that published databases reporting incidents and prevalence of breeds of dogsthat engage in unwanted behaviors may be wrong, says Dr.Voith. This draws into question the validity of dog-breed bansimposed by insurance companies, housing authorities, andgovernmental agencies. Not only may dogs be discriminatedagainst because they look like certain breeds, but the datacollected about breeds of dogs may be inaccurate.Dr. Voith would like to see all dogs evaluated as individuals andshelter dogs classified and promoted simply as AmericanShelter Dogs, with no breed attached.She still has about a year to go before all her studies will becompleted. The initial research report, “Comparison ofAdoption Agency Breed Identification and DNA BreedIdentification of Dogs,” was published in 2009 in the Journal ofApplied Animal Welfare Science.Test Your Breed KnowledgeSee if you can identify the correct breeds.To find out if you guessed correctly, look at the bottom of Page 19.Dog 1 Dog 2 Dog 316

RESEARCHUpdateEllen Collisson, MS, PhD, former doctoralstudent and associate Dr. Shail Singh andtheir research team have published theirfindings regarding adenovirus vectors inavian influenza virus immune responses. Thecomplete citation is: Singh S, Toro H, TangDC, et al. Non-replicating adenovirus vectorsexpressing avian influenza virushemagglutinin and nucleocapsid proteinsEllen Collissoninduce chicken specific effector, memoryand effector memory CD8(+) T lymphocytes. Virology. 201.Veterinary immunologists and virologistsPeggy Barr, DVM, PhD, Tom Phillips,DVM, PhD, and PiaPhillips, PhD, havejoined with StevenHenriksen, PhD,vice president forresearch andbiotechnology atPeggy BarrWesternU, and othersto publish a study of the interaction ofmethamphetamine use with virus diseasesTom Phillipsthat have great societal impact. The groupplans further publications related to thiswork. The complete citation is: Huitron-Resendiz S, Henriksen SJ, Barr MC, et al.Methamphetamineand lentivirusinteractions:reciprocalenhancement ofcentral nervoussystem disease. JPia PhillipsNeurovirol. 2010 Aug16(4): 268-78.Steven HenriksenVeterinary internist and Assistant ProfessorPedro Diniz, DVM, PhD, has published aneffort to identify pathogen DNA from caninemeningoencephalomyelitis patients infectedwith a variety of vector-transmittedorganisms. The study likely rules out the useof PCR for this diagnostic purpose in dogs.The complete citation is: Barber RM, Q Li,Diniz PPVP, et al. Evaluation of brain tissue orPedro Dinizcerebrospinal fluid with broadly reactivepolymerase chain reaction for ehrlichia, anaplasma, spotted fevergroup rickettsia, bartonella, and borrelia species in canineneurological diseases (109 Cases). J Vet Intern Med.2010;24:372–378.Dr. Diniz also has published a collaborative study of a common tickas a vector for Anaplasmosis and Erlichiosis in dogs. This study wasdesigned to assess the effects of either simultaneous or sequentialexperimental infections with E. canis and A. platys onhematological and serological parameters, duration of infection,and efficacy of doxycycline therapy in dogs infected with one orboth organisms. The study was a collaboration with scientists atIdexx Laboratories and North Carolina State University. The authorsfrom IDEXX have been working with Drs. E.B. Breitschwerdt, Dinizand S.D.Gaunt for a number of years on vector-borne diseases andcollaborated to design, analyze and interpret the data generated inthis study. The complete citation is: Gaunt SD, Beall MJ, Stillman2BA, Lorentzen L, PPVP Diniz, et al, Experimental infection and coinfectionof dogs with Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis:hematologic, serologic and molecular findings. Parasites & Vectors.2010;3:33Veterinary epidemiologist Peggy Schmidt,DVM, MS, DACVPM, recently publishedthe results of a collaborative, observationalstudy that was conducted to investigate theseroprevalence of anaplasma marginale inIowa feedlots and its association withmorbidity, mortality, and treatment costs. Thecomplete citation is: Coetzee JF, Schmidt PL,O’Connor AM, Apley MD. Seroprevalence ofPeggy SchmidtAnaplasma marginale in 2 Iowa feedlots andits association with morbidity, mortality, production parameters, andcarcass traits. Can Vet J. 2010;51:862–868.17

Always In Our Hearts: Stories from the WAVE ProgramSashaBy Michelle CoxIt has been especially hard for us losing Sasha, our best friend of14 years. He is now with his good friends Willow and Jacquel, bothof whom he loved very much.Sasha was so special to everyone because he was not the typicalChow Chow that everyone perceives. He loved each of his familymembers, other animals and was a gentle, loving creature that weare blessed to have had time with on this earth.Cancer was first diagnosed in April 2008 in his right anal gland. Itwas removed, and we were blessed to have him for two more yearsbefore this dreadful disease once again reared its ugly head. Hesuffered an episode with vestibular disease three weeks prior tofinding the mass, which had blocked his colon function. He wasthen laid to rest.He is so loved and missed every day. However, we are glad that heis no longer in pain. We miss his beautiful face and loving, giving,outrageous heart. So many kisses are sent his way. Keep prancingand running and be free of what ails you, my friend.Our Eternal Love, Michelle and ShannonThe Willed Body Program for Veterinary Medicine, WAVETHE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE’S REVERENCE FOR LIFE COMMITMENT promises that animals will not be harmed in our teachingprograms. A key element of this commitment is the WAVE (Willed deceased Animals for Veterinary Education) Program, whichreaches out to animal owners to ask that they consider donating their beloved pets’ remains to anatomy and clinical skillseducation at the college (WAVE Program is modeled after the Human Willed Body Program at WesternU). More than 500 deceasedanimals have been donated to the college in the last two years. These special animals are providing a greater quality of educationto future generations of veterinarians.All donations to WAVE must be deceased due to age, serious illness or injury. An animal that has no owner to approve thedonation of its remains will not be accepted. When you know that the death of your beloved pet might be imminent, and you livewithin 40 miles of the college, please ask your veterinarian about donating to WAVE. Your veterinarian may contact Ms. Tami Millerat (909) 469-5597 to make all arrangements.Always in Our Hearts: Stories from the WAVE Program appears as a regular feature in each issue of the Outlook.18

Our students are onjourneys of discovery.WesternU alum, Kaitlynn Koehler, DVM ’10 with her Husky "Snuffy."Your gift will help pave their road.WesternU College of Veterinary Medicine • 309 E. Second Street • Pomona, CA 91766-1854Contact Tim McPheron at (909) 706-3762 • tmcpheron@westernu.eduAnswers for the Dog Breeds Test:The DNA results on the dogs pictured on page 16 reveal the following:Dog 1 (Brown Dog): Approximately 25 percent Rottweiler, with traces of Chow Chow, Japanese Chin, Doberman Pinscher, and American Staffordshire TerrierDog 2 (White Dog): Approximately 25 percent of each of the following: Rottweiler, American Eskimo Dog, and Golden RetrieverDog 3 (Black and White Dog): Approximately 25 percent Rottweiler, with traces of German Shepherd Dog, Weimaraner, and Irish Setter19

Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 465San Dimas, CA 91773College of Veterinary Medicine309 E. Second St.Pomona, Calif. 91766-185415246-10/10-PMISSION STATEMENT:THE COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE is committed to serving societyand animals through the preparation of students for the practice of veterinarymedicine, veterinary public health and/or veterinary research in an educational programof self-directed learning, reverence for life and clinical education through strategic partnerships.Instruction and clinical opportunities are provided in a wide variety of domestic species, including food animal,equine, and companion animals. The college sustains a vibrant diverse faculty by encouraging advancement throughpersonal and professional development and research. This creates an environment of competent, caring, ethical professionals,where cooperative learning, public service and scholarship can flourish. ♥