Vet Cetera magazine 2015

“Evie has laxity in her flexor tendons,” Boileau
says. “Her tendons are too loose and in a
constant state of extension. We put splints (initially)
then casts on her legs to give her support,
hoping that as she grows, the problem
will self-correct.”
Evie was discharged on Jan. 16, still wearing
casts on her front legs. Martell later brought
Evie back to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Hospital
to have the casts removed and her legs checked
by Dr. Robert Streeter, associate professor of
food animal medicine and surgery.
“Evie’s legs still needed support, so we put new
casts on and sent her home,” says Streeter. “We
told Mr. Martell to take the casts off in 10 days.”
He did. Still, it wasn’t long before Evie was
back at OSU.
“When Evie returned on Feb. 15, I felt her legs
had worsened and decided to consult with Dr.
Michael Schoonover, one of our equine veterinary
surgeons and sports medicine rehabilitation
specialists,” says Streeter.
In addition, Streeter brought in Dr. Lara Sypniewski,
a certified veterinary medical acupuncturist
who works primarily with small animals
and uses a variety of modalities.
“This is what is so exciting about bringing
your animals to OSU for treatment,” says Sypniewski.
“We have all these experts here who
can collaborate about each client’s animal. The
three of us went over Evie’s case and discussed
the best options.”
Martell was given three choices: 1) euthanize
Evie; 2) treat her with underwater treadmill
exercise, electric stimulation and anabolic
steroids; or 3) fuse her knee joints, making her
stiff-legged.
“I told them if we do option 1, we won’t know
if 2 or 3 work,” says Martel. “If we do option 3,
we won’t know if 2 will work. So let’s start with
option 2 and see where it goes. If it doesn’t work,
we will still have two choices left.”
“THIS IS WHAT IS SO
EXCITING ABOUT
BRINGING YOUR
ANIMALS TO OSU
FOR TREATMENT. WE
HAVE ALL THESE
EXPERTS HERE WHO
CAN COLLABORATE
ABOUT EACH
CLIENT’S ANIMAL.”
— DR. LARA SYPNIEWSKI
(RIGHT, WITH EVIE)
Making Veterinary History
Sypniewski’s rehabilitation center has an
underwater treadmill that will hold up to a
250-pound animal — usually dogs use it. It had
never held a calf before Evie arrived.
“I don’t think any other veterinary college
has treated a calf with underwater therapy; it’s
a first, and we’re glad her owner was willing
to try this different approach,” says Sypniewski.
“Evie weighs 125 pounds, so the treadmill can
easily accommodate her.”
Housed in the food animal barn, Evie had to
get from one side of the hospital to the other
on slippery floors. She ended up being wheeled
through the hospital in a moving crate.
“It was a learning process for sure,” says Dr.
Megan Downing, a food animal medicine and
surgery intern. “We put foam noodles (like people
use in the water) on each side of Evie so she
would stay on the moving track and away from
the sides of the treadmill. A student would put
on waders and get in the tank to keep Evie from
sliding into the back of the tank.”
A special life jacket was secured around her.
“Brahman cattle tend to lie down when they
are stressed,” says Downing. “Once she started to
lie down, Evie discovered she could float with
the life jacket on, which defeated the purpose,
so we had to take it off her.”
In addition, Evie’s rehabilitation included
electrical stimulation. Gradually, Evie built
up her stamina and was discharged March 23.
Martell will bring her in for checkups to
monitor her progress. Evie’s case will probably
be the subject of a future journal publication so
that other veterinarians may learn from OSU’s
experience treating tendon laxity in a calf using
an underwater treadmill, electrical stimulation
and anabolic steroids.
DERINDA BLAKENEY, APR
To watch a video on Evie,
visit okla.st/1M4fknZ
THE TEAM
Throughout Evie’s stay at OSU’s Veterinary
Medical Hospital, these people played an
important role in her rehabilitation:
Veterinarians
• Dr. Melanie Boileau
• Dr. Robert Streeter
• Dr. Lara Sypniewski
• Dr. Megan Downing
• Dr. Michael Schoonover
• Dr. Chase Whitfield
Fourth-year veterinary students
• Diana Pirolo
• Sarah Fry
• Cynthia Smith
• Celena Quist
Cynthia Smith, above, a fourth-year
veterinary student, towels Evie off after an
underwater treadmill therapy session.
2015 Oklahoma State University 13