10/24

This morning in lab we learned how to perform various dermatology (study of skin and skin diseases) techniques.  Here are the techniques we practiced:

1. nail trims: most of use have already done that so that wasn't the busiest station in the lab for sure.

2. intradermal injections for allergy testing: the needle is only put into the skin, not under the skin like vaccines

3. skin scraping: a scalpel blade is run over the animal's skin in an effort to get parasites that are on the skin and then the material on the blade is put onto a slide.  The slide is then examined under the microscope and any parasites (mites, scabies, etc) are identified.

4. anal sac flushing: a tiny plastic tube is inserted into the anal sac via it's opening right at the edge of the anus.  Medications can then be administered directly into the anal sac.  Anal sacs in dogs and cats are the equivalent to scent glands on a skunk except their odor is not quite that bad (although anal sac contents are nothing to be sniffed at!). 

5. fungal viewing: tape is placed onto fungal colonies grown on plates and then the tape is put onto a slide and stained.  The fungi can then be viewed under the microscope to aid in identification of which fungus it is.

6. tape impression (probably not the actual name but I can't remember the real name): tape is placed on a dog on an area of skin that has some kind of infection/hair loss on it.  The tape is placed on a slide and stained and then viewed under the microscope.  You look for parasites, bacteria, fungus, anything that could be causing the skin disease.

7. use of a scope to look at a dog's ear drum.  The scope is inserted into the dog's ear and then travels through the ear canal until the ear drum can be visualized.  I didn't realize until yesterday in dermatology lecture that the ear drum actually has two easily distinguished parts to it.  One is very clear and tense, while the second part is red (it has blood vessels in it) and flaccid.  This could be very easily seen with this scope.

Overall, it was a good lab, lots of new things learned! Then, this afternoon I had my first lecture with Dr. Graves.  He teaches part of our endocrinology class.  It is actually his last semester with the U of I so I'm glad we got him 'cuz he's quite a hoot.  Here's a couple things he said today:

"Well, I wasn't sure whether I was walking into a VM 610 lecture (that's the quarter we are in now) or into an open hall of "what not to wear."  He then looks at one of my classmates who was wearing jeans, a very large, red and grey plaid coat, and a grey winter carhartt hat and says, "I mean, really?"

Near the end of lecture he was talking about how we needed to know the three cardinal signs of lower urinary tract disease 'cuz it was so important:
"If I saw one of you laying on the side of the road, in the gutter, drunk, bleeding,and barely breathing I would come over and pat you on the cheek and say Dave, Dave, wake up.  Now I wouldn't be doing that 'cuz I wanted you to live, I would do that so I could then ask you, "Dave what are the three cardinal signs of lower urinary tract disease?"  Then you would say "hematuria (blood in urine), pollakiuria (urinating small amounts frequently), and stranguria (straining to urinate)" and then you would fall back down into a pile of your own vomit."

We also have a girl who squeaks when she laughs, it's pretty funny.  Well, he had our class going and he heard her laughing. He looks up and asks, "Is someone having an atypical seizure?  (laughter because our classmates laugh is famous in our class).  I really shouldn't call people out." Then he looks at her and says, "It's actually really cute," makes a heart shape with his fingers and says to her, "Feel the love." 

I'm glad we have him before he leaves, his classes will be quite humorous I do believe!