Weekend

Friday morning we spent two hours going over different diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.  Then in the afternoon we only had one cow on the necropsy floor which I ended up being in charge of.  So, I got out in good time and was able to drive to Bluffton, IN for the big invite they were having.  Now, I am in West Lafayette, IN at Purdue University ready to start my cardiology rotation tomorrow morning. 

Thursday 4/24

This morning we had an hour and a half lecture on rabbit diseases.  Then in the afternoon we only had a young beef cow and a dog so we were done early!  Only one more day on this rotation!

Wednesday 4/23

Well, today was another busy one.  We spent two hours this morning going over various cases that had come into the necropsy floor in the past and then had an hour talking about all the things that happen with diabetes, chronic kidney failure, and pneumonia in animals.  This afternoon was very busy on the necropsy floor. We had a total of 10 cases: a calf, three dogs, a cow fetus, a pig (my case), a degu (a kind of rodent), a hedgehog, and two snakes.  It was very busy but all the cases went well.  Just two more days on my diagnostic medicine rotation, hard to believe that almost four weeks have passed!

Here is a picture of our kickball team on Monday night (courtesy of one of my classmates):

Tuesday 4/22

Well, today was an interesting day.  It started off normally but a phone call from the "Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania" started off the interesting part.  I had UPS'd my passport, along with a ton of paperwork and of course money, to them to attempt to get a VISA.  However, on the return envelope, I did not include postage.  So, I spent a decent part of my morning calling between FedEx and the embassy trying to get my passport back to me.  Needless to say it is not on its way back but hopefully by this Friday things will be sorted out and it can head back to Champaign. 

I visited my great uncle Earl this morning in the hospital as he had surgery to repair a broken hip.  Got to see the occupational therapist assistant at work.  While  I was there I got a phone call from one of the pathologists at school asking if I could come in early (along with the rest of my classmates) so we could get started on necropsies as there were quite a few to do.  Today we had a dog, a cat, a foal, a chicken, a ram (the ram was my case) and a 1900 pound camel.  The camel was really cool for the first little while however, to dispose of this beast we had to put it into 30 pound bags.  This meant cutting this huge camel up into 30 pound pieces, talk about a ton of work and a ton of time! When I got changed I had gotten blood through my coveralls, through my scrub pants, and onto my legs, I was a total mess. 

Monday 4/21

The weekend came and went so quickly.  I had a great time being able to spend time with Mom and Dad and Carla and the rest of the Beutel family.  This morning we had an hour lecture on viruses followed by an hour and a half lecture on different toxins that animals can get into and what you do when they get into them.  Then this afternoon on the necropsy floor we had three calves, a rat, and a mouse.  We were done by 4pm or so which was pretty nice. 

This evening I played three games of kickball.  It is vet med olympics this week where the different classes compete against each other at various activities.  Tonight was the first night and it was kickball.  Now, I don't want to brag, but we played the first years and the second years and the faculty (the fourth years didn't have a team as not many of them are around this close to graduation) and us third years didn't lose once!  It was a lot of fun though and I really enjoyed being able to run around with my classmates.  Of course, winning every game wasn't so bad either ;)

Friday 4/18

Yesterday morning we had an hour of clinpath rounds, where one of the clinical pathologists showed us some cool cases they had over the past week.  Then it was off to learn about agents causing abortions and stillbirths in mammals and then we spent two hours learning about parasites.  In the afternoon, we started with just a chicken and a cow.  However, a little while later, another cow showed up, then awhile later after that, a horse showed up.  So what went from being an early afternoon leaving went to not leaving until after 6pm.  I ended up writing the report for the horse however, I lost my notes so I was winging it with the help of one of my classmates who remembered a lot of the notes she had written down for the horse.

Last night I was in Congerville for church (although I got there at the end of the service due to getting out late from school).  I will be with my family today and tomorrow be in Tremont for Easter services.

I have just one more week on diagnostic medicine until I roll out to Purdue for a couple weeks.

Thursday 4/17

This morning we had an hour lecture on pathology of the respiratory system followed by an hour lecture on how to take biopsies during surgery.  Then, this afternoon we had two calves and a dog for necropsy.  I ended up being the lead student on one of the calves.  Tomorrow is Friday already, the weeks really fly by now that I'm on clinics!

Wednesday 4/16

This morning we had an hour lecture on pathology of reptiles, amphibians and ferrets followed by a two hour lecture on foreign animal diseases.  This afternoon we just had a horse and a dog.  Tonight I went to the Salt Shaker and sang some quartet with some guys from down here and some guys who drove down from Eureka.  It was nice, I hadn't sang quartet in quite awhile!

Tuesday 4/15

Today was a pretty laid back day.  Had a lecture on brain pathology, another one on skin tumors, and then a couple hours spent going over different clinical cases involving bacterial causes.  We only had two necropsies this afternoon, both dogs so we were done by 315 or so which was nice.

Weekend

This past weekend my parents and youngest sister, along with my uncle and cousin from Vermont rolled into town on Saturday.  I was on call on Saturday for the necropsy lab and wouldn't you know, about an hour before they pulled in I got called in to help with a horse and a foal necropsy.  3 1/2 hours later, I got done and was able to spend time with them.  Sunday we all went to Champaign church along with my uncle and cousins from Eureka, then went for a walk and then out to dinner before they all headed out to Tremont and Eureka. 

Today was my first day back on the necropsy floor after a week on cytology.  We had a cow, two dogs, and a raccoon.  I was in charge of one of the dogs.  I really enjoy the necropsy work and I think I will miss it in two weeks when I'm off on other rotations!

Also, today I got the results from my Milestone Exam.  This was the big exam I took the morning of my white coat ceremony that covered basically everything we have done in vet school.  And, I passed!  Which means I do not have to retake it, which is a relief because I would hate to have to retake a 170 question exam all over again!

2 Weeks Down, 50 To Go!

Hard to believe that two weeks of clinics have already gone by.  Thursday and Friday mornings were composed of lectures covering eye pathology, skin pathology, cytology of effusions (fluids that have leaked into the body cavities), and zoonotic diseases (diseases that can go from animal to human).  Thursday afternoon my fellow cytology students and I looked at slides of infectious and inflammatory diseases as well as some round cell tumors.  Learning experience for you all:
There are 5 round cell tumors:
1. lymphoma: cancer of some of your white blood cells
2. plasma cell tumors: cancer of the cells that produce antibodies in an animal
3. transmissable venereal tumor: one of very few cancers that can be spread during mating
4. histiocytoma: cancer of cells that consume foreign debris in the animals body
5. mast cell tumor: cancer of cells that are involved in allergic reactions

Friday afternoon we looked at slides of effusions and also at some exotic slides such as blood smears from a snake and parrot and some cytologies from a mass on the head of a degu (a type of rodent), etc. I really enjoyed my week on cytology.  Cytology is something that practicing veterinarians will do quite often so it was nice getting some practice in.  The next two weeks I will be on necropsy again so my cytology days are over.

A block of rotations is officially over and B block starts Monday. So, most of my classmates are finishing up with their A block rotation and will start with something new Monday morning. However, since Diagnostic Medicine is a 2 block rotation I will continue on this rotation for another two weeks. 

I am looking forward to seeing my family in just an hour or so, will be nice to spend some time with them!

Days 2 and 3

Yesterday we had a discussion on dog and cat infectious pathology and then a talk on quality control in a clinical pathology lab.  In the afternoon, those of us on cytology got to look at slides of lymph node pathology.

Today we had a lecture on dog and cat non-infectious pathology (mostly regarding tumors), a lecture on wildlife pathology, and then two hours where we went over some cases in which we had to interpret animals' bloodwork and urinalyses and try to determine what was ailing the animal.  Quite challenging I must say! 

I am looking forward to having my Dad, Mom, and Carla from CT, my Uncle Rich and cousin Mariah from VT in Champaign this weekend.  My cousins and uncle from Eureka, IL are coming to Champaign on Sunday as well as my uncle and aunt and cousins from Tremont, IL (I believe they are coming, not 100% sure on that one though). 

Week 2 Day 1

This morning we had an hour lecture and a two hour lab on reading blood smears.  Then in the afternoon, since I'm on cytology this week and not necropsy, I ended up reading more blood smear slides.  It was a day full of blood but I didn't even get dirty!

Day 5

Yesterday morning we had a 2 hour lecture/lab on skin cytology followed by an hour lecture on pathology of birds.  In the afternoon, were were busy yet again! We had two cows, a goat, a cat, a dog, a baby rabbit, and a leopard gecko.  I was in charge of the dog this time.  That makes for a total of 26 necropsies this past week, quite a few!  And as of last night, I was told that there was already two animals that needed to be done today.  However, I'm not on call so I won't be in.  I have my buddy Al from Connecticut visiting this weekend. He came in last night and will leave Champaign Sunday afternoon.

Day 4

Well, today was another busy day and tomorrow will be the same!  Today we started off with a lecture on how to interpret urine sediment.  Urine sediment is what is obtained when urine is spun real fast so that any solids in the urine sink to the bottom.  We then look at these solids to see what is there.  This was followed by a two hour lecture on veterinary forensic pathology which is basically the pathology of animal abuse cases.  After lunch a few of us presented a case of ours that was interesting.  I was a presenter and presented the case of my cow from Monday.  Today on the necropsy floor we had a cow, three calves, two piglets, a cat, and a wolf.  On the schedule for tomorrow already was a cow, a calf, a cat, and a dog with another cow potentially coming in as well.  I asked today if this was normal but they told me no, this week has been really busy.

Day 3

Today was another good day on rotations.  This morning we had two lectures, the first on things you might see on a necropsy that really aren't anything significant and how to tell whether they are significant or not, and the second on cytology of the lymph node.  Then this afternoon we had a horse, a pig, and two cats.  I ended up being the lead student on the horse.  It's really awesome being busy on necropsy.  I believe that there was already an animal lined up for tomorrow so it just might be another busy afternoon, we shall see!

First Days of Rotations

Yesterday and today were my first two days of my clinical rotations.  I am on Diagnostic Medicine for the first two weeks which involves necropsies (animal autopsies) and cytology.  Cytology involves using a microscope to look at material taken from masses or other lesions found on animals. This can sometimes allow a diagnosis to be made as to what the mass or lesion is.  Yesterday morning we had an intro to the rotation.  Then, in the afternoon it was off to the necropsy floor.  We had a horse and a cow yesterday and I was the student in charge of the cow.  This morning we had a lecture on how to describe lesions seen on the necropsy floor followed by a lecture/lab on the basics of cytology.  Then this afternoon it was off to the necropsy floor where a cow, calf, ram, and two dogs awaited us.  Talk about a busy couple of days!  It's been really good though as I love necropsies and it is so nice to be able to come home in the evening and not have to worry about studying!