Jasmine the Yorkshire Terrier recovers after surgery with Dr. Heidi Kellihan, clinical assistant professor of cardiology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

More and more often each year, pacemakers are preserving the lives of dogs with heart disease.

Take, for example, Jasmine, an 8-year-old Yorkshire Terrier. After being diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome in 2013, her owners decided to have a veterinary medical cardiologist implant a pacemaker to keep her heart beating. It saved her life. But during a recent traumatic incident, the little metal device rescued her a second time—and in a completely different way.

On November 11, 2015, one of Jasmine’s owners was cleaning a shotgun, and it accidentally discharged when the little Yorkie was nearby. The unfortunate canine was sprayed with pellets. They embedded themselves in her torso, and at least one punctured her neck, where a bundle of vital blood vessels converge. But the pellet was stopped cold before it could cause any serious damage.

The metal pacemaker implanted in Jasmine’s neck stopped one gun pellet before it could cause any serious damage to vital blood vessels. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

“In dogs as small as Jasmine, where you don’t have much room to work with, one of the best places to put a pacemaker is in their neck,” says Heidi Kellihan, clinical assistant professor of cardiology at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. “The pacemaker stopped the pellet and probably saved her life. It killed the pacemaker, but not Jasmine.”

After the incident, the owners rushed Jasmine to UW Veterinary Care’s Emergency and Critical Care Service (ECC). The ECC veterinarians and technicians stabilized her, but knowing Jasmine had a pacemaker, they brought in Kellihan and the Cardiology Service for further evaluation. They discovered the pacemaker was no longer functioning.

To avert a cardiac crisis, Jon McAnulty, professor of small animal soft tissue surgery, stepped in to implant a new pacemaker, this time in Jasmine’s abdomen because her neck had suffered injuries. He also removed the rest of the shot from her body.

Now, other than the inconvenience of some new scars, a shaved patch of fur at her surgery sites, and a cone collar, Jasmine is doing just fine. And her new pacemaker is keeping her heart going strong.

Pacemakers have been used in dogs since 1968, but for many years the procedure was extremely expensive. Now that they’re becoming more affordable, they’re also becoming more common. The Cardiology Service implants about one a month on average, helping dogs with otherwise fatal heart conditions lead relatively normal lives.

Nik Hawkins

With his “Please Pet Me” bandanna serving as a friendly invitation, Pierre and his owner, Dana Schreiber, leave a wake of smiles and thank yous among passengers and staff at the Dane County Regional Airport where they work as volunteers for the pet therapy program. (Photo: Ian DeGraffi)

It’s a scientific fact: companion animals are one of the best medicines for people. Many of us already know this to be true be­cause we simply feel it, like a warm, furry em­brace around our hearts. But study after study also shows the profound influence that animals can have on our lives, from promoting exer­cise to reducing blood pressure to fending off depression.

For some special animals, such as K9 cops, seeing-eye dogs, and therapy pets, help­ing people is their job. They protect us, they assist us, they restore us in mind and body. So when these animals come to UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) with a problem, the hospital’s veterinarians, techni­cians, and students feel a dual sense of purpose in getting them back to good health. They work hard for the sake of the animals themselves and for the people who rely upon them.

As therapy animals, UWVC pa­tients Pierre and Nova have a lot of individuals counting on them. Their stories are just two examples of how the UWVC team is helping animals that help people.

Pierre, Travel Trauma Deterrent

Travel can be stressful, and air­ports are packed with frazzled passengers. This is exactly why Pierre, a 12-year-old French Poodle, and his owner, Dana Schreiber, make the trek to the Dane County Regional Airport (DCRA) once per week to roam the terminal and look for people in need of some dog-induced relief.

Pierre and Dana Schreiber during their rounds at the Dane County Regional Airport. (Photo: Ian DeGraffi)

Pierre and Schreiber, who are both certified by Pet Partners, an organization that registers teams involved in “animal-assisted interactions,” have been offering therapy services for many years. In the past, they’ve worked with residents at a local nursing home and with young readers at the East Madison Community Center. But they’re the first team to vol­unteer for the DCRA’s pet therapy program, which launched in June 2015. In fact, Schreiber originally proposed the idea to DCRA staff after learning about the success of a pet thera­py initiative at the San Antonio International Airport. Programs of its kind are part of a growing trend at air­ports across the country and represent increas­ing recognition of the therapeutic benefits of animals.

At DCRA, Pierre and Schreiber use their training to hone in on those who seem in greatest need of com­fort. With Pierre’s “Pet Me Please” bandanna serving as a friendly in­vitation, wherever they go, they leave a wake of smiles and thank you’s among passengers and airport staff.

“I like to share him with people, and he loves the attention,” says Schreiber. “Some people are still get­ting used to the idea because it’s something new, but a lot of people miss their dogs when they’re traveling, so Pierre is especially helpful to them. When they meet Pierre, they show me the photos of their own dogs on their cell phones.”

But not long ago, Pierre’s time as a therapy dog came precari­ously close to an end. In April 2014, he arrived at UWVC for an annual evaluation and teeth clean­ing with Dr. Jason Soukup, during which a small lump was discovered on Pierre’s neck. After analyz­ing a sample of the lump, clinical pathology resident Dr. Saundra Sample suspected it was a thyroid tumor.

Schreiber immediately sched­uled surgery for Pierre with Dr. Sara Colopy and Dr. Susie Sample, and they removed the tumor. Anatomic pathology resident Dr. Tamara Chamberlin confirmed that the tumor was a thyroid carci­noma, a malignant cancer that can spread to other organs. Because it was caught so early, oncology resi­dent Dr. Marin Miller determined that Pierre wouldn’t need any further treatment, such as chemo­therapy or radiation. Now he and Schreiber return to UWVC every three months for an evaluation and x-rays to make sure the cancer has not spread to his lungs.

“This case really underscores the importance of regular physical exams, especially for older dogs,” says Dr. Cecilia Robat, a clinical instructor of oncology. “The earlier you can catch a tumor, the earlier you can treat it and, most likely, the better the prognosis will be.”

Thanks to a little luck and some top-notch care, Schreiber now has peace of mind, which she and Pierre can continue sharing with others.

“It was a great relief because I just adore him,” says Schreiber, adding that she’s grateful to UWVC for making a difficult situ­ation as easy as possible. “All the vets and techs and staff I’ve dealt with have been fabulous. They couldn’t be more caring.”

Nova, Calming Equine Influence

Some therapy animals provide comfort for strangers. But others, like Nova, a 12-year-old Morgan Arab cross, focus on their families.

Nova is one of seven hors­es that live with Clint and Tish Carlson, their five adopted chil­dren, and their two foster children, in La Valle, Wis. Like several of his stablemates, Nova is a rescue horse, and it might explain why he has such a strong connection with the Carlson children. Ranging in ages from 7 to 16, they have all left behind difficult circumstances for better lives, but mental scars still linger. Nova gives them what they need to cope.

The Carlson family poses for a photo with much improved Nova in September 2015. (Photo: Courtesy Tish Carlson)

“The kids work with Nova and our other horses—brush­ing, riding, feeding,” says Clint Carlson. “It helps soothe them and gives them a sense of re­sponsibility, and it shows them compassion and love.”

Although the Carlsons are not formally trained in any form of equine-assisted therapy, Tish plans to pursue certification in the fu­ture, and they witness Nova’s calming influence on their children every day.

“Nova loves to work,” says Tish Carlson. “It doesn’t matter what crazy thing they ask him to do, he does it without hesitation.”

But one night in May 2015, the Carlsons found themselves in serious jeopardy of losing their treasured horse and all the good he brings to the family.

“The kids went out to feed Nova, and normally he’s in our bottom field, but he was right at the door right away,” says Clint Carlson. “He was acting strange and poking his nose at his side.”

“He wasn’t responding to painkillers, and after a thorough abdominal examination, we found significant small intestinal disten­sion, or bloating,” says Dr. Sam Morello. “We later confirmed this with ultrasound.”

The ultrasound also revealed what looked like a “bull’s eye le­sion”—two concentric circles on the interior surface of the ab­domen—suggesting that part of Nova’s small intestine was telescoping into another. This con­dition, called intussusception, can cause major blockages and intense pain. In addition, an analysis of Nova’s abdominal fluid showed elevated levels of lactate and a particular protein, both of which suggested some of the tissue in his intestine was not being prop­erly infused with blood. All signs pointed to surgery as the only so­lution, but it quickly became much more complicated than a typical colic operation.

“We found a large mass in his abdomen that turned out to be a significant portion of his small intestine, folded up like an ac­cordion,” says Morello. “It was so thickened and stuck that we couldn’t straighten it out to evalu­ate the integrity of the tissue.”

The blood flow to the involved bowel was compromised, and that portion of the intestine could not be salvaged, so Morello and large animal surgery resident Dr. Russ Freeland elected to remove it.

“We were surprised and scared at first,” says Clint Carlson. “But Nova’s young, he’s a great horse, and he does so well with the kids, so we knew it was something we had to try.”

Nova spent nine days at UW Veterinary Care recovering from a complicated colic surgery. (Photo: Tish Carlson)

The procedure took several hours, during which Morello and Freedland removed nearly 28 feet of bowel. They also discovered and removed the cause of Nova’s condition. According to pathologists Dr. Jennifer Dreyfus and Dr. Renee Richmond, it was a leiomyoma, which is a fairly rare and benign tumor. The growth was attached to the jejunum, the longest and most coiled part of the equine small intestine, where it was interrupting the natural movements of the organ, causing the bowel to telescope into itself.

Given the large amount of bowel lost—the most Morello has ever had to remove—she was concerned that complications might hinder Nova’s recovery. He had mild episodes of colic in the first week, and he developed ileus, a condition where the bowel stops moving properly due to damage and inflammation. When left untreated, this may allow the intestine to stick to other internal organs. But after plenty of fluids, pain medication, and anti-inflammatories, Nova pulled through and went home a short nine days after he arrived.

“He had a great recovery, considering the severity of his condition,” says Morello. “He came into it in excellent shape, which served him well.”

Nova has been back home in La Valle ever since, and he’s eased his way back into his former role as therapy horse. The only major difference now is his diet. Now that he has to get by with a lot less surface area for absorbing nutrients, malnutrition is a concern. So the Carlson’s supplement his diet with a high-calorie, easily digested feed, which he’s taken to well. Nova is doing so well that the oldest Carlson child is preparing to enter him in a 4-H horse show.

“I’m extremely happy with how everything turned out,” says Clint Carlson.

And so are the Carlson kids.

Nik Hawkins

Simon, a yellow Labrador Retriever mix, undergoes a wellness evaluation at UW Veterinary Care (UWVC). Dogs like Simon can now come to UWVC to get vaccinated for the H3N2 Canine Influenza Virus strain that caused an outbreak in the Midwest in spring. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

In spring 2015, the Chicago area dog population was hit with a new, more potent strain of canine influenza virus (CIV) named H3N2. It caused more than 2,000 cases of respiratory illness in dogs and several deaths.

Like its relative, H3N8, which has been affecting dogs with a milder form of respiratory illness since 2005, H3N2 CIV is spread through dog-to-dog contact, indirectly through infected items such as shared dog toys, and through the air via coughs and sneezes. Since the Chicago outbreak, more than 20 states, including Wisconsin, have reported cases of H3N2 CIV in their dog population.

“Dogs in boarding facilities, dog daycare, animal shelters, canine sporting events, and veterinary medical care facilities are at a higher risk of contracting either of these diseases,” says Dr. Elizabeth Alvarez, head of the UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) Primary Care Service and clinical instructor in the Department of Medical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM).

However, this week two major veterinary pharmaceutical companies announced the availability of a vaccine with a conditional license for the prevention of H3N2 CIV. UWVC will have a supply of this new H3N2 vaccine on hand for current canine primary care patients starting this week, the week of December 7, 2015. Clients who wish to make UWVC their pet’s primary care provider must schedule a wellness examination for their dog with the UWVC Primary Care Service before receiving the vaccination.

Dogs six weeks and older may receive the vaccine. Two to three weeks following the initial vaccine, dogs must receive a booster, which will provide full immunity after two additional weeks. Annual vaccines are recommended after that.

To make a CIV vaccination appointment for your dog, call the UWVC Small Animal Hospital at (800) 386-8684.

“Remember, CIV is just one of several pathogens that cause Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease, so work with your veterinarian to keep your dog current on all necessary vaccinations,” says Dr. Sandi Sawchuk, UWVC primary care veterinarian and clinical instructor in the Department of Medical Sciences.

Wibby, 16-year-old thoroughbred gelding, undergoes a whole bone body scan, which is now quicker and quieter thanks to upgrades to UW Veterinary Care’s nuclear imaging capabilities. Fourth-year veterinary medical student Sarah Springborn, left, keeps Wibbe calm and still while diagnostic imaging technicians Lori Pike, middle, and Amy Lang operate the machine’s improved gamma camera and gantry. (Photo: Nik Hawkins­)

New enhancements to nuclear imaging technology at UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) are speeding up visits and improving diagnoses for animal patients.

For the last 25 years, UWVC has employed an imaging method called nuclear scintigraphy, in which tracers—small doses of radioactive elements—are tagged to injected drugs that travel to specific sites in the body. By using a gamma camera to determine the location and quantity of the element in an organ, veterinarians can measure how well it is functioning or if an active process, like cancer growth or bone fracture repair, is affecting the area.

And now, with the recent installment of a new and improved gamma camera, images can be obtained more quickly and with greater detail.

Recent upgrades also help reduce stress for animals. The new gantry is quieter, making it less disruptive, and it’s more mobile, so it can move around the patient rather than the animal having to shift into different positions.

Developed in 1957, nuclear scintigraphy is still used today in human medicine; UWVC is the only veterinary medical clinic in Wisconsin to offer this technology. In veterinary medicine, it is especially useful for honing in on the locations of active bone conditions in horses.

“When a horse comes to us displaying a lameness that can’t be localized by examination alone, we can inject it with a nucleotide that tracks to areas where bones are repairing from a break, responding to infection, or having an arthritic response,” says Waller. “Using the gamma camera, we can get a pretty good idea of where the problem lies and then use radiography, ultrasound, or CT to do a more directed and detailed study of the area.”

Nuclear imaging also has applications for small animals, from screening for metastatic bone cancer to assessing thyroid and kidney function in cats.

Nik Hawkins

On a long road to adoption, Maeve, a one-year-old domestic shorthair shelter cat, had help from students, a surgeon, and a certified veterinary technician at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, as well as the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

Wrapped in a coat of white fur with a black patch like a bandit’s mask, Maeve is a sweet, slender, one-year-old domestic shorthair. And she’s also tough as nails.

She proved it back in January when she birthed a litter of kittens on the cold, snowy streets of Milwaukee. And she did it while enduring a complicated congenital defect, one that could have easily cut her life short without help from the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM).

Along with her four brand new kittens, Maeve was brought to the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC) where observant staff discovered a large gap in the muscle wall near her belly button. This condition, called an umbilical hernia, can be painful and potentially dangerous if left untreated, but it didn’t appear to be life threatening in Maeve’s case. So MADACC settled her into a foster home, and after her litter was weaned, they brought her to the SVM for spay surgery and a hernia repair.

Kendra Hayden was assigned to Maeve as part of the school’s junior surgery program, where third-year students team up with faculty to conduct spay and neuter procedures for dogs and cats from area shelters. When Maeve was shaved during a pre-surgery examination, Hayden noticed something quite startling—each beat of her little heart could be seen pulsing through the skin that stretched over her chest.

To find out exactly what might be troubling Maeve, Hayden turned to Dr. Sara Colopy, clinical instructor of small animal surgery at the SVM. Following a physical examination, Colopy suspected Maeve’s umbilical hernia was actually a more extensive midline abdominal hernia that expanded into her chest through a cleft in her sternum. X-rays confirmed a diagnosis of an incomplete sternal cleft, a birth defect caused by the failure of her breastbone to fuse during development.

“Her sternum has a wishbone shape, and her heart and liver were sitting in the middle of the cleft covered only by skin,” says Colopy. “Normally, these organs are protected by bone and muscle.”

Fortunately, the X-rays also showed that Maeve’s abdominal contents had not herniated into her chest. And an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound), performed by Dr. Rebecca Stepien and Dr. Sonja Tjostheim in the UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) Cardiology Service, revealed that she had no congenital heart defects. In other words, hernia aside, Maeve was a healthy feline and a good candidate for surgery—her only option for a normal cat life.

A radiograph (x-ray) shows Maeve’s cleft sternum and hernia. (Image: Sara Colopy)

“Before taking on something like this in a shelter animal, I always ask myself if there’s potential for a 100 percent cure so the animal can be adopted, and if we can ensure 24-hour care after the surgery because shelters often don’t have the resources for this,” says Colopy.

In Maeve’s case, the answer to both questions was yes. Maeve could be housed in UWVC’s Critical Care Unit after the operation, and the school’s Students, Pets, and You (SPAY) Fund would cover the costs of her care. And for the operation itself, Colopy devised a procedure that had an excellent chance of permanently fixing Maeve’s defect. But it had the potential to be a complicated, multi-step surgery.

“Most hernias are umbilical, and they can be quite large,” says Colopy. “But a cleft sternum is rare.” In fact, Colopy found only one published case report of a feline sternal cleft, so the surgery team was in somewhat uncharted territory.

Hayden started things off by conducting the spay procedure with the help of Colopy and junior surgery teammates Stephanie Winske, who administered anesthesia, and Erik Olson. Although the spay went very well, Colopy found another defect during the procedure called a urachal diverticulum. Maeve’s urachus, a small tube that empties urine into the umbilical cord during in utero development, had only partially shut down after she was born, leaving a vestigial tube extending from the bladder. This dead-end vessel is prone to infection, so Colopy removed it.

Kendra Hayden

Stephanie Winske

Erik Olson

The students then settled in for a unique learning experience while Colopy extended the spay incision to the area of Maeve’s hernia to expose her heart and liver. She found that the pericardium—the sack that protects and lubricates the heart—was open and fused to the sternum, tethering the heart close to the hernia. So she cut the attachment, allowing the heart to drop down to a normal, safer location in the chest.

Next, Colopy attached Maeve’s diaphragm to her chest wall (the defect prevented a normal sternum attachment) to keep the abdominal organs from herniating into her chest.  Last, Colopy used delicate incisions to release abdominal and chest muscles from the ribs surrounding the hernia and shifted them over the heart and liver.

“This created a two-layer muscle cover for her heart,” says Colopy. “She had all of her normal muscles, but they were split. This closed the gap.”

To complete the surgery, Colopy and Hayden closed up the lengthy skin incision together. “The surgery went well, and Kendra and the team did a really great job,” says Colopy.

Certified veterinary technician Pam Gillitzer (left) and Dr. Sara Colopy take a moment for a photo with Maeve just prior to removing her sutures. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

Following several days of recovery in the CCU and junior surgery ward, under the watchful eyes of technicians and students, Maeve was ready to find a permanent residence. She didn’t have to look very far. Pam Gillitzer, one of the CCU technicians who cared for Maeve during her recovery, decided to adopt her.

“Maeve has done fantastic since coming home,” says Gillitzer. “I had her confined for a week after she was discharged, but now she has free roam of the house, and she takes advantage of it.”

According to Gillitzer, Maeve enjoys scrutinizing birds from the porch, playing in empty bathtubs, and harassing her canine housemate, Bounce, a one-year-old Australian Shepherd.

No longer a shelter cat, she’s found herself a place to truly call home.

Nik Hawkins

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. For many, this is a reminder to get a flu shot and make sure the kids are up to date on all of their vaccines. But it’s a good idea to look into your pet’s immunization status as well.

Over the course of the last decade, veterinarians have undergone a major shift in their approach to canine and feline vaccination. They have evolved from a standard procedure of vaccinating dogs and cats for everything in each year to a more balanced approach of analyzing risks and benefits of vaccines for each individual animal.

“Protecting our animal companions from infectious diseases is paramount, but at the same time, we wish to avoid the unnecessary medical procedure of administering a vaccine to an already immune dog or cat,” says Ronald Schultz, professor and founding chair in the Department of Pathobiological Sciences at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM).

Veterinarians Laurie Larson and Ronald Schultz are immunization experts at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

Schultz is one of the key authors of the canine vaccination guidelines issued by the American Animal Hospital Association and the canine and feline vaccination guidelines recommended by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association.

“These guidelines are excellent tools for understanding more about core vaccines versus non-core vaccines and their recommended use for dogs and cats,” says Laurie Larson, a veterinarian and senior scientist in the Schultz Lab.

Schultz and Larson also recommend antibody testing. Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system that bind to and destroy foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. Testing can verify the presence of certain antibodies in an animal’s bloodstream to ensure that the core vaccines have provided protection against the targeted diseases.

A kiddie pool is a good way for canines to keep cool during the “dogs days,” the hottest days of summer. (Photo: iStock)

We’re deep into the dog days of summer, which, coincidentally, can be hard on our canine companions. To help you and your dogs get safely through the season’s most sultry days, Sandi Sawchuk, primary care veterinarian at UW Veterinary Care, has put together a short list of tips.

Beware of Hot Concrete

Pavement gets very hot in the summer sun. If you can’t comfortably hold your hand on it, your dog’s feet don’t belong on it.

Know When to Cut Playtime Short

Owners need to be their dogs’ “brains.” Some canines will play hard to the point of heat stroke. Just because they want to keep playing doesn’t mean that they should.

Air Conditioning a Must for Certain Breeds

Dogs with compromised airways (such as Bulldogs and Pugs) need to be in air conditioning. The only way they can cool themselves down is through panting and sweating through their feet.

Watch the Humidity Levels

High humidity makes panting less effective as a method of cooling.

Kiddie Pools and Cool Treats

My dogs enjoy cooling down in a kiddie pool and having one of my homemade “pupsicles,” which I make by mixing some fat-free plain yogurt, a mashed banana, and some peanut butter. Freeze it all in a small paper cup with a dog biscuit as the stick then peel off the cup and serve!

As always, UW Veterinary Care’s Emergency and Critical Care Service is available 24/7 at 1-800-386-8684 if needed.

Each year, the UW School of Veterinary Medicine and UW Veterinary Care welcome a new group of residents and interns — graduate veterinarians who come here to learn from our exceptional specialists while providing top-notch clinical care and services. They are the best and brightest and bring tremendous value to the animals they treat.

Interns are veterinarians who are dedicating a year of their careers to additional training. Rotating interns work with multiple specialty services but spend most of their time in emergency and critical care, and specialty interns focus on one particular area or service. Residents are veterinarians who are training to become specialists, typically dedicating two to three years to a particular specialty area in veterinary medicine.

Here’s a look at this year’s new names and faces.

Residents

Fernando Amitrano, MV Large Animal Surgery	Georgia Bosscher, DVM Small Animal Surgery	Monica Chwala, DVM Small Animal Internal Medicine
Chloe Ciarrocchi, PharmD Pharmacy	Hélène Marie Desanti, DVM Large Animal Internal Medicine	Ricardo Fernandez, DVM Medical Oncology
Allision Leuin, DVM Small Animal Internal Medicine	PenTing Liao, DVM, DVSc Emergency and Critical Care	Samantha Loeber, DVM Radiology
Anna Martel-Arquette, DVM Zoological Companion Animal Medicine	Katie Nadolny, DVM Cardiology	Alexander Piazza, DVM Small Animal Surgery
Monica Ronderos, DVM Anatomic Pathology	Susanna Solbak, CMV Emergency and Critical Care	Audrey Stevens, DVM Radiation Oncology
Becky Telle, DVM Ophthalmology	Amy Thomson, DVM Dentistry and Oral Surgery	Blake Webb, DVM Neurology
	Taylor Yaw, DVM Zoological Medicine

Specialty Interns and Fellows

Jessica Fragola, VMD Ocular Pathology Fellow	Christopher Hoffman, DVM Orthopaedic Research	Brittany Levy, DVM Dermatology
Randi Roberts, DVM Shelter Medicine	Meghan Schuh, DVM Shelter Medicine	Elizabeth Wood, DVM Oncology Clinical Trials

Rotating Interns

Yike (Yiko) Bing, DVM	Shawn Cikanek, MS, DVM	Rebecca Donnelly, DVM
Justin Duval, DVM	Andrew Eitzer, MS, DVM	Katherine Hanrahan, DVM
	Sara Shivapour, DVM

Two cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), both from northern Wisconsin, have been diagnosed at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL) this week. Questions about testing for or managing EEE can be directed to the Morrie Waud Large Animal Hospital’s Equine Internal Medicine Service at 800-386-8684 or the WVDL at 800-608-8387.

For additional information, a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection has been posted below.

Equine Encephalitis Strikes in Northern Wisconsin

Release Date: August 31, 2016

Media Contacts: Raechelle Belli, 608-224-5005 or Bill Cosh, Communications Director, 608-224-5020

A 2-month old unvaccinated filly from Forest County is the first reported Wisconsin horse to have become infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) this year. The filly was euthanized on August 23.

“Northern Wisconsin has good mosquito habitat. It’s also been a very wet summer up north, which contributes to the problem,” says Dr. Julie McGwin, equine program veterinarian for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

EEE is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, and may cause encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, and is fatal to horses in 90 percent of cases. Symptoms in horses include depression, appetite loss, drooping eyelids and lower lip, fever, weakness, twitching, paralysis or lack of coordination, aimless wandering, circling and blindness.

The virus is not contagious between horses, but can be carried by mosquitos from an avian, or bird, host to horses and humans. While humans may also be infected by EEE, the virus does not pass directly between people and horses. Mosquitoes biting warm-blooded animals is the only route of transmission.

Horses that have not already been vaccinated this year for EEE or other mosquito-borne diseases are at greater risk.

“Those horse owners who have vaccinated should check with their veterinarians to see whether a booster is appropriate,” McGwin said.

Horses that have never been vaccinated will need two doses two to four weeks apart, and the vaccine will take at least two weeks to build up enough antibodies to protect them. Vaccines will not protect horses that have already been infected when they receive the injections. Vaccines are available that protect against other strains of equine encephalitis along with EEE, and a separate West Nile virus vaccine is also available.

Besides vaccination, McGwin recommends taking other steps to limit horses’ exposure to mosquitoes during warm weather:

• Remove items from surrounding property that could collect stagnant water such as old tires, tin cans, plastic containers.
• Keep rain gutters clean and draining properly.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs, and drain water from pool covers.
• Turn wading pools and wheelbarrows upside down when not in use.
• Empty and replace water in birdbaths at least once a week.
• Consider keeping horses in the barn from dusk to dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Discuss using equine mosquito repellents with your veterinarian.

Wisconsin last experienced a major outbreak of EEE in 2011, with more than 30 cases mostly in north central Wisconsin. Since then, sporadic cases have occurred. Because EEE follows mosquito populations, it normally occurs beginning in mid- to late summer and remains a threat until the first killing frost.

SOURCE: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

UW Veterinary Care is proud to be included in Madison Magazine’s 2017 Best of Madison Reader’s Poll, which highlights local businesses throughout Dane County. We would be honored to have your vote for Best Veterinarian, which is featured in the Home & Lifestyle category.

The ballot for this year’s Best of Madison runs Sept. 15 – Oct. 20, 2016. Voters are allowed one vote per day, per category using one email address and must complete at least 25% of the ballot for votes to count.

Cast your vote today.

This year, Oct. 16-22 was reserved for acknowledging the achievements and contributions of veterinary medical technicians nationwide. A veterinary clinic’s smooth and efficient operation relies heavily on the skills of its certified veterinary technicians, and those who work at UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) are no exception.

Each year during National Veterinary Technician Week, UWVC’s technicians select two from within their own ranks who exemplify commitment to the profession and to high-quality service for clients, patients, and clinicians alike. The “Early Career” award, recognizing one who has worked in UWVC for less than five years, was presented to Hayley Lombard, while the “Legends” award, offered to those who have worked in UWVC for five years or longer, was given to Lindsey Hernke. Read on below to find out more about this year’s winners.

Hayley Lombard

Lombard

Lombard’s desire to work in a challenging and fast-paced environment prompted her to join UWVC in June of 2014. She now works overnight shifts in the Critical Care Unit. Lombard says that her motivation to get certified as a veterinary technician came from the promise of “being able to help, comfort, and care for animals every day.”

In the future, Lombard plans to continue working in critical care and to eventually earn her veterinary technician specialty in emergency and critical care.

Lindsey Hernke

Hernke began work at UWVC in July 2008 after attending a program through Madison College and spending four years in private practice.

Hernke

“I became a certified veterinary technician because I have always wanted my life to be spent around animals,” says Hernke. “When I found out, at age 11, that I could not only have them as family but also be able to help them when they were sick, I jumped on it.”

When a friend working at UWVC informed her of a job opening in the Critical Care Unit, she took the opportunity. She now works weekends with the Emergency and Critical Care Service.

Like Lombard, Hernke hopes to earn her veterinary technician specialty in emergency and critical care in the future.

AnnaKathryn Kruger

Zeus, an Akita mix puppy, greets Sara Colopy, clinical instructor of small animal surgery, in UW Veterinary Care’s small animal surgery ward as Lindsay Brusda, a certified veterinary technician, prepares him for an examination. The recently remodeled ward is a preview of what could be a broader transformation at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine as it meets space challenges with a new building expansion campaign themed “Animals Need Heroes Too.” (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

It’s a typical Thursday morning in the small animal surgery ward at UW Veterinary Care (UWVC). A steady stream of four-legged, furry patients trots into the room, led on leashes by attentive technicians and students. They’re here to be examined and prepped for the day’s soft tissue surgeries.

At a table in one corner, a technician, resident, and surgeon have gathered around Zeus, an Akita mix puppy in need of an umbilical hernia repair. Zeus squirms and licks his way through their careful inspection as two students quietly observe. Moments later, word arrives that anesthesia is ready for Zeus. A technician scoops him into her steady arms and easily threads her way through orderly clusters of patients and practitioners.

Only a few weeks prior to this scene, the ward would not have handled so much traffic quite as well. Having undergone significant remodeling in summer 2016, which included rearranging workstations and eliminating redundant fixtures, the ward now makes better use of available space to welcome more patients comfortably and maximize staff efficiency. The remodel is a prime example of how UWVC is adapting to accommodate a rapidly growing caseload.

In 2015-16, for the third year in a row, UWVC handled a record number of patient visits, topping 26,500 in a facility built to handle 12,000; and, since 2012, demand for the clinic’s services has increased by more than 25 percent. But the hospital and those who work there have made every effort to minimize the effects of the space crunch and keep the focus on quality patient care, from retrofitting rooms and repurposing storage areas to simply adjusting admirably to the conditions they face each day.

“It’s a testament to the quality of our faculty, staff, and students that they are able to make accommodations within these circumstances so there’s no detrimental impact on our patients and clients,” says Ruthanne Chun DVM’91, associate dean for clinical affairs and UWVC’s director. “But with demand projected to reach 35,000 annual patient visits in the near future, these measures can only go so far.”

To further complicate matters, technology is outpacing the infrastructure of the clinic, which was constructed in 1983 when computers were not yet pervasive and high-tech medical devices not as advanced or numerous. And these space and utilities issues extend to the rest of the Veterinary Medicine Building, from instructional areas to faculty offices to biomedical research laboratories.

Still, the remodeled surgery ward is a preview of what could be a broader transformation at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine as it meets these challenges with a new building expansion campaign themed Animals Need Heroes Too. Its goal is to raise funds for a new, state-of-the-art facility connected to the current building and significant enhancements for existing infrastructure. The project will enhance the patient and client experience at UWVC while upgrading the school’s facilities for teaching and learning and expanding space for research on diseases that threaten the globe.

“We’ve done so much to improve animal and human health despite the limitations we face in our current surroundings,” says Dean Mark D. Markel. “And though we’re a relatively young school, we still rank in the top five of all U.S. colleges of veterinary medicine. It thrills me to imagine what more we could accomplish with room to grow.”

This schematic shows the current plans for the UW Veterinary Care building expansion in more detail. (Click to enlarge.)

The Case for Expansion

When the Veterinary Medicine Building was constructed nearly 35 years ago, UWVC housed 10 specialties. Since then, the hospital’s expertise has grown to encompass more than double that — the most specialties of any clinic in the state — while the footprint has changed very little. To make room for this expanding roster of specialists, and to help them collaborate more effectively on complicated patient cases, the campaign calls for doubling the size of the small animal hospital.

This expansion will create space for more exam rooms, a centralized diagnostic imaging center that brings a trailer-bound MRI unit inside the building, a cancer center that encompasses the radiation and medical oncology services, a larger emergency and critical care unit with improved housing for patient recovery, and an expanded waiting area that includes dedicated space for cats and small exotic animals.

“This project will reduce wait times, especially for some of our most in-demand specialty services, and create a more comfortable place for patients and clients,” says Chun.

The plan also calls for significant improvements to UWVC’s Morrie Waud Large Animal Hospital. This includes a covered arena that provides year-round access to lameness and neurological exams, regardless of the weather, as well as a bigger and safer isolation facility, a high-demand service that will be the only one of its kind in the state.

“The expansion also benefits Wisconsin’s dairy industry by improving the overall clinical education of our students,” says Keith Poulsen DVM’04, PhD’12, clinical assistant professor of large animal medicine. “This state is blessed with a very talented pool of dairy veterinarians, and with better facilities, we can continue to support and augment it in new ways.”

In addition to transforming clinical care at UWVC, the building expansion will bolster the school’s training of future veterinarians and clinical specialists, partly by facilitating more patient visits. More cases means exposure to more species, breeds, diseases, and conditions and, therefore, better preparation for practice. To encourage collaborative learning, the expansion plan also includes new small group discussion environments and special areas for hospital rounds, which are often relegated to hallways today.

“The SVM plays a major role in producing Wisconsin’s veterinarians — we’ve trained more than half of the practitioners in the state,” says Lynn Maki, associate dean for student academic affairs. “So these improvements are absolutely vital for ensuring Wisconsin has the best of the best caring for companion animals, maintaining dairy herd health, safeguarding public health, and making new scientific discoveries.”

As with instruction, the SVM’s space constraints also extend into the realm of research. In addition to clinical studies on new treatments and novel surgical techniques, the school conducts more than 75 percent of the infectious disease research on the UW-Madison campus. SVM faculty and staff have made major breakthroughs in the treatment and prevention of everything from Ebola to influenza to Zika. But most of the school’s laboratory facilities are aging and cramped.

“Despite our challenges, in the last four years, we have doubled the amount of research dollars we bring in annually,” says Dale Bjorling, professor of surgical sciences and associate dean for research and graduate training. “This is one indication among many of the school’s quality. But we’re running out of room to work on some critical, potentially life-saving projects, and this puts future grants and research at risk.”

That’s why the second floor of the building expansion will include eight new research laboratories for studying naturally occurring diseases in animals and humans. And to help SVM scientists stay a step ahead of the next pandemic, the third floor will triple the amount of space the school has committed to infectious disease studies.

“With all of these advantages taken together, it’s clear that our patients and clients will benefit greatly from a successful campaign,” says Markel. “But so will our students, who are the future of the field. So will veterinarians and animal lovers all over the state. So will people throughout Wisconsin and across the globe.”

Gaining Support, Making Progress

Given how many lives are touched by the SVM, it’s no surprise that the Animals Need Heroes Too campaign has garnered a broad base of support. In fact, the school has already raised more than $11 million of a $40 million goal. Campaign leaders are hoping for a $75 million commitment from the state to round out the projected $115 million cost of the project.

A good portion of the funds already raised came from lifelong animal lovers and UW-Madison alums Karen Walsh and Jim Berbee. In summer 2016, they were inspired to offer a $3 million matching gift toward the building campaign, over $1 million of which has already been committed.

“When you learn about advances the SVM has made in cancer treatment, orthopedics, surgery, and so many other areas, you understand why people flock to bring their animals there for expert care,” says Walsh, who is co-chair of the Animals Need Heroes Too campaign. “And the school’s research leadership is astounding. The future of human medicine is so connected to animal medicine, and here at UW-Madison we have this amazing place where it’s all happening — for the benefit of everyone.”

The leadership of the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association (WVMA), a statewide organization that advocates and promotes veterinary medicine, has also lent its support to the campaign. According to WVMA Past President John Been DVM’88, who is a practicing large animal veterinarian, an expansion will boost the school’s already strong contributions to the state as a top-notch and readily available referral resource for private practitioners, an invaluable specialty and emergency care center for animal owners, and a vital collaborator in finding solutions to public health concerns.

“Additional facilities for state-of-the-art research, instructional and administrative space, and of course, much-needed clinical space for the animal hospital, will catapult an already world-class veterinary medical school and teaching hospital into new levels of excellence,” says Been.

Regina Millner, president of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, was first introduced to the SVM’s wide range of impactful work when she brought her grandchildren to the school for a campus program called Grandparent’s University. She has been a supporter ever since. To her, the SVM is critical to UW-Madison’s tradition of solving public health issues through interdisciplinary collaborations involving the School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Engineering, and College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

“Just take a look at what the School of Veterinary Medicine is doing at the important interface of animal and human diseases, finding ways to fight viruses, like Zika,” says Millner. “And through its work with large animals, the school also supports the dairy industry and agribusiness, which are critically important to the economy of the state. And they’re doing this in a facility that’s more than a third of a century old. It’s clear an upgrade is overdue, and this is the perfect time for clients who have benefitted from the school’s clinical services, for alumni who have benefitted from an excellent education, for corporations that have benefitted from the school’s cutting-edge research, to show their support.”

Nik Hawkins

Co-sleeping with pets is a personal choice, but there are particular situations in which it’s a good idea for your animal companions to keep “four on the floor,” according to Sandi Sawchuk, primary care veterinarian at UW Veterinary Care

Pets have literally gone from the barnyard to the bedroom. Although co-sleeping with a pet (or, in my case, two snoring English Bulldogs, a cat, and a husband) is a personal choice, there are some situations in which I try to convince owners to do as I say, not as I do. And here they are.

1. Pets who sleep with their owners won’t necessarily develop separation anxiety, but if the dog already suffers from this behavior problem, all of that nighttime closeness won’t help the dog learn how to be comfortable when left alone.
2. Dogs with unpredictable episodes of aggression, who startle easily, or are in pain may pose a danger to the sleeping human next to them.
3. Humans with animal or environmental allergies will be more comfortable spending a third of their life in a room free of pet dander and pet-transported outdoor allergens.
4. Pets with orthopedic or spinal issues who may aggravate existing problems or cause new ones by jumping up onto the bed and down from it are better off keeping four on the floor.
5. Probably the number one reason to limit co-sleeping is that it is difficult to stop once it is started. Relationships change, pet populations change, and teaching an old dog a new trick can result in sleep deprivation for the entire household.

Sandi Sawhcuk, DVM, MS

Certified veterinary technician Laura Allen secures a new, portable electrocardiogram (ECG) unit in a surcingle belt strapped to Durango, an equine patient at the UW Veterinary Care Morrie Waud Large Animal Hospital. The new battery-powered unit is wireless, which allows clinicians to monitor the animal remotely, including while it is exercising outdoors. (Photos: Nik Hawkins)

Two new advanced pieces of equipment, purchased with the help of generous donations, are improving the equine patient experience at UW Veterinary Care (UWVC).

With the addition of a small, flexible needle arthroscope, UWVC veterinarians can now perform arthroscopic surgery on joints while animals are under sedation rather than general anesthesia. This poses less risk for patients and also enables surgeons to view joint structures under normal anatomical circumstances (i.e., while the animal is standing), which can increase the accuracy of diagnoses.

“Other diagnostic techniques, such as ultrasound and radiography, offer a more limited view of the joint,” says Sabrina Brounts, clinical associate professor of large animal surgery, “so this new tool can definitely add to our evaluations.”

A generous donation from Chuck and Sandy Yanke, long-time supporters of the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, and a gift from the Split Rail Foundation helped the clinic purchase the arthroscopy unit, which adds to a long list of equine services that only UWVC offers in Wisconsin. This includes nuclear imaging, dynamic endoscopy for diagnosing respiratory issues during full exercise, acoustoelastography for monitoring tendon injuries, and a board-certified specialist in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation.

“I am not aware of anyone else in the state performing this arthroscopy procedure,” says Brounts.

The new ECG unit is about the size of a cellular phone.

As another boon for equine patients and owners, UWVC has also acquired a new portable electrocardiogram (ECG) machine. An ECG is used to assess the structure and function of an animal’s heart by recording its electrical activity as transmitted through electrodes placed on the skin. It can detect arrhythmias and other abnormalities and monitor the effects of various treatments. The new battery-powered unit is wireless and small enough to be strapped to a horse in a surcingle belt, allowing clinicians to monitor the animal remotely, including while it is running or walking outdoors.

“This is especially useful because many heart conditions only become apparent during exercise,” says Ana Moreira, a large animal medicine resident at UWVC.

Other advantages of the portable ECG unit include live readings transmitted to a laptop or portable device via Bluetooth technology, a memory card that can store days-worth of data, and electrodes that are fastened via stickers rather than cumbersome and uncomfortable crocodile clips.

The ECG machine was purchased with the help of a combined gift from sisters Barb and Patty Van Housen, which was inspired by the exceptional care that Patty’s horse, Rinka, received during an emergency visit to UWVC’s Morrie Waud Large Animal Hospital.

Nik Hawkins

Miranda Braithwaite, DVMx’18, works with Barley to teach about canine anatomy during a lab session Grandparents University in July 2014. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

The first year of veterinary medical school is filled with new challenges, and among the most difficult are courses in anatomy and neuroscience. Students taking on the intellectual rigors of these classes are grateful for any help they can get. And help can come in many shapes and sizes. Fortunately for the last 13 classes to pass through the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), they had it in the form of a big, lovable, yellow Labrador Retriever named Barley.

Barley first ventured into a SVM classroom in 2003 when he was five months old, shortly after senior lecturer Kim Plummer adopted him from a breeder to be her family’s canine companion. She introduced him to the Fundamental Principles of Anatomy course as a teaching assistant of sorts.

“The idea is that there’s no better way to learn about anatomy than to examine a living, breathing animal,” says Plummer, who has been an instructor at the SVM since 1997. “We would carry what we learned from studying cadavers and see how it applied to a live dog.”

Share Your Barley Story

Are you one of the hundreds of alumni who learned about canine anatomy and neurology with the help of Barley? If so, we want to hear from you. What did Barley mean to you? How did he help you in class? What did he do to make you laugh?

Share your Barley story here.
We will gather your tales and share them on our website and in our Alumni E-news. 

Barley was part of a tradition of teaching dogs in the SVM’s anatomy course, which began with Norm Wilsman, a former faculty member in the Department of Comparative Biosciences who strongly advocated involving live animals. Over the years, the anatomy course has seen teaching dogs like Wilsman’s Sparky; Maddie, who belonged to former senior lecture Jean Bjorenson; Blockhead, a mix-breed owned by former senior instructional specialist Kalen Nichols; Lager, another yellow Lab Plummer would bring into classrooms about a decade before Barley’s arrival; and others owned by faculty and staff.

“At first, Barley was a whirling dervish,” says Plummer, “but he was always an ambassador of cuteness, and within two or three years, he became an exceptional teaching dog. He was big, but he was fit, lean, and calm, so he was easy to palpate and examine.”

Each December in the anatomy course, students gave presentations involving skits and props to teach the rest of the class about the cranial nerves, and they would often enlist a costumed and treat-bribed Barley to help out. Plummer eventually began bringing Barley to the Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology course, where he would serve as an example for learning normal neurologic function in a dog.

“He would really get into it and have a lot of fun with the students,” says Plummer.

Teaching Even through Distress

Throughout his 13 years of life, Barley encountered and overcame his fair share of health scares. His gastrointestinal tract was always troubled, and at one point he developed a serious condition called gastric dilation volvulus. Essentially, his stomach had expanded and twisted, cutting off the blood supply to his spleen. Fortunately for Barley, the SVM has experts equipped to handle these kinds of situations.

“They saved his life,” says Plummer, “and they actually improved his life enormously.”

But 18 months later, Barley ended up in surgery again with a colonic torsion, or a twisted colon. John Stein, a radiology resident at the time, came to the clinic on a Sunday and worked with Julie Walker, a clinical assistant professor in emergency and critical care, and then-resident Susannah Sample to diagnose the issue. Jonathan McAnulty, a professor of surgical sciences, led an exploratory surgery, found the torsion, and removed the dead tissue. And Barley recovered from yet another major abdominal surgery.

“I was so impressed by the teamwork in the clinic, by the care and by the expertise,” says Plummer. “In the weeks after Barley’s surgery, technicians would stop me in the hall and ask about him. It blows you away.”

Barley ended up being an exceptional teaching opportunity even in his distress. Colonic torsion is rare in dogs, so the students involved witnessed a procedure that few get to see.

Later on in his life, Barley faced down laryngeal paralysis and soft tissue sarcoma on his paw, but he never stopped teaching. In fact, he also participated in clinical studies to help advance the school’s research mission. But as he entered his final years, he developed hind limb degeneration and osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.

“He had been through so much, we decided to just let him live out his days in peace,” says Plummer. “We fed him steak and scrambled eggs.”

After a beautiful run through a full life, Barley was euthanized on the last day of May 2016.

Kim Plummer shares some quality time with Barley on a sunny, late-October day in 2015. (Photo: Gregg Plummer).

More than Just a Teaching Dog

Early on in his teaching tenure, Barley also began serving as a live-animal question for the anatomy lab practical exam. As students completed the test, he would hang out for hours. “And that’s where students really started to get to know and appreciate him,” says Plummer. “He helped relieve the stress that comes with exams.”

Course evaluations clearly showed how Barley’s presence bolstered learning. But students also mentioned the peace of mind he would bring and how he underscored their reason for becoming veterinarians in the first place—to help living creatures.

“It was always great when any of the professors brought in their pets, because they were a calming presence and a soothing balm in the otherwise perpetual anxiety machine that was veterinary school,” says Michael Hanhart, DVM’11. “[Barley] would come around and place his head in your lap, and you would feel that rush of warmth and love that only pets can give.”

“The transition through first year is challenging,” says Plummer. “Barley was a reminder of why they’re here. And he was even occasionally surrogate companion for those who had left a pet at home or were just homesick.”

Plummer recalls one particular incident when Barley rescued three students in academic peril. She was driving Barley to his primary care veterinarian, located on Monroe Street a couple of miles from the Veterinary Medicine Building, when three young women flagged her down.

“They were in quite a panic,” says Plummer.

Turns out they were veterinary medical students, and they had just missed the bus that would have taken them back to the Veterinary Medicine Building for an exam. Just when they thought they were doomed, they saw a familiar, furry yellow head poking out of the window of Plummer’s car, and hope returned as they dashed toward the vehicle. Plummer got them back to the school just in time for the test.

Barley was also a staple in the SVM’s outreach efforts, such as Grandparents University, a summer event where grandparents and their grandchildren explore a UW “major” through classroom and hands-on activities, and PEOPLE, a pre-college pipeline for students of color and low-income students. Through programs like these, he helped school-age kids learn all about canine anatomy by letting them interact with the real thing. And under their curious gazes and hands, he would just be himself—a quiet, calm, huggable dog, a licker of fingers and faces, an ambassador of cuteness, one who will be dearly missed and fondly remembered.

Nik Hawkins

The question below was featured in the Winter 2016-17 issue of On Call, the magazine for friends of the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. This issue’s expert response comes from Ruthanne Chun, a board-certified veterinary medical oncologist and director of UW Veterinary Care.

Question:
What is the incidence of mast cell tumors in a dog after successful chemotherapy treatment? My dog, Sumo, was treated at UW Veterinary Care and has been in remission for three years, but we recently found three small tumors on him. The tumors were removed this week by our local veterinarian, and we are waiting on the pathology report.
–Kathy Trudelle, Sauk Village, Ill.

Answer:
Mast cell tumors are one of the most difficult to predict in terms of response to therapy, recurrence, and cure rate. Factors that go into determining treatment recommendations include location and rate of growth of the tumors, number of sites affected, and the microscopic appearance of the tumor. Since your dog was treated with chemotherapy, it is likely that the oncologists were concerned that those particular mast cell tumors were more aggressive and had the potential to recur. However, it is unusual that your dog had three years of remission before new tumors occurred. Fingers crossed that these are not mast cell tumors and that they are some other benign growth.

Editor’s note: Prior to going to press, we received good news that the growths on Sumo’s skin were not mast cell tumors, rather, they were benign dermal fibrosis and were removed successfully.

Maxi’s owners traveled a third of the way around the world — from Hong Kong to Madison, Wis. — to get her the right treatment at UW Veterinary Care. (Photos: Nik Hawkins)

How far would you travel for a chance to give your sick dog a few more healthy years?

For Mike and Dao Vassilieff, the answer is 7,700 miles, or just under a third of the way around the globe. Their desire to spend as much quality time as possible with their French Bulldog, Maxi, brought them from Hong Kong to Madison, Wis.—and they would have gone farther if they had to.

It all began in early summer 2016, when Maxi began to show troubling signs. She refused food and was growing progressively thinner and more lethargic. At night, the Vassilieffs could hear her growl and whimper in pain.

Maxi with her owners, Dao and Mike Vassilieff.

After bringing Maxi to a primary care veterinarian, an ultrasound specialist, and a neurologist in Hong Kong, tests confirmed that she had a tumor on her pituitary gland called a macroadenoma. Although benign, it would continue to grow and cause complications. Without treatment, Maxi had only a couple of months left to live.

For Dao, who is unable to have children, Maxi is her baby, and hearing the diagnosis was like dealing with a death sentence for her own daughter. “Maxi’s part of the family,” she says. “She has so much meaning to us.”

“We said ‘no, no—it’s too soon for us,’” says Mike. “We wanted to have more time with her.”

So they looked into other options. With no veterinary medical radiation oncologists in or near Hong Kong, the Vassilieffs were forced to look overseas, and Maxi’s neurologist suggested they see what was available in the United States. After contacting half a dozen clinics, they settled on UW Veterinary Care’s Radiation Oncology Service for its pricing and the comfort they felt in communicating with resident MacKenzie Pellin DVM’11.

Fortunately, prednisone treatments reduced the swelling caused by Maxi’s tumor, so her condition improved enough that she was fit for the 15-hour flight. Less than two weeks later, following a mad dash of travel-related paperwork and a frantic search for lodging, the Vassilieffs set out for America with renewed hope.

Maxi received radiation therapy five days a week for four weeks. Dao, who had quit her job as a veterinary technician in Hong Kong, stayed in a rented house in Madison for the entire month; and Mike, a commercial airline pilot, visited whenever his flight schedule allowed.

Midway through the treatments, Maxi already began to show signs of improvement. “When we arrived, she was half dead,” says Dao. “Now she’s eating, and her back legs are getting better. The sun has shined for me again.”

As of September, the Vassilieffs were planning to fulfill their dream of taking Maxi to see Mike’s native Australia. The animal quarantine process for traveling Down Under requires a good amount of paperwork, and Pellin was more than happy to assist them with it.

Nik Hawkins

Harlow, a K9 with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, waits patiently during a follow-up examination at UW Veterinary Care. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

If you ask Deputy Jason Behm about his partner, Harlow, he’ll tell you without hesitation that he’s the perfect K9.

“He’s the ideal blend of personality and — when it comes to work — intensity,” says Behm, a 16-year veteran of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Off-duty or on, the 5-year-old Belgian Malinois-German Shepherd mix is an affection hound. When Harlow trots into a room, he makes the rounds, imploring everyone with his eyes for a scratch or a rub. And if that fails, he uses his muzzle, his tongue, his paws, and so on. It’s clear he thrives on interactions with people, and he returns the favor by making a difference in peoples’ lives through his work.

A prime example — last year, Behm and Harlow were dispatched to a missing person case, where a dog’s nose becomes invaluable. Harlow performed admirably, leading the search party through a forested county park where, sadly, they found a deceased individual. Despite a somber outcome, the bereaved family of the missing person was so grateful for Harlow’s help that they mailed a thank you letter to the Sheriff’s Department shortly after the incident. That Christmas, they sent a donation to the K9 unit.

Like so many police dogs, Harlow’s contributions are remarkable. But in late 2016, his career was in danger of ending early. Harlow began experiencing severe stiffness in his joints as well as extreme lethargy. After initial treatments at his primary care clinic were not entirely effective, he was referred to the Small Animal Internal Medicine Service at UW Veterinary Care (UWVC).

Resident Allison Leuin checks Harlow’s joints while Sarah Ranallo DVMx’17 keeps him from wandering. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

Following an ultrasound, X-rays, and a series of blood and fluid tests by the clinical pathology team, clinical instructor Hattie Bortnowski and resident Allison Leuin confirmed that effusion (swelling) in multiple joints was causing his symptoms. More specifically, analysis of fluid samples from Harlow’s joints made them suspect immune-mediated polyarthropathy, a condition in which a dog’s immune system triggers an antibody response that causes arthritis in more than one joint. Fortunately, the treatment they prescribed, a course of common steroids called prednisone, has worked well to reduce the swelling.

“It helped us save his career,” says Behm. “He’s bounced back to a point where he seems better than he was as a puppy.”

In seeking help for Harlow, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office benefited from a new effort at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) to make care even more accessible to K9 units in Wisconsin.

More SVM Support for K9s

K9 Odin and his handler, Sgt. Brent Plisch, pose during a visit to the SVM. Students, staff, faculty, and friends of the school raised funds to purchase Odin’s protective vest. (Photo: Nik Hawkins)

The UW School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) has found other ways to support local K9 units beyond credited and discounted services at UW Veterinary Care.

For example, police dogs suffer stab or gunshot wounds in the line of duty each year, but many law enforcement agencies do not have the additional funds necessary to purchase canine body armor. In recent years, students, staff, faculty, and friends of the SVM have pooled together donations to fund protective vests for five different police dogs from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Police Department, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department.

This effort helps keep K9s out of harm’s way, but injuries are inevitable in a line of work as dangerous as law enforcement. So knowing how to perform basic first aid on a dog in the field could be a critical, life-saving skill for police officers and emergency medical technicians.

Recognizing this, the Dane County Sheriff’s Department reached out to the SVM for veterinary medical training for their deputies and medics. In February 2017, Jonathan Bach, clinical associate professor of emergency and critical care, volunteered his time to demonstrate basic first aid as well as triage techniques.

He walked deputies through the fundamentals of injury assessment and treatment, such as checking vital signs, recognizing bloating and heat stroke, and responding to more serious trauma, such as tourniquet application. For medics, Bach discussed airway management, administration of intravenous access (IV), chest compression techniques, the use of splints and backboards to secure long bone fractures, and wound treatment. He also covered ways to prevent heat exhaustion, proper dosages of anesthetics, and how to use Narcan to combat an overdose in the event a drug-sniffing dog is exposed to an opioid.

“In the past, students, employees, and friends of the school have banded together to raise funds for protective vests for K9s,” says Ruthanne Chun DVM’91, associate dean for clinical affairs and director of UWVC. “But, to really recognize the crucial role police dogs play in law enforcement, we wanted to be a more intentional sponsor for them, and in a formal way.”

To that end, in late summer 2016, UWVC sent letters to nearly 130 law enforcement agencies throughout the state. Those in Dane County, UWVC’s primary service area, were offered $5,000 in credit for services at regular rates and a 50% discount on any service beyond that for each calendar year. Agencies outside of Dane County were offered a 50% discount.

UWVC has built the credited services into its budget, and the SVM covers all discounted costs using its unrestricted gift funds. As of February 2017, 45 agencies have taken advantage of the offer by signing agreements with UWVC.

“It’s a tremendous help,” says Behm, whose K9 unit has three dogs. “Without it, a more complicated health issue could break our budget.”

For the Madison Police Department, which raises funds for its eight-dog unit through a non-profit organization called Capital K9s, the credited and discounted services go a long way. In addition to veterinary medical care and training for their dogs, the unit has to fundraise for specially outfitted squad cars, computers, and other capital expenses. Any money they can save at the animal hospital can be redirected to these other areas.

“In this environment, where money is so tight, every penny matters,” says Sgt. Jeff Felt, who supervises the MPD’s K9 Unit. “From the standpoint of the care the dogs receive, which is first priority, and from an expense standpoint, it’s been absolutely beneficial.”

Other local veterinary medical clinics have also provided discounted services for the MPD, and several vendors have donated food as well. Without their generosity, and that of the SVM, the K9 Unit would not exist, Felt says. But the true beneficiaries are the communities the dogs serve.

K9s take part in a wide range of police duties. They are perhaps best known for tracking and locating armed suspects and missing persons. But they also prevent potential confrontations with suspects by barking warnings to officers or simply by encouraging a surrender through their intimidating presence.

Police dogs also help law enforcement agencies engage in better ways with their communities. Felts and the MPD K9 Unit give more than 100 public demonstrations each year, and nothing reaches people who may be skeptical or untrusting quite like a friendly nuzzle or a palm lick from a dog.

“These are challenging times for law enforcement,” says Felt. “It’s amazing how the dogs have the ability to break down barriers. It’s quite powerful to make that connection.”

A large portion of the work done by K9s is conducted behind the scenes. For example, prior to major events like concerts, athletic competitions, and visits from dignitaries, specially trained police dogs and their handlers sweep through venues, looking for bombs and other dangers.

“They make our jobs safer,” says Felt. “But more importantly, they truly help us keep the community as safe as possible.”

Nik Hawkins

Dean Johanningmeir works with equine patient, JJ, inside the UW Veterinary Care Morrie Waud Large Animal Hospital. (Photo: Denise Garlow)

On Dean Johanningmeier’s first day as the farrier at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine’s large animal hospital in 1985, he remembers feeling a bit intimidated. But when it came time to talk equine lameness evaluations with staff and specialists, he felt right at home. He attributes this to his prior work with M.E. “Babe” Cullen, a third generation equine veterinarian, which prepared him to look beyond the hoof.

“The great thing about being part of a therapeutic team — listening to ideas and considering new approaches — is that we are not focused on finding what’s wrong,” says Johanningmeier. “We’re looking at the horse and asking each other what can be improved? What positive thing can we do for the horse? When we have a lame horse, it is a whole-horse problem.”

Being curious and methodical are at the core of Johanningmeier’s character, and they are qualities that led him to connect with two of the greatest minds in the farrier industry — Gene Ovnicek and Ric Redden. Ovnicek’s encyclopedic knowledge of methods and Redden’s thorough understanding of mechanics form the basis for how Johanningmeier works today.

However, Johanningmeier’s methods have evolved over the years out of necessity. “If I wouldn’t have changed, I wouldn’t be here,” he says. “New ideas for improvements came along, and my career grew with them. I hit walls and went through them.” In 2011, Johanningmeier was recognized for his boundary-breaking work when he was inducted into the International Horseshoeing Hall of Fame. And he has continued adding to his extensive body of knowledge, acquiring certifications as an American Farrier’s Association (AFA) Journeyman Farrier, Natural Balance Farrier, and Natural Balance Barefoot Trimmer, and in Live Sole – Hoof Mapping.

As an independent contractor, Johanningmeier works closely with UW Veterinary Care’s team of equine surgeons, internists, radiologists, and residents. “To have Dean here is the most wonderful resource,” says Samantha Morello, clinical assistant professor of large animal surgery. “His base of knowledge is just so rich.”

He educates both students and staffers on the importance of proper foot care. Effective therapeutic equine footwear allows a horse’s heels and toes to rock, which reduces stress to the structures of the foot and promotes healing, according to Johanningmeier. As with running and hiking, special products now play an even bigger part in therapeutic farriery. “Now we use cushions and arch supports just like humans,” he says.

Karen Anderson encountered this with her horse, JJ. “He literally couldn’t walk,” she says. “There was no light in his eyes. Every step was painful for him.”

Anderson, who travels to the UWVC Morrie Waud Large Animal Hospital for appointments from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, recalls watching as Johanningmeier went to work, putting clogs on JJ’s uneven feet — the result of an unfortunate shoeing incident. “He walked out sound,” says Anderson. “JJ had his personality back.”

From working with clients like Anderson, Johanningmeier understands deeply the humility of being with horses and their people. This awareness influences how he communicates across the spectrum of individuals involved with ongoing care. “You’ve got to educate the owner on the plan and the progress — giving recommendations and allowing the client to make the decisions,” he says. “I give options, and I get their permission to make changes because shoeing affects the overall well-being of the horse.”

Johanningmeier’s plans for his impending semi-retirement sound as full as most people’s working years. He’s looking forward to consulting with industry on farrier products and working with young farriers-in-training by traveling to their workshops and giving advice — a continuation of his life as a devoted mentor. “If it weren’t for Dean … I wouldn’t have made it this far,” says John Heral, a farrier from South Beloit who has been training with Johanningmeier since 2011. “What I see in one day with him would have taken me five years to learn out in the field.”

Denise Garlow