A few things that a small animal vet will do include:

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Mitchell Cain
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1 What s Inside? Meet the officers (new and old!) Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Gas Bubbles Disease Small Animal Veterinary Medicine Upcoming Events Interview with Sarah Walstad Photos from our Socials

2 There are many different avenues that a veterinarian can go into after finishing vet school. The most common choice is small animal medicine. The majority of veterinarians employed in small animal practices work in private practice, meaning that they have flexible hours, and often do not work weekends. These are the vets that people bring their cats and dogs to. The average small animal vet can potentially make $110,000 a year as a starting salary. A small animal vet will often spend more time explaining a diagnosis to an owner or running tests than spending time with the animal itself because it s the veterinary technician s job to hold the animal and make sure the doctor doesn't get injured. A few things that a small animal vet will do include: taking/ interpreting radiographs interpreting blood tests performing surgeries. Unless a licensed surgeon, most small animal vets will only perform simple surgeries such as spays/neuters, hemorrhoid surgeries, and stitching up wounds. A small animal veterinarian not working in private practice will be working in a hospital, and when working in a place such as that hours are identical to those of a human doctor- long shifts with little respite, but the cases do tend to be more interesting. This is really where the diagnostic side of veterinary medicine comes into play. There is no specialization to be a small animal veterinarian- no board certification or anything of the sort. A veterinarian could go into small animal medicine the second they receive their diploma.

3 Gas Bubbles Disease Gas bubbles disease (GBD) is a common disease found in fish due to excessive amounts of gas, nitrogen or oxygen found in the pond or aquarium s water where the fish inhabit. This disease is also known as the Supersaturated disease, where supersaturated means that the water contains more dissolved gases that it can maximally hold. When fish inhale excess gas that is dissolved in water, a blood clot or air bubble may form in the tissues. Excessive production of oxygen by aquatic plants or algae when undergoing photosynthesis is another cause of this disease where there is a super saturation of oxygen found in the water. When diagnosing fish for GBD, clinical signs or symptoms include swelling, lesions, protruding eyeballs (exophthalmia), abnormal buoyancy, and blindness. Bubbles usually form in and on the head, fins, mouth, or gills of the fish, which causes tissue damage. Brain damage and death may also occur. A visual indicator of over production of oxygen produced in pond water that may cause GBD would be an unusually high amount of algae or aquatic plants. The concentration of dissolved gases can be measured with a Saturometer, which can help with the diagnosis of the disease. In addition, excessive amounts of dissolved gas in the water can also form when there is a sudden increase in pressure or temperature. To prevent this, water temperature should be adjusted slowly. Removing the excess amount of gas from the water with pumps in order to aerate the water can treat this condition. If a pump is not available, then the water should be changed immediately to ensure proper gas distribution. Treatment of GBD is possible in some cases. Air bubbles that may have formed on the fins of the fish may take either two days or up to two weeks to dissolve once the water is changed; however, bubbles that may have formed in the circulatory system may be fatal. Air bubbles formed around the eyes may cause long-term blindness or damage due to the displacement of the lens and retina. The superficial air bubbles should not be popped because this will only open the lesions to infection. GBD is also sensitive to certain species of fish, including deep-sea fish. Fish that live in very deep waters, deep-sea fish, are commonly diagnosed with GBD due to pressure displacement. If a deep-sea fish rose to the surface too quickly, oxygen in the tissues of the fish are unable to escape, and so air bubbles form. The only treatment in these situations is to re-pressurize the fish in order to allow the gas to dissolve and escape from the tissues of the fish. Any indications that fish may be suffering from GBD can potentially be corrected if recognized early. Oversaturation of the gases dissolved in water needs to be properly corrected immediately. The fish may be able to recuperate fully in some cases, but tissue damage is probable. This disease is neither transmittable nor infectious, and if caught early, nature may be able to correct itself. Just keep swimming!

Name: Abby Geick Where was it?: Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, VA. Was it a Job, Internship, or Volunteer position?

: I worked with the small mammals; cleaned their cages, fed their diets and exercised the animals.

: Everything from hedgehogs and armadillos to kinkajous and porcupines! What did you enjoy most about the experience?

4 Name: Abby Geick Where was it?: Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, VA. Was it a Job, Internship, or Volunteer position?: Volunteer position How long were you/have you been there?: I was at the zoo for a month. What did you do there?: I worked with the small mammals; cleaned their cages, fed their diets and exercised the animals. I also observed and recorded tiger behavior for a breeding project. What species did you work with?: Everything from hedgehogs and armadillos to kinkajous and porcupines! What did you enjoy most about the experience?: I loved working with the different species because I have never been exposed to these exotic animals. I also loved the hands on experience as well as the independence I had working with them.

5 Sarah Walstad is the outgoing former president of the UNH Pre- Vet Club and a senior at UNH. Here are some questions and answers about her experience in the Pre-Vet program and at UNH. Peyton: How long have you been the President of the UNH Pre-Vet club? Sarah: Since the spring semester of my sophomore year, so two years! P: What else are you involved in here at UNH? S: I was an RA in Scott Hall when I was a sophomore, and all four years I ve worked at the Fairchild Dairy Facility on campus. For the past year and a half I ve been on 5 research projects; the first one to do with the reproduction of dairy cows, and the others on the effects of rumen protected amino acids in the dairy industry. We just finished the most recent study last week! P: When did you first know you wanted to be a veterinarian? and how? S: I always had a love for animals when I was younger, all I had ever thought of being was a veterinarian. P: Between your freshman and senior year did you change your area of interest or career you intended to pursue? S: Yes, before college, I had never looked much at my other options besides becoming a veterinarian, but throughout the years I have found more specific interests. P: What area of work are you hoping to pursue? S: I always thought veterinary school would be wonderful, but now my goal would be to pursue a career related to cattle reproduction or nutrition. P: How did you come across your job at the Dairy Farm on campus? And what do you do there? S: The second week of my freshman year, I went to the manager of the Fairchild dairy barn and asked to volunteer (I knew that was a good way to get my foot in the door) and was told to come in Fridays at 4am to work with the cows! I stuck it out, got a job second semester, and I ve been there ever since. I ve milked, fed, and worked with the cows almost every day for the past three years (including summers) and I still love it, even the 4am milking shifts. P: What was your favorite class at UNH? S: Anatomy and Physiology, Endocrinology, and Dairy Nutrition. P: What s your favorite animal? S: Cows, naturally. P: Do you have any advice for other college students who want to go veterinary school one day? S: Don t be afraid to do anything, sometimes you need to go a little bit out of your comfort zone to find something that is exciting for you. You may never know if you like something until you go out on a limb and maybe take a class, job, or internship in that field. My advice to anyone, not just vet students, is to make sure you do something with your life that you love.

6 Admissions: Application: o Tuition: 61,032 (27,568 in-state) (May apply for in-state after first year) o Indirect Fees for all students (Living, books, board): 22,132 o Seats: 162 (The University s goal is 50% in-state and 50% out-of-state) o 3 Major Steps: o Academic Background, Experience Background and References, Areas of Importance: o o o Interview, Animal Experience (Diverse range including hands-on) GRE/MCAT is required. GRE is most common. (68Q/70V is competitive) GPA: Require 3.0, Competitive 3.7, (Averages: 3.71 overall, 3.6 science courses) Courses: No additional courses are required that BMS: MVS is required to take to graduate. Area/Climate: o Columbus, Ohio. Population: 809,800 o Campus is in the city but the Veterinary School is secluded from the rest of campus. Campus has over 56,000 students o Over 35 clubs and student organizations. o Diversity is wide spread. o Scheduled Tours and Annual Open House available for visiting. o An off campus farm with separate housing is used for certain large animal rotations. o University s Equine Center is on campus. For more info:

8 IMPORTANT DATES DECEMBER December 2, 2013 (Monday) End of semester social! Location: Rudman G89. Time: 8:00pm. Description: Finals are just around the corner and what better way to de-stress before all the craziness starts than eating some ice cream, getting new sweatshirts, and watching the Disney movie Earth narrated by James Earl Jones. Come have fun with your new officer team and your pre-vet friends! It also counts as an event if you need one more for this semester! PREVIEW OF NEXT SEMESTER January 28, 2014 (Tuesday) Chiropractor and Acupuncturist Location: Indoor Livestock Arena. Time: 8:00pm. Description: Gretchen Ham, graduate of Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, is certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. Her practice is limited to canine and equine acupuncture and chiropractic. She will be using a horse at the UNH barns as a subject to teach us more about the alternative medicine that she uses in conjunction with traditional veterinary methods. Save the date, this is a side of veterinary medicine we have not yet looked at as a club and should be really interesting! February 17, 2014 (Monday) Visit from Ross Location: To be announced later. Time: 8:00pm. Description: An admissions representative from Ross University, located in St. Kitts, makes a trip to UNH every year. There is a well-established relationship between the schools and the way the agreement is written, a UNH student applying with at least a 3.5 GPA and 1,100 GRE score is guaranteed an interview. Save the date, this is a great school to keep in mind as you decide what schools to apply to!

My name is Devan Chirgwin. I m a junior Genetics major with a Dairy Management minor and the new President of the club.

I hope to pursue a career in mixed animal medicine but definitely have a soft spot for cows.

I love talking to anyone so if you have any questions or suggestions for the club, please speak up!

I was involved in the FFA, and I am now involved in the therapeutic riding program, as well as the dairy and animal alliance organization.

9 My name is Devan Chirgwin. I m a junior Genetics major with a Dairy Management minor and the new President of the club. I have served as the Representative for the Class of 2015 for the past two years and wanted to further my involvement in the club. I hope to pursue a career in mixed animal medicine but definitely have a soft spot for cows. I have worked at the UNH Organic Dairy Farm since my freshman year and started helping Nancy Whitehouse with her amino acid research at the Fairchild Dairy at the beginning of this year. I love talking to anyone so if you have any questions or suggestions for the club, please speak up! Hello, my name is Elisabeth Wise, a freshman BMS veterinary medicine major, and the new freshman representative for the prevet club. I was involved in the FFA, and I am now involved in the therapeutic riding program, as well as the dairy and animal alliance organization. I am interested in becoming a vet for large animals, especially big cats! I can't wait for all of the amazing opportunities UNH provides and I am very grateful to be the freshman class's voice for the prevet club. My name is Vilma Vaattovaara and I am a sophomore zoology major. I am the new historian of the club. I applied because I wanted to be more involved with the pre-vet club here at UNH. My field of interest is exotics, and my dream is to work at the San Diego Zoo to work with the animals there and the wildlife in the area. :) Hey guys, my name is Misha Charlat. I'm a sophomore BMS Pre-Vet Major with a Russian language Minor. This is my second year as an officer and I couldn't be more excited to be the Sophomore Rep. I hope to go into large animal medicine, mainly because of camels. I have worked with a team of steer and pigs, not to mention cows of all different shapes and sizes.

My name is Matthew D. Clarkson and I am the Pre-Vet Club s new Activity Chair! I am a freshman in the Biomedical Pre-Vet major and I could not be more thrilled with the program.

I can not wait to work with the club and my fellow officers for what I hope to be an amazing four years!

My name is Abby Geick, a junior BMS Pre-Vet major, and I am the new vice president of the club!

I am the most interested in large animal medicine because of my love of horses and my recent involvement at the Fairchild Dairy.

I loved working with dairy cows in 4H during high school and I hope to go into large animal medicine. Hi everyone! My name is Galina Kinsella and I'm the new representative for the class of 2015.

10 My name is Matthew D. Clarkson and I am the Pre-Vet Club s new Activity Chair! I am a freshman in the Biomedical Pre-Vet major and I could not be more thrilled with the program. In high school, I held nine separate officer positions in assorted clubs and could not be more humbled to be elected as a freshman to our officer team. I can not wait to work with the club and my fellow officers for what I hope to be an amazing four years! I am attending Shoals this upcoming summer and also plan working with wildlife through undergrad to help reach my goal of a working as a veterinarian in wildlife rehabilitation. My name is Abby Geick, a junior BMS Pre-Vet major, and I am the new vice president of the club! I have been the historian for the past few years and I wanted to take on a more involved role in the club. I am the most interested in large animal medicine because of my love of horses and my recent involvement at the Fairchild Dairy. My name is Peyton Waddicor I am a freshman BMS major and the new treasurer of the UNH preveterinary club. I am very excited to be a part of the officer team and to get involved in the club. I loved working with dairy cows in 4H during high school and I hope to go into large animal medicine. Hi everyone! My name is Galina Kinsella and I'm the new representative for the class of I've been in Pre-Vet club since I've been at UNH, but always wanted an officer position, so I thought it was a great way to get involved! I've done internships with pretty much every sort of animal since being here, from cows to alligators. I'm most interested in wildlife and aquatic veterinary medicine, but hope to further explore other areas before I graduate! My name is Samantha Gertz and I am a Junior BMS: MVS major with a minor in Dairy Management and the new PVC Secretary. I have been in PVC since my freshman year, but have always wanted an officer position, so I was quick to jump on the opportunity. I am pursuing a career in mixed animal medicine, though I have a special interest in horses, having worked with and owned them for many years. My ultimate goal is to own my own veterinary practice! If anyone has any questions, especially about the dairy or horse barns, feel free to ask!

What We ve Been Up To

What We ve Been Up To Pre Vet Experience Name: Misha Where was it? Lunenburg Veterinary Hospital Was it a Job, Internship, or Volunteer position? Job How long were you/have you been there? All summer and 4 weeks of winter break