EI aims to leverage the inherent creativity of UW-Madison’s world-class faculty and staff in the creation of innovative approaches to curriculum and research that will help the university become more self-sufficient. To help kick start the process, the campus issued a request for proposals for novel instructional approaches that would not only enhance and expand student learning opportunities but also create savings or new sources of revenue.

Following an extensive review process that involved 80 proposals from 53 departments and 14 schools, colleges, and units, 21 were ultimately chosen to receive funding, including two proposals submitted by faculty and staff from the SVM.

Virtual Center Expands Reach of School, Advances Well-Being of Cattle

“Creating a Virtual Center for Advanced Instruction in Techniques and Tools to Enhance the Well-Being of Dairy Cows and Calves” garnered $37,100 in start-up funds to create a virtual, online instructional center for advanced dairy cattle medicine.

Cook

“The center will deliver comprehensive clinical information, state-of-the art techniques, and practical tools in a modular, online format,” says Nigel Cook, associate professor and chair in the Department of Medical Sciences and lead author on the proposal.

The modules will cover infectious, production, and reproductive diseases and the management of adult cattle and dairy calves. They will be presented in an interactive style—via desktop computers and mobile devices—in short segments that users can compile into custom modules.

“This will make the content viewable in the classroom, the farm kitchen, the coffee shop, and the airport lounge—wherever they can fit online learning into their busy days,” says Cook.

Fourth-year students in the SVM will get first crack at the modules, which will be incorporated into their clinical rotations, recently redesigned to accommodate evolving student learning needs and online technology. Student feedback will help project leaders refine and market the modules.

“Eventually the modules will be self-funded through registrations and sponsorship through dairy industry partnerships,” says Cook.

The project is a highly collaborative effort involving faculty from the SVM’s Departments of Medical Sciences and Pathobiological Sciences as well as the Department of Dairy Science in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Selectives Provide More Options for Students

“A New Curriculum Model for Selectives during the DVM Program” brought in $30,000 from campus to help get an innovative curricular reform off the ground.

Maki

“The selectives were developed in response to an extensive review of the school’s core curriculum and clinical education practices,” says Lynn Maki, interim associate dean for academic affairs and lead author on the proposal.

The modular approach of the selectives provides several other distinct advantages. It will

• allow the school to add course content without requiring additional semester-long faculty and staff commitments;
• encourage alternative teaching methods that cater to a wider variety of learning styles; and
• increase classroom interaction between first-, second-, and third-year students.

Sullivan

“These are excellent opportunities for students to explore areas where they have strength and interest but little exposure,” says Maki, who worked with and clinical instructor Linda Sullivan on the project.

The selectives will be launched in the 2013-2014 academic year with a modest number of course options that will grow over time. Some will address previously unavailable topics while others will adapt topics from current elective options.

Nik Hawkins

The winning team from the UW School of Veterinary Medicine (left to right): Loren Heusel, Chelsea Holschbach, Megan Foy, Andrew Dietsche, Dan Haeflinger, Chelsea Crawford, Valerie Ujazdowski, Janelle Hoffman and Brittany Kern.

In its 83-year history, the Hoard’s Dairyman Cow Judging Contest has seen 5.5 million entries, and only 84 individuals have ever received a perfect score by aligning their rankings with that of the official judges. Five of those perfect scores were awarded this year, and they all went to students from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.

Nordlund

“If we can teach these students as much about the interior workings of cows as they already know about judging the outside appearance, they will become some amazing veterinarians,” says Ken Nordlund, clinical professor of food animal production medicine who served as the UW team’s coach. “We could not be more proud of them.”

The perfect scores earned the UW team the top five individual places in the contest’s senior division. Their historic performance forced a tie-breaking contest from which Chelsea Holschbach emerged as the winner. Megan Foy, Dan Haeflinger, Brittany Kern, and Chelsea Crawford earned second through fifth place, respectively.

Holschbach

Coupled with exceptional performances from Andrew Dietsche, Loren Heusel, Janelle Hoffman, and Valerie Ujazdowski, the perfect scores also propelled the UW team to a first-place finish in the contest’s collegiate division, besting 78 other teams. Each of the teammates is a member of the UW Bovine Club and all are interested in dairy or beef production medicine.

This year’s contest included nearly 19,000 entries from 49 U.S. states and eight foreign countries.

Nik Hawkins

Jessie, a 16-year-old Great Horned Owl, visits UW Veterinary Care with caretaker Steve Herdklotz. Photo by Nik Hawkins

Folklore depicts owls as old and wise, and Jessie, a Great Horned Owl from the Hoo Haven rescue in Durand, Ill., definitely fits the profile. At least 16 years old, she has lived well beyond the average lifespan of her wild brethren, and her clouded eyes, the result of an old trauma, add to her sagely mystique.

This fascinating bird paid a visit to the UW Veterinary Care Special Species Health Service in early April. Her caretakers, Karen and Steve Herdklotz, noticed she was not eating or defecating, and after a visit with their veterinarian, Jessie was referred to UW for intestinal issues.

To find the root of the problem, Dr. Christoph Mans and special species staff teamed up with radiologist Dr. Ken Waller and resident Dr. John Stein. They utilized UW Veterinary Care’s new fluoroscopy unit, which uses X-rays to take real-time, moving images of a patient’s internal organs.

A relaxed Jessie perches on the fluoroscopy machine while UW Veterinary Care experts take scans. Photo by Christoph Mans.

“The fluoroscopy unit is set up so we don’t have to hold the owl down and stress her out or risk feather damage,” says Mans. “She could basically just perch while we perform the imaging of her gastrointestinal tract.”

According to Mans, this is just one example of how the Special Species Health Service works in close cooperation with other specialty services at the hospital to provide expert care for raptors as well as other bird species, rabbits, rodents, reptiles, and many other animals.

Jessie’s scans revealed an intestinal problem that has since been resolved. Several weeks after her visit, she is doing well, and her blood work and behavior have returned to normal.

“She’s eating like a pig and she’s very alert,” says Karen Herdklotz.

Jessie perches on caretaker Karen Herdklotz’s gloved hand in a UW Veterinary Care exam room. Photo by Nik Hawkins.

As director of Hoo Haven, which rehabilitates, releases, and educates about North American wildlife, Karen Herdklotz says she works with seven different nearby veterinarians. “We could not survive without them, but they recommend UW when they have reached the limit of their knowledge or resources,” she says.

As a result, the Herdklotzes have been UW Veterinary Care clients for quite some time, bringing in everything from dogs to an eagle. “When you’re dealing with something you’re not quite sure of, you go where you can find the expertise,” she says.

A photo album of Jessie’s visit can be viewed on the UW Veterinary Care Facebook page.

Nik Hawkins

CONTACT: Christopher Snyder, 608-890-0906, snyder@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu

MADISON – In June, UW Veterinary Care will participate in the second annual American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) Service Dog Oral Health Exam program. With the help of veterinary dental specialists nationwide, the month-long event will honor guide dogs, disability assistance dogs, working and military dogs, search and rescue dogs, and other dogs who serve the public by providing them with complimentary oral healthcare examinations.

The dentistry and oral surgery service at UW Veterinary Care, the teaching hospital at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, will lend its own expertise to this cause, including the services of two veterinary dental specialists, Dr. Chris Snyder and Dr. Jason Soukup, who are diplomates of the AVDC.

Certified Veterinary Technician Jill Medenwaldt (left) and Dr. Christopher Snyder (right) perform an oral health exam on patient “Parker” Brusda.

To become AVDC dental specialists, veterinarians must complete advanced education, training, and examinations to meet the strict standards set by the AVDC. Dr. Snyder and Dr. Soukup are two of only four clinically practicing veterinary dental specialists in the state of Wisconsin who hold this distinction.

All throughout June, service dogs will be examined for signs of periodontal disease, fractured or discolored teeth, oral masses, and other oral and dental diseases that can cause pain or discomfort. Although participating specialists will not offer treatment as part of the program, if they find oral or dental abnormalities they will provide the service dog’s regular veterinarian with a recommended treatment plan. Specialists will also teach service dog owners and handlers about the benefits of preventative oral health care.

“Our dental and oral surgery team has treated service dogs in the past, and we’re well aware that oral pain can prevent these dogs from working effectively,” says Snyder. “This program aims to ensure that service dogs across the country are able to do their important work at peak efficiency, and we’re pleased to be a part of it.”

Owners and handlers of service animals who have been certified through a formal training program or are enrolled in a training program can register online between May 1 and June 15 at www.avdc.org. Once registered, owners or agents will receive a registration number and can schedule an appointment with UW Veterinary Care in June on a first-come, first-served basis.

###

-Nik Hawkins, 608-263-6914, nihawkin@vetmed.wisc.edu