OSU Veterinary Students help Community Pets

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

STILLWATER, Okla.—Students at OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences volunteered their time and veterinary skills on Saturday, April 7, to do their part in helping to control the animal population.  This cooperative event allowed students to gain a valuable learning experience while helping to make dogs from the animal shelter more adoptable.
 
Organized by Sarah Currie (Class of 2007) and Sharla Birch (Class of 2008), 15 teams of veterinary students (60 students total) gathered at 8 a.m. for the Neighborhood Neuter.  A host of interns, residents and faculty volunteered to join the group in the Junior Surgery Laboratory in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital located on campus.
 
“It’s a great learning experience for all of us,” explains Birch.  “First year students perform the physical exams and run routine blood work.  Second year students perform anesthesia during surgery.  Third and fourth year students perform spays and neuters supervised by interns, residents and faculty.”
 
Shelter dogs are brought in from neighboring communities the day before surgery.  The animals stay at the Veterinary Hospital through the weekend so students can monitor their health.  On Monday the dogs return to the shelter where, hopefully, they soon will be adopted by a loving family.  When the dogs are adopted, they will already be neutered/spayed to avoid adding to the pet overpopulation.  Three veterinary students have already decided to adopt their surgery dogs.
 
Nestle Purina sponsored Neighborhood Neuter donating $2,000 to help cover the costs of veterinary medical supplies.  Special thanks to Dianne Hudson, who coordinated the anesthesia; Dr. Jude Bordelon, who organized a team of surgeons; Dr. Susanne Short, who organized supplies and set up the surgical room and students Libby Gutting (Class of 2010) and Ryan Riddle (Class of 2009) whom helped organize informational meetings for their respective classes among many other things.  Other veterinarians assisting students during surgeries were Drs. Michelle Franklin, Jim Giles, Zach Ricker, Mark Rochat and Nicola Wilson.  
 
OSU Veterinary students have been volunteering their time and skills for more than nine years to help animal shelters control the pet population and help animals find homes.