Vet Class Notes Spring 2024

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Scene of a sunny field, with three people walking down a mud path to the right. White text overlays the image and reads

Updates from fellow alumni

 

Front cover of Vet Record, featuring lead article on Rabbit Welfare and Housing

Grace Mee (BVSc 2022) is now a Veterinary Surgeon based in London. Grace has a particular interest in small animal health, welfare and education and was awarded Rabbit Student of the Year at the Burgess Excel Veterinary Awards 2021. She has recently obtained a new certification, Wiley Top Downloaded Paper. Her paper explores adequate rabbit housing provision in the UK and has received enough downloads to rank within the top 10% papers published in the Veterinary Record.

Jasmin Paris (BVSc 2008) has become the first female runner to complete the Barkley Marathon, aka the “world’s toughest race’. Jasmin crossed the line with 99 seconds to spare before the 60-hour cut-off. She hopes to inspire women worldwide, “not just runners - but any woman that wants to take on a challenge and maybe doesn't have the confidence”. You can also read a previous article featuring Jasmin and some of her memories of vet school.

Colin (BVSc 1998) and Lizzy Whiting (BVSc 2001) have opened Beacon VetCare, an independent two-site community, referral and emergency practice in Cornwall. Their main hub has three operating theatres and CT as well two ensuite bedrooms specifically for EMS students and an 'Education and Inspiration' classroom for visiting schools. The practice has 34 staff and RVN Jade Pascoe joins Colin and Lizzy as Directors.

Arthur Kwena (MSc Veterinary Parasitology 1994) has written in to share: “After graduation in 1994, I returned to my home country of Kenya to continue working as a Research Scientist in Biochemistry. Two years later, I changed direction and joined Moi University as a Lecturer in the Department of Medical Biochemistry (School of Medicine). I registered and obtained my PhD from Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya having done part of my research work at University Hospital Nijmegen in the Netherlands and Kenya Medical Research Institute. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2009, Associate Professor in 2013, and Professor in 2023. The University of Liverpool played a big part in moulding me into who I am today. A research culture was instilled in me that made me see life from a different perspective. My classmates at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine were drawn from various parts of the Globe: South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. This enabled me to appreciate humanity at large. I have lost touch with most of them, although I clearly remember Dr Hellen Cross who remained at the University of Liverpool as staff. Lord Professor Sandy Trees will always remain in my mind as a person who gave me a chance to shape my life to who I am today. Long live the University of Liverpool!”

 

Staff Updates

 

Headshot of Professor Cathy McGowan

Professor Cathy McGowan is to retire at the beginning of April this year. Cathy has made many critically important contributions to the School of Veterinary Science since originally joining the Department of Equine Clinical Science in 2008. Since then, Cathy has served as Head of Department, Head of the Veterinary Postgraduate Unit and Head of Veterinary Education. Cathy has been awarded the title of Emeritus Professor by the University and will continue to work with the Veterinary Postgraduate Unit. We wish Cathy well in her retirement and express our gratitude and congratulations on behalf of the many alumni she has taught and worked with over the years.

Congratulations to School of Veterinary Science staff who have recently had papers published:

Population, distribution, biomass, and economic value of Equids in Ethiopia.

Asteraye GB, Pinchbeck G, Knight-Jones T, Saville K, Temesgen W, Hailemariam A, Rushton J. PLoS One. 2024 Mar 22;19(3):e0295388. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295388. eCollection 2024.PMID: 38517857

Updated ACVIM consensus statement on equine herpesvirus-1.

Lunn DP, Burgess BA, Dorman DC, Goehring LS, Gross P, Osterrieder K, Pusterla N, Soboll Hussey G.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Mar 18. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17047. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38497217

 Prevalence, clinical presentation, and etiology of myelopathies in 224 juvenile dogs.

Pilkington EJ, De Decker S, Skovola E, Cloquell Miro A, Gutierrez Quintana R, Faller KME, Aguilera Padros A, Goncalves R.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Mar 14. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17045. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38483074

Prognosis in meningoencephalitis of unknown origin in dogs: Risk factors associated with survival, clinical relapse, and long-term disability.

Gonçalves R, De Decker S, Walmsley G, Maddox TW.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Mar 14. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17037. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38483069

Setting clinically relevant thresholds for the notification of canine disease outbreaks to veterinary practitioners: an exploratory qualitative interview study.

Tamayo Cuartero C, Szilassy E, Radford AD, Newton JR, Sánchez-Vizcaíno F. Front Vet Sci. 2024 Feb 28;11:1259021. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1259021. eCollection 2024.PMID: 38482169

Magnetic resonance imaging prognostic factors for survival and relapse in dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin.

Gonçalves R, De Decker S, Walmsley G, Maddox TW. Front Vet Sci. 2024 Feb 28;11:1370882. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1370882. eCollection 2024.PMID: 38482167

Economic assessment of an intervention strategy to reduce antimicrobial usage in small-scale chicken farms in Vietnam.

Bao TD, Van Cuong N, Mai NN, Ha LTT, Phu DH, Kiet BT, Carrique-Mas J, Rushton J. One Health. 2024 Mar 2;18:100699. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100699. eCollection 2024 Jun. PMID: 38496339

Knowledge, perceptions, and exposure to bats in communities living around bat roosts in Bundibugyo district, Uganda: implications for viral haemorrhagic fever prevention and control.

Ninsiima LR, Nyakarahuka L, Kisaka S, Atuheire CG, Mugisha L, Odoch T, Romano JS, Klein J, Mor SM, Kankya C.BMC Infect Dis. 2024 Mar 14;24(1):311. doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-09162-x.PMID: 38486158

 

Celebrating Veterinary Cardiology

 

Smiling female vet, accompanied by text:

In February we were delighted to catch-up with five alumni who are passionate about veterinary cardiology. Thank you to all those who kindly contributed. You can read their profiles here: Ana Almeida Warren (BVSc 2020), Julie Hamilton-Elliott (BVSc 2011), Chris Linney (BVSc 2007), Elizabeth Bode (BVSc 2006) and Karen Blissitt (BVSc 1982).

 

Have you got an update, a photograph or a memory you would like to share with your fellow alumni? Send your updates to ulvaa@liverpool.ac.uk.