Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Bryan and other departments, including Dr. Lee, Dr. Hinz, Dr. Cremer, Dr. Beasley, and Dr. Scott Rush, through combined efforts, were able to assist Mississippi Wildlife in evaluating a juvenile bald eagle, guiding its treatment, and ultimately contributing to its rehabilitation and release.

On Tuesday, Dr. Scott Rush from the University's Forestry and Wildlife Department reached out regarding a juvenile bald eagle in need of urgent evaluation. It had been found grounded alongside a companion, which unfortunately succumbed to disease after the storm on Monday night. Despite facing challenges such as federal approval, patient and staff safety, timing, and funding constraints, our team remained resilient and resourceful, ensuring that the necessary evaluations and treatments were carried out effectively.

The primary objective was to stabilize the bird for the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Mississippi Wildlife and to assess the severity of its condition to guide treatment at the rehab facility. With approval from Resee Collins, the Southeast Region Eagle & Rehabilitation Permit Coordinator, the team proceeded to evaluate the bird prior to its transport to the permitted rehabber. Dr. Rush facilitated blood sampling, revealing lead toxicosis, and provided invaluable assistance with restraint. Subsequently, Drs. Hinz and Cremer collaborated to anesthetize the eagle for radiographs, with Dr. Lee's expertise in avian radiography proving instrumental in minimizing anesthesia duration. Dr. Bryan played a pivotal role in coordinating approvals for the bird's admission to our hospital, despite funding challenges.

Despite encountering funding limitations, the plan was adapted to ensure the rehabbers received essential diagnostic information for the bird's appropriate treatment. Dr. Beasley provided approval for this modified approach, enabling them to proceed with the necessary evaluations.

Subsequent procedures, including anesthesia administered by Dr. Grace McBride (Anesthesia Resident) and radiographic examinations conducted by Dr. Campbell (Radiology Resident), yielded crucial insights, confirming the absence of lead ingestion and fractures. Although the eagle's recovery was slower than ideal, Dr. Cremer's interventions facilitated a successful outcome. The bird was transported later that evening, and subsequent reports from the rehabbers indicate its positive progress, with plans for supportive care and possible renesting.

Good job to this team🦅

AABP Have You Herd? Podcast – Epi. 201 – Case-control Study to Identify Management Practices Associated with Morbidity or Mortality Due to Bovine Anaplasmosis in Mississippi Cow-calf Herds

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Isaac Jumper, Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine to discuss the paper “Case-control study to identify management practices associated with morbidity or mortality due to bovine anaplasmosis in Mississippi cow-calf herds” published in the Bovine Practitioner and available open-access in the online first edition. Jumper starts by discussing bovine anaplasmosis and the challenges associated with its control in cow-calf herds.

The objective of this study was to determine if management practices, such as feeding chlortetracycline (CTC), are associated with illness or death from bovine anaplasmosis in Mississippi cow-calf herds. We discuss some of the epidemiologic terms used in the paper and the results of the study. This study found that providing CTC was associated with case herd status and Jumper provides some possible explanations for this finding. Veterinarians should routinely review protocols, especially antimicrobial protocols for treatment, prevention and control of disease, to optimize antimicrobial stewardship and animal health.

Jumper, W. I., Huston, C. L., & Smith, D. R. (2024). Case-control study to identify management practices associated with morbidity or mortality due to bovine anaplasmosis in Mississippi cow-calf herds. The Bovine Practitioner, 58(2), 16–22. https://bovine-ojs-tamu.tdl.org/bovine/article/view/9014

Listen to this episode directly at https://www.buzzsprout.com/814177/15231401, and search for other Have You Herd? podcasts at https://www.buzzsprout.com/814177; listen on your favorite podcast platform.

Get to know Robin Graves!

When concerned pet owners bring their beloved animals to Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, oftentimes there are difficult health issues that have led to the visit. In the midst of hard times, CVM clients are often comforted by Robin Graves.

Robin considers it an honor to be there to help in any way she can. For two and a half years, she’s been working in the new role of client advocate. She serves as a liaison between clients and staff by assessing client needs and conveying pertinent patient information.

“I build relationships with our clients. When they’re worried, I try to make them feel less anxious,” Graves said. “A lot of times, I’m a listening ear.”

She said CVM clients come from all over the Southeast for a broad range of diagnoses and treatments. It’s not unusual for someone to drive a great distance to bring their small or large animal to the university’s comprehensive veterinary hospital, where she said many of the faculty are board certified specialists in their fields.

After spending much of her career in student admissions and enrollment marketing, Graves quickly puts on her “recruiter hat” when she talks with someone who may have a family member interested in enrolling at MSU. She also likes to give CVM tours and tout the great education vet students receive.

“I do think our students get the best preparation possible for becoming a veterinarian because they get the two full years of hands-on, clinical experience. When our students graduate, they are practice ready,” Graves said.

Her work includes a variety of additional responsibilities, including planning and executing the CVM Career Expo for veterinary practitioners, employers, managers and other animal-health professionals who wish to recruit DVM and veterinary medical technology students and graduates for employment.

Graves also leads monthly orientation sessions with third- and fourth-year students as they rotate through various clinical service areas. In addition, she is planning the annual orientation for new residents and interns this summer.

A native of Winona, Graves is a lifelong Bulldog who earned both an MSU bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s in counseling/student development in higher education. After gaining some elementary classroom teaching experience and some student affairs leadership involvement at a few different institutions, Graves got the chance to fulfil her dream of working at her alma mater beginning in 2010.

Living in Starkville made it convenient for her two sons to attend MSU for college, and now she’s entering a new phase in life with eldest son Wesley (sports administration, 2023) and youngest Tanner (finance, 2024) both becoming new MSU alumni who are launching their careers.

“Our whole family are Bulldogs through and through, so it has been meaningful to come back and work where I graduated,” Graves said.

In addition to working in the environment she loves, Graves said it’s important to serve her university by taking care of what matters. As the veterinary medical faculty, students and staff attend to their animal patients’ healthcare needs, she gets to take care of the “pet parents” who brought and care deeply for their “four-legged children.”

Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Vet Camp 2024 wrapped up on Sunday...we think these campers had a great time learning about all things Vet Med!

REGISTRATION IS LIVE! Employers can now register for our CVM Career Expo! This annual event has grown every year since its inception, both in employer attendance and in student participation. Come join us! https://msstate-csm.symplicity.com/employers/

MSU faculty appointed to national boards advising U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Congress Two Mississippi State University faculty members are serving on national boards that provide insight and advice to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Congress.

We have some chemo graduates to celebrate🥳 Congratulations to Ginger, Bella, and Lily!

Here's to our future vets! !

MSU Vet Camp participants listen to Jessica Styres of Madison, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student, as she explains the university’s Shelter Medicine program. Each summer, MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine offers a series of fun, educational camps for young students ages 10 to 17, many who have dreams of one day becoming a veterinarian, veterinary technician, scientist or employee in an animal-focused career. The hands-on experience, led by CVM professors and current vet students, features a variety of interactive labs.

Today is National Rescue Dog Day! The importance of this day is to bring awareness to the countless number of amazing dogs in shelters around the country who deserve a second chance at a fur-ever home. If you have a rescue dog, drop a picture of him/her in the comments!🐾

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are on the road to recovery thanks to GCAHFS scientists and Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine students who received hands-on experience with sea turtle examination techniques. Read more here: https://www.gcahfs.msstate.edu/news/2024/05/road-recovery.

Veterinarians 🤝🏼 Meteorologists

Our Student Chapter Disaster Animal Response Team (SCDART) had the opportunity to connect with Meteorologist Grace Anello to learn about different weather situations and caring for animals in different circumstances. This is a great example of how veterinarians and other career fields can work together to help a community!

Banda named executive director of Mississippi Veterinary Research and Diagnostic Laboratory System The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Dr. Alejandro Banda is the new executive director of the Mississippi Veterinary Research and Diagnostic Laboratory System, or MVRDLS.

Today is Spotlight Saturday! ✨

Learn how Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine has a long history of emphasizing the graduation of practice-ready veterinarians who are capable and confident in their clinical skills: https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.24.03.0164

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 students who have completed the Vet Tech program and were recognized at the pinning ceremony today!

Another congratulations to the MSU CVM Class of 2024🥳

This year at the Southeastern Veterinary Pathology Conference, Mississippi State was well represented with 11 presentations, which was 3rd most of the 11 attending veterinary schools. We had 6 veterinary students, 3 anatomic and clinical pathology residents, 1 graduate student, and 1 clinical instructor give presentations.

Way to represent MSU CVM!

May the fourth be with you…and your pets🌌

Today is Spotlight Saturday! ✨

Learn how Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine is at the forefront of researching antimicrobial stewardship to protect and improve the health of diverse animal species: jav.ma/msstatevetmed

Today's a great day because we have THREE chemo graduates: Jake, Farrah, and Paris🥳 Way to go, Team Onco as well as Pharmacy and Diagnostic Imaging!

Today, we inducted 20 students from the Class of 2024 and Class of 2023 to the Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Society. They were all inducted at a ceremony this morning to honor this incredible achievement.

Congratulations, future doctors!

Today is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day🐱🐶

One way MSU CVM contributes to helping shelter pets find a home is through our Shelter Medicine Program! The impact of the program is significant for the animals, shelters, students and, ultimately, communities across Mississippi and other states. The great benefit for the shelters is the increase in adoption of sterilized dogs and cats, which in turn results in decreasing shelter intake, decreased shelter populations and decreased euthanasia rates.

The Class of 2026 will be starting clinical rotations today! All smiles for this group of future doctors!

Our very own Dr. Tekedar recently received the Alumni Association Outstanding Graduate Mentor award!

MSU honors university faculty, staff with excellence in teaching, advising awards Mississippi State is honoring exceptional faculty and staff with annual awards for their outstanding teaching, mentoring and advising of students at the university.

As the Texas cattle industry navigates the outbreak of HPAI in cattle, MSU CVM Alum, Dr. Alexis Thompson is at the forefront of sample collection and case-specific diagnostic plans.

Dr. Thompson graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 2015. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2019, completed a residency in Population and Preventative Medicine in 2022, and earned a PhD in 2023, all from Mississippi State University.

She currently serves as the bovine veterinary diagnostician at Texas A&M's Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in Canyon, Texas. Thompson fulfills TVMDL’s service mission through outreach, education, and offering testing guidance and coordination to the laboratory’s food animal clients.

We have several Thank Yous to hand out for the incredible support of our Open House last weekend! The following businesses helped to sponsor Open House:

BluePearl Pet Hospital
Dollywood
arepascoffeebar
Blue River PetCare
Pella Veterinary Apparel and Supplies
Udder Tech Inc.
The Coffee Depot
Taste Italian Kitchen

We couldn't have pulled it off without your generous help!