NC University Researchers Design Hardware, Software that can Train DogsMay 2, 2016North Carolina State University researchers have developed and used a customized suite of technologies that allows a computer to train a dog autonomously, with the computer effectively responding to the dog based on the dog’s body language. “Our approach can be used to train dogs efficiently and effectively,&rdquo犀利士 ; said David Roberts, an assistant professor of computer science at NC State and co-author of a paper on the work. “We use sensors in custom dog harnesses to monitor a dog’s posture, and the computer reinforces the correct behavior quickly and with near-perfect consistency.” “Because the technology integrates fundamental principles of animal learning into a computational system, we are confident it can be applied to a wide range of canine behaviors,” said Alper Bozkurt, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and co-author of the paper. “For example, it could be used to more quickly train service dogs. Ultimately, we think the technology will be used in conjunction with human-directed training.” The dog harness fits comfortably onto the dog and is equipped with a variety of technologies that can monitor the dog’s posture …
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April 2016 Issue: Letters to the EditorApril 29, 2016Hybrids, Mixed Breeds, Blends and Purebreds When I read that “hybrid is defined as the progeny of two purebred dogs” [“When breeds cross, hybrid dogs appear,” January 2016], I had to check the cover of your publication to make sure that I was reading a professional publication called Veterinary Practice News and not some lay press pet magazine of puppy photos and feel-good dog stories. Our clients already are confused enough about the definition of purebred, crossbred, mixed breed and mutt without muddying the waters further by making up new definitions to words that already have long-standing scientific meanings. A hybrid is the progeny of two different species. Dog breeds are artificial constructs from selective breeding directed by humans. As a veterinarian, I have my personal reservations about the wisdom of selective breeding and its impact on the overall health of purebred animals, but I do know that breeders work to select across many generations to produce the breed traits desired, a process that is regulated by breed associations and peer reviewed through judging and showing. Some breed associations have been on the forefront of developing tests to reveal genetic disorders in …
Letters to the Editor: May 2016 IssueApril 29, 2016Confronting a Complex Issue I am compelled to write in response to your article “Confronting Suicide” [March 2016] by Dr. Lou Anne Wolfe. First, I would like to say that I do not know any of the deceased referenced in the article, and I write only of my personal experiences as a veterinarian. The article not only misrepresented veterinary professionals but also discredited the profession by stating that veterinarians “are not used to failing” as one explanation for suicide. I would venture to guess that most veterinarians would agree that that statement is a gross misrepresentation of the problems we face and in no way begins to explain why someone would take his or her life. It’s not about failing; it’s about real problems inherent in veterinary medicine. For example, there is a complete lack of a support system among veterinary professionals, particularly if one is a solo practitioner, like me. For those of us involved with rescues and shelters, there’s the endless stream of neglected and homeless animals, what sometimes seems like a hopeless animal overpopulation problem, compassion fatigue, long hours and intense physical demands, juggling client money …
Tennessee Vet College to Host Equine Podiatry ConferenceApril 29, 2016The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine will host its third annual Equine Podiatry Conference in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 21. The conference is geared for veterinarians and farriers. Continuing education credits are available. Topics will include body condition scoring, Palmar Foot Pain and farrier techniques for managing the condition. A pre-conference workshop covering the anatomy and physiology of the foot will be held May 20 from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Speakers slated for the conference: Scott Plesant, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, a professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. He is a board-certified surgeon and currently serves as Director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Equine Podiatry Service, as a member of the Equine Field Service Section, and as the college’s Equine Extension Liaison. His clinical and research interests include equine podiatry, lameness and nutrition. Travis Burns, a lecturer and the chief of Farrier Services at Virginia Tech. He attended farrier school at the North Carolina School of Horseshoeing and received a bachelor’s degree in animal science from North Carolina State University. Burns worked at the university’s College of …
Florida Veterinary Student Named 2016 National Winner of the Bayer Excellence in Communication AwardApril 28, 2016Bayer Animal Health today announced that Brittany Martabano, a senior from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, is the national winner of the Bayer Excellence in Communication Award (BECA). Brittany was selected from entries representing 27 veterinary schools, which were awarded a total of $70,000 in scholarship funds through the 2016 competition. Over the last four years, Bayer has provided a total of $232,500 in scholarship awards through the BECA communication program. Incorporating effective communication skills in veterinary practice, as well as other medical professions, has long been recognized as one of the main tasks in delivering comprehensive medical care to patients. BECA, established to recognize effective communication in the veterinary profession, rewards veterinary students who are executing this critical core skill that needs to be taught and learned to the same degree as other clinical skills. The competition challenged students to submit a filmed interview between themselves and a veterinary client in a clinical setting. A panel of faculty judges at each participating school selected a winner using a scorecard developed by nationally renowned …
Texas Vet College Receives Accreditation RenewalApril 28, 2016The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education (COE) recently awarded the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences full accreditation for the next seven years. Eleanor M. Green, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ABVP, the Carl B. King dean of veterinary medicine, announced the accreditation renewal to the college in late April. “Achieving this benchmark in a college with a rich 100-year history during its centennial is especially meaningful,” Dr. Green said. “This designation speaks to the superb quality of the only college of veterinary medicine in the state of Texas, constantly striving for excellence. This is a resounding endorsement of the quality of the faculty, staff and students upon which all programs depend, as well as the leadership of Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M University System and the Board of Regents. The knowledge of the CVM and support by the leadership has been essential.” Green said that during the AVMA COE accreditation site visit exit interview the accreditation team commented on the CVM’s positive learning and working environment and complimented the faculty, staff and students. The team also noted the strong research program and success in engaging students …
Veterinary Professionals Gather to Discuss Ways to Lower Vet Student DebtApril 27, 2016Student debt is an increasingly critical issue for the entire veterinary profession, and how to reduce that debt and improve the overall economic picture for young veterinarians was the focus of a summit called "FIX THE DEBT…Our Future, Our Responsibility" held at Michigan State University last week. Summit attendees put forth a number of recommendations, including: Streamlining curricula Increasing scholarship opportunities Boosting starting salaries Lobbying federal lawmakers for legislation for lower interest rates on student loans Creating a national plan for reducing the debt-to-income ratio The summit, organized jointly by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) and the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, brought together approximately 180 individuals from across the veterinary spectrum. The collective goal over the three-day summit was to agree on specific strategies to address the many facets of this complex challenge, with the goal of reducing the debt-to-income ratio. The debt-to-income ratio is an indicator of the financial health of the veterinarian entering the profession, and it currently stands at about 2:1, representing a level of educational debt approximately …
Green Sea Turtle Undergoes Surgery at Perth ZooApril 27, 2016 A Green Sea Turtle at the Perth Zoo in Australia is undergoing surgery to remove two Fibropapilloma lesions that are on her neck. “They are a benign growth which is caused by the herpes virus which is specific for sea turtles,” Perth Zoo Veterinarian Katja Geschke told The Western Australian. The turtle was found in March at Rottnest Island, an island off the western coast of Australia. She was in poor condition, so she was eventually taken to Perth Zoo, and then the Bunbury Dolphin Discovery Centre. There, she was nursed back to health until she could have surgery. After her surgery, the Green Seat Turtle will spend a couple more days at Perth Zoo before going back to the Centre. Once there, she'll undergo rehabiliation until she is fit to return to the wild. While a turtle often seen in Western Australian waters, Green Sea Turtles are endangered.
These Veterinary Practice Signs Will Leave You LolingApril 27, 2016PawMyGosh put together a collage of great veterinary practice signs in their article "These Hilariously Clever Veterinarian Signs Will Have You In Stitches!" Check out the ones featured. Which ones are your favorites? 1) There's this dog joke. 2) *ba dum tish* 3) I see what you did there. 4) There's a reason it's called the Cone of Shame. 5) Just keeping dancing! 6) The "Pug" Life 7) This is why you don't gamble. 8) Another *ba dum tish* 9) Watch your feet.
Study Shows that Canine AD Shares Significant Features of Human ADApril 27, 2016Atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic inflammatory skin condition and the most common form of eczema, is estimated to afflict as much as 10 percent of the U.S. population, and is much more common now than it was 50 years ago. Veterinary clinical estimates also show that approximately 10 percent of dogs have atopic dermatitis. How AD arises isn’t yet fully understood, but a new study from researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine, have uncovered important insights about the association of AD in dogs compared to humans. The study appears online in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. To a greater extent than mouse models, canine AD shares important features of the human version. For example, in both humans and dogs AD has been linked to abnormal blooms of Staphyloccocusbacteria on the skin – mostly Staphyloccocus aureus in humans, and Staphyloccocus pseudintermedius in dogs. In the study, the research team, comprised of veterinary dermatologists, microbiologists, pathologists and primary scientists, tracked the bacterial populations, or “microbiomes,” on dogs’ skin, …
