Grateful Client Philanthropy and Veterinary Medicine: Experiences at North Carolina State University.

The historical reliance of state and federal funds as a sole source of veterinary educational activities has created a funding gap at many academic institutions. Due to declining resources, philanthropy has become an important source of financial support for veterinary colleges in the United States. In particular, for academic institutions with veterinary hospitals, grateful client philanthropy has been an increasingly important area of resource growth. Philanthropic gifts support innovative research, scholarship and capital, and programmatic initiatives. Areas of giving are often geared towards major infrastructure gifts and naming opportunities, faculty endowment, student scholarships, and other gift opportunities. This review provides an overview of grateful client philanthropy at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and explores the various giving opportunities and challenges of donor giving in veterinary medicine. (129/200).

Effects of cold compression, bandaging, and microcurrent electrical therapy after cranial cruciate ligament repair in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To compare 4 therapeutic techniques to reduce soft tissue swelling after cranial cruciate ligament repair in the dog. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: Twenty-four dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR). METHODS: Dogs with naturally occurring CCLR, were surgically repaired by an extracapsular technique and randomly divided into 4 treatment groups (cold compression [CC], modified Robert Jones bandage [B], cold compression and bandage [CCB], and microcurrent electrical therapy and bandage [METB]) each with 6 dogs. Data were collected at 2 time points, the morning after surgery before the 1st treatment and 72 hours later after the last treatment. Limb girth was measured at 3 anatomic locations to assess soft tissue swelling and all affected limbs were evaluated for presence (or absence) of pitting edema and bruising. Analysis of covariance was used to determine effect of treatment on the percent change in circumference. Duncan's multiple-range test was used to determine differences in treatment groups circumferential percent change over 72 hours. Statistical significance was set at P<.05. RESULTS: Use of a Robert Jones bandage had the least effect on reducing postoperative soft tissue swelling with CC, METB, and CCB being equally effective in reducing swelling by 72 hours after surgery. CONCLUSION: Use of cold compresses alone or with a bandage, or using microcurrent electrical therapy in combination with a bandage decreases soft tissue swelling over 72 hours more than a bandaging alone after extracapsular repair of CCLR. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: CC, METB, and CCB should be considered as viable options to limit soft tissue swelling after extracapsular repair of CCLR in dogs.

Comparison of short- and long-term function and radiographic osteoarthrosis in dogs after postoperative physical rehabilitation and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy or lateral fabellar suture stabilization.

OBJECTIVES: To compare short- and long-term functional and radiographic outcome of cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) injury in dogs treated with postoperative physical rehabilitation and either tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) or lateral fabellar suture stabilization (LFS). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational clinical study. ANIMALS: Medium to large breed dogs with naturally occurring CrCL injury (n=65). METHODS: Dogs with CrCL injury were treated with either TPLO or LFS and with identical physical rehabilitation regimes postoperatively. Limb peak vertical force (PVF) was measured preoperatively and at 3, 5, and 7 weeks, and 6 months and 24 months postoperatively. Stifles were radiographically assessed for osteoarthrosis (OA) preoperatively and 24 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Thirty-five dogs had LFS and 30 dogs had TPLO. Radiographic OA scores were significantly increased at 24 months compared with preoperative scores in all dogs. Radiographic OA scores preoperatively and at 24 months were not significantly different between treatment groups. PVF was significantly increased from preoperative to 24 months among both treatment groups but not significantly different between treatment groups preoperatively or at 3, 5, 7 weeks, 6, or 24 months. CONCLUSION: No significant difference in outcome as determined by ground reaction forces or radiographic OA scores were found between dogs with CrCL injury treated with LFS or TPLO. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: LFS and TPLO remain good options for stabilizing stifles with CrCL injury with all dogs showing significant functional improvement. This study does not support the superiority of either surgical technique.

Preparedness and disaster response training for veterinary students: literature review and description of the North Carolina State University Credentialed Veterinary Responder Program.

The nation's veterinary colleges lack the curricula necessary to meet veterinary demands for animal/public health and emergency preparedness. To this end, the authors report a literature review summarizing training programs within human/veterinary medicine. In addition, the authors describe new competency-based Veterinary Credential Responder training at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU CVM). From an evaluation of 257 PubMed-derived articles relating to veterinary/medical disaster training, 14 fulfilled all inclusion requirements (nine were veterinary oriented; five came from human medical programs). Few offered ideas on the core competencies required to produce disaster-planning and response professionals. The lack of published literature in this area points to a need for more formal discussion and research on core competencies. Non-veterinary articles emphasized learning objectives, commonly listing an incident command system, the National Incident Management System, teamwork, communications, and critical event management/problem solving. These learning objectives were accomplished either through short-course formats or via their integration into a larger curriculum. Formal disaster training in veterinary medicine mostly occurs within existing public health courses. Much of the literature focuses on changing academia to meet current and future needs in public/animal health disaster-preparedness and careers. The NCSU CVM program, in collaboration with North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service, Emergency Programs and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health, operates as a stand-alone third-year two-week core-curriculum training program that combines lecture, online, experiential, and group exercises to meet entry-level federal credentialing requirements. The authors report here its content, outcomes, and future development plans.

Rehabilitation of medical and acute care patients.

Cancer and serious systemic illness result in several physiologic changes that involve multiple body systems. While the primary conditions are addressed with traditional modalities of medicine, the side effects, secondary changes, and complications can be ameliorated or even prevented with rehabilitation and supportive care. This article reviews problems facing the oncologic and critically ill animal, discusses basic techniques in the management of these animals, and highlights the essential role of rehabilitation in obtaining maximal functional capacity in the critically ill patient.

Pre- and postoperative radiographic and computed tomographic evaluation of dogs with medial patellar luxation.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify, using radiographic and computed tomographic (CT) techniques, the effects of surgical procedures most commonly combined to treat dogs with medial patellar luxation (MPL). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: Six dogs with 8 MPL were studied. Radiographs and CT of the pelvic limbs were obtained before and immediately after soft-tissue reconstruction, trochlear wedge recession, and tibial crest transposition. Radiographic measurements included angle of inclination, Norberg angle, quadriceps angle (QA), anteversion angle, ratio of the length of the patellar tendon (PT) to the length of the patella, and change in patella tendon angle. CT measurements included angle of inclination, Norberg angle, QA, anteversion angle, depth of the femoral trochlear groove, ratio of the middle femoral trochlear groove depth to the patella thickness, and tibial crest alignment. RESULTS: Conformation of the coxofemoral joint was not affected by surgery. Surgical treatment corrected the QA by 33-58%. Trochlear wedge recession was most effective in deepening the proximal trochlea by 103.5%. The ratio of the middle femoral trochlear groove depth to the thickness of the patella postoperatively resulted in 50% coverage of the patella. Tibial crest transposition resulted in caudalization of the PT by 8.5+/-3.0 degrees, with lateralization of the tibial tuberosity of 11.3 degrees. CONCLUSION: The effects of surgery for MPL can be quantified with radiographic and CT measurements. Surgical correction restored the alignment of the quadriceps and adequately deepened the femoral trochlear groove. Tibial crest transposition resulted in caudalization of the patella tendon and lateralization of the tibial tuberosity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These pilot data quantified the effects of surgical procedures most commonly combined to treat MPL. We hope to use these measurements to correlate surgical treatment with functional outcome and postoperative occurrence of luxation.

Basic mammalian bone anatomy and healing.

The goal of any method of fracture repair should be the early return to function of the patient with minimum postoperative morbidity. This is accomplished most optimally by having a basic understanding of the biology of bone healing and by being familiar with the musculoskeletal system of the species before attempting fracture repair. Applying the fundamental principles of mammalian bone anatomy and physiology to the bird ensures the best prognosis possible and minimizes postoperative complications in the avian patient.