Charlotte Donohoe

Congratulations to Charlotte Donohoe RVT, VTS(ECC) on receiving the RVT of the Year award.

The award was presented recently at this year’s Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) conference held in Toronto.

Donohoe was nominated by her peers and current members of the OAVT.  She was chosen as the recipient of this award because she displays dedication to the humane medical treatment of animals and has excelled in all aspects of her field.  Charlotte has heightened the image and recognition of registered veterinary technicians in the public and veterinary medical communities.

The OVC Book Barn has closed its doors effective March 28.

The store was operated by the University of Guelph’s Department of Hospitality Services.

Located in the OVC Lifetime Learning Centre across from the cafeteria, sit upplied students, faculty, practitioners and alumni with textbooks and up-to-date publications on a variety of topics in veterinary medicine, as well as OVC branded apparel and other merchandise.

However, the store was losing money and the decision to close was part of Hospitality Services’ efforts to streamline its operations, said David Boeckner, executive director of Hospitality Services.

Boeckner added all items that were carried in the Book Barn will continue to be available at the University Bookstore as well as online in the Bookstore e-store.

The OVC marketing and communications team wants to hear from YOU!

We’re conducting a survey to help discover how we can best deliver information and updates to you from the Ontario Veterinary College.  Please take five minutes to answer our 11-question multiple-choice questionnaire.  Your feedback and input is very important to us as we build our plans for the academic year 2015.  The survey will be posted for one week, please take part before midnight on Monday, April 7.

You’ll find the survey here.

An OVC graduate is playing a key role in helping six young Canadians pitch their ambitious ideas on how to change lives and improve life during the first Canadian Global Impact Competition on April 2.

The inaugural Canadian event will be held at the Linamar Hasenfratz Innovation Centre in Guelph from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.Dr. Adam Little

It’s one of 16 such events taking place this spring around the world. The competitions were created by California’s Singularity University (SU) to address challenges facing the world and to identify entrepreneurs, leaders, scientists and engineers whose innovations might make a difference.

The competition winner will receive tuition-free enrolment in Singularity University’s 10-week Graduate Studies Program at the prestigious NASA Research Park in the heart of Silicon Valley, California – a prize with an estimated value of $30,000 USD.

The Guelph event is sponsored in part by U of G and Innovation Guelph. It was organized by Dr. Adam Little, an OVC 2013 graduate and an alumnus of Singularity University’s 2013 Graduate Studies Program.

“Global Impact Competitions are held all over the globe, and Canada has never hosted one before,” Little said.

“I approached Innovation Guelph about hosting one here in the city and they jumped on-board, along with a number of other stakeholders. As an alumnus of both SU and Guelph, it has been an incredible opportunity to build off of the tremendous foundation the University provided and bring exposure to the amazing work happening all around us.”

One of the finalists is an OVC graduate student. Gavin Armstrong, a PhD candidate in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, is working on commercializing the Lucky Iron Fish project developed by another former Guelph graduate student Christopher Charles.

For more, see the Campus Bulletin or visit the event website. Registration is still open for the free event. Click here to register.

Veterinary practitioners from throughout the region packed the OVC Lifetime Learning Centre on Sunday for the 2014 Hill’s Nutrition Symposium.

This year’s event focused on the special nutritional needs of cats.

Speakers included Dr. Adronie Verbrugghe, who holds the Royal Canin Chair in Canine and Feline Nutrition at OVC, and Dr. Susan Little OVC ’88, owner of the Bytown Cat Hospital in Ottawa and president-elect of the American Association of Feline Practitioners.

Topics included: “Feline Feeding Management: It’s Not Just the Food,” and “Cats, Carbs and Protein: From Research to Cinical Practice.”  

There was also a pre-symposium master class offering practical “how to” advice on performing a variety of procedures on cats including feeding tubes, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, urethral catheterization, bronchoalveolar lavage using a blind technique, and thoracocentesis.

For more, see the photos on OVC’s Facebook page.

Dr. Robert Van Delst, manager of veterinary affairs for Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada, and Stefanie Sharp, OVC alumni advancement manager, greet participants at the 2014 Hill’s Nutrition Symposium.

Easter is just around the corner and your OVC United Way reps want to help you celebrate.

Buy tickets for the Easter Basket Raffle for your chance to win a basket full of treats including fresh eggs, handmade candy flower bouquet, assorted chocolates and novelty items.

To basket will be on display in the Biomedical Sciences office April 7-8, in PAHL 3840 April 9-11, and HSC Room 1450. Tickets are available from Kim Best, Biomedical Sciences; Elizabeth Gilbertson, Pathobiology; Victoria Wentzell, HSC; Darlene Findlay, OVC Dean’s Office; Elaine Smith, Clinical Studies.

Proceeds support the programs of the United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin.

Equine Guelph is offering a pair of special workshops for horse enthusiasts and professionals to help them gain first-hand knowledge and experience of horse anatomy.

Dr. Jeff Thomason, an anatomy instructor and researcher in OVC’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, leads these unique educational workshops titled “A Guided Tour of Equine Anatomy” on April 26 followed by “Advanced Equine Anatomy” on April 27.

Thomason will guide participants through plenty of hands-on exploration of the anatomy of a horse in a way most do not get to experience. An overview of the large muscle groups of the neck, trunk and legs is followed by an exploration of the abdomen and chest. The latter part of the laboratory is designed to allow individual students to explore their areas of interest in further detail. 

This one-day workshop can be followed up with a second day of advanced exploration which would allow the participants to get even more specific in learning how different systems function.  Some of the second day topics may include the mechanics of the leg or the complexities of the respiratory system.

For more information, see the poster, or contact Equine Guelph at 519-824-4120 Ext. 54205 or email horses@uoguelph.ca.

Space is limited, so register online now.

OVC graduate students are invited to participate in a Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Training Course offered this spring by Jim Bestari, supervisor of the Analytical Laboratory in the Centre for Toxicology in the School of Environmental Sciences

The GLP lectures will take place Monday and Wednesday evenings in May starting May 5.  There will be no lecture on May 19 due to the Victoria Day holiday. Each lecture will take place in Room 1118 of the Bovey Building starting at 5:30 p.m. and lasting 2 to 2.5 hours each.

The GLP training course includes assignments and evaluations and there will be a Quality Assurance guest lecture.  The cost is $460 per student and it is expected that the graduate student’s advisor will absorb this cost. 

The course will not generate academic credit but a “Record of Participation” certificate (GLP training) will be issued to all students who successfully complete the course and this can be added to your resume.  Attendance at all lectures is mandatory to be issued a certificate.  Please note that if there are fewer than six participants, the course will not be offered.

Students wishing to sign up for the course should consult with their advisor and contact Marie Vickery at 519-824-4120 Ext. 53937 or mvickery@uoguelph.ca, Room 260, Alexander Hall.  (For further information please contact Jim Bestari Ext. 58906, jbestari@uoguelph.ca). 

Please register before Monday April 28, 2014.

Tales from the Vault is excited to feature a “guest collection” this week! Since beginning this series, we have heard from a number of people who have shared their stories and artifacts with us. This week, we bring you the collection of Dr. Faith Banks. Dr. Banks graduated from the OVC in 1996 and practices in Toronto for Midtown Mobile Veterinary Services and is an associate at the Downtown Animal Hospital. Dr. Banks has provided us with several photographs of her fabulous flea powder tin collection.

From a nuisance to the carrier of deadly plagues, fleas are one of the most storied insects in history. Fleas have been featured in fairy tales and fables, paintings and music, and even in their own circuses. Controlling fleas has taken many forms and Dr. Banks’s collection reflects the various efforts to treat fleas in companion animals throughout the twentieth century.

Dr. Banks began her collection in 2004. A friend found a colourful flea powder tin as a gift and her collection took off from there. She has found many pieces for her collection on eBay and from antique stores and flea markets. Some of the brands in her collection, such as Sergeant’s and Pulvex, are still manufactured today. Some have very dramatic names, such as El Vampiro! We would like to thank Dr. Banks for sharing her collection with us!

Do you have a family member or member of your family tree who  is/was an OVC grad?  Feel free to contact us with photos, stories, copies of business ledgers/practice records, diplomas, veterinary tools or other artifacts. We’d love to hear from you! Contact Dr. Lisa Cox at coxl@uoguelph.ca.

To learn more about the history of OVC order your copy of Milestones: 150 Years of the Ontario Veterinary College here: http://www.amazon.ca/Milestones-Years-Ontario-Veterinary-College/dp/0889556016”

It’s a long-standing question and one that fascinates Stewart Russell: “How do we go from a single cell to a multi-quadrillion-celled organism?”

Learning more about early embryonic development will help satisfy some curiosity for Russell, a PhD student in biomedical science. Along the way, he expects his studies of cattle genetics and molecular biology will also help breeders and producers in Canada’s multitrillion-dollar dairy and beef industries.

Stewart Russell

Only about one out of three cattle embryos now grows beyond a blastocyst, or the stage of development consisting of a few hundred cells reached within less than a week of fertilization. Improving the odds might start with learning more about the basics.

“There are so many molecular aspects we don’t understand,” says Russell, who works with Prof. Jonathan LaMarre. They belong to the reproductive biology and development research group within the department, occupying a suite of labs in the Ontario Veterinary College.

They’re studying a molecular pathway needed for development of viable embryos. Much of their work is pioneering, says Russell. “My project is one of the only demonstrations that this path is important in early embryogenesis.”

For more, see the story in At Guelph.

Ongoing research by two OVC faculty members is supported by funding announced last week by the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.

Liz Sandals, the minister of education and MPP for Guelph-Wellington, announced a $680,000 investment in six U of G research projects.Guelph-Wellington MPP Liz Sandals announced $680,000 in funding for U of G research projects on April 4.

Among the recipients were Dr. Adronie Verbrugghe, Clinical Studies, who received $109,042 for her comparative obesity research program. Her study is aimed at providing new methods to accurately determine whole body composition and caloric needs of dogs and cats.

Dr. Eva Nagy, Pathobiology, received $88,704 to support the purchase of biocontainment isolators that will enable researchers to safely develop new and more effective vaccines to protect poultry against infectious diseases that have a significant impact on the industry.

The provincial investment matches funding commitments made earlier this year by the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

For more, see the U of G news release.

Members of the OVC community and the veterinary profession are mourning the loss of one of their dearest friends.

Gus Lagerquist died on Sunday at his home in Caledon at the age of 90. Funeral arrangements are being made through Ward Funeral Homes in Brampton. Check their website for details.

As a young man, Lagerquist studied to be a veterinarian but became an entrepreneur instead, helping many young OVC graduates start their practices along the way. Lagerquist founded Central Sales in 1953 and became a well-known and trusted distributor of veterinary products, and one of OVC’s most steadfast supporters.

In 2006, Lagerquist was named an honorary alumnus by the OVC Alumni Association.

Last summer, in honour of his 90^th birthday, OVC established a new student award. The Gus Lagerquist Five “V” Award honours Lagerquist for his outstanding contributions as a “WWII Veteran who fought for Victory” who is “Very Valued by the Veterinary profession.”

The award will be presented for the first time at convocation in June to the Phase 4 student who typifies the character and dedication demonstrated by Lagerquist, by working to build class unity and teamwork, focusing on helping others and advocating for OVC within the College and externally.

Gus Lagerquist, centre, was named an honorary OVC alumnus in 2006. Shown with Gus are his wife Peggy, left, Dr. Clayton MacKay OVC ‘70, Dr. Elizabeth Stone, and Dr. Karyn Jones OVC 2001.

Many old friendships and on-ice rivalries were renewed over the weekend at the annual OVC Alumni Hockey Tournament.

OVC’s unofficial rite of spring brought 150 participants and 12 teams from near and far, including players of all ages and abilities ranging from John McNally OVC ’70 and OVC ‘72’s Bob Saunders, Jim Mitchell, and Larry Booth; Cathy Gartley and Helen Wojcinski of OVC ’82, to many recent graduates and some current OVC students, faculty and staff.

The first-place team in the women’s division this year was OVC<92, while OVC 2013 finished on top of the open division (men & women). OVC 2013 also earned top honours for class participation.

This year’s recipients of the Al Peever Memorial Award for dedication and sportsmanship were Zbigniew and Helen Wocjinski OVC ’82. 

Many thanks to members of the tournament committee including Grant Maxie, Jim Fairles, Rob Tremblay, Kevin Kennaley, Brad Hanna, Mark Gemmill, Christine Coghlan, Bob Van Delst, Courtney Schott and Ryan Appleby. Special shout out to Brad Hanna for organizing referees and timekeepers; Rob Tremblay for his excellent photography; Kevin Kennaley as tournament treasurer; and Christine Coghlan and Bob Van Delst for organizing the players and teams.

Organizers also thanked the tournament sponsors including Hills Pet Nutrition, IDEXX Laboratories, OVC Alumni Association, Pet Trust, P&G Pet Care, Summit Veterinary Pharmacy and Vetoquinol.

Be sure to mark you calendars for next year. The 2015 OVC Alumni Hockey Tournament will be a special 25th anniversary edition and will take place April 17-18, 2015.

For more on the tournament, visit ovchockey.ca and the OVC Alumni Association’s Facebook page.

The top finishers in the tournament were the OVC 92 women (top) and OVC 2013. Photos by Rob Tremblay.

Microsoft has formally ended support for its Windows XP platform, says the manager of OVC’s Information Technology Services (ITS).

This means that technical assistance for Windows XP is no longer available from Microsoft, including automatic updates that help protect your PC.

Windows XP computers and the applications on them will continue to run, but new vulnerabilities discovered in the Windows XP platform will not be addressed by security updates or patches from Microsoft.  So, how can you stay protected?

1. Get a new PC

If your computer is running Windows XP there is a good chance that it is an older, lower spec computer.  Now may be a good time to consider replacing it.  ITS can provide support in purchasing and setting up a new computer.

2. Upgrade your PC

If your computer is reasonably powerful and you are not yet prepared to replace it, then you can upgrade it to a newer version of Windows.  ITS recommends Windows 7.  You will need to purchase a license to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 and backup any data you may have stored on your computer’s hard drive before upgrading.  ITS can work with you to upgrade your computer.

3. Disposal

You may have replaced your computer but decided to keep your older, Windows XP computer as a “backup” or as an additional workstation.  You may wish to consider simply disposing of it.  ITS can dispose of your old computer for you by removing and securely wiping the hard drive and submitting the computer for recycling.

What happens if my Windows XP computer is compromised?

ITS provides support for protecting your computer with anti-virus, and with virus removal.  However, if your Windows XP computer becomes compromised by a virus or other threat that cannot be reasonably removed then your computer may be disconnected from the campus network.

What about shared / kiosk computers running Windows XP

ITS is working with clients and partners throughout OVC to replace or upgrade all Windows XP computers.

Further information about the end of support for Windows XP is available from Microsoft at the following url:http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows/end-support-help.

Volunteers are needed to make the University’s 50^th anniversary celebrations and the Conversat Ball an event to remember.

The Conversat is a unique U of G tradition that has been renewed and updated with some new ideas. This formal gala evening will take place June 21.

For more information and tickets, please visit http://bit.ly/conversat.

The Conversat has been designed to be a cost-recoverable event, which means organizers have sought sponsorship and relied upon a volunteer organizing committee.

Now members of the broader University community are invited to get involved. Volunteers are required for many different tasks in the days leading up to June 21 and on the event day/evening itself. Please see job descriptions, times and locations of tasks as well as training provided at http://bit.ly/ConversatVolunteers.

The opportunity to become involved in the Conversat will be offered to University employees on a first come first serve basis. If there are still vacant volunteer postings on May 1, the opportunity will be opened to the broader community.

Some of the volunteer work must occur within regular hours of work and we ask that supervisors be flexible when considering employee requests for time off to volunteer for the Conversat.

For more information, see the poster.

Based on interpretation of the regulatory requirements and previous regulatory feedback, U of G has previously required a section 56 Exemption for controlled substances used in research only for principal investigators who did not hold a veterinary license or when the purpose of the study was focused on the substance itself.

Recent clarification from Health Canada has contraindicated this interpretation. To ensure compliance with the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Principal Investigators (including licensed veterinarians) must obtain approval through the Section 56 exemption process for use of any controlled substance that is a part of the research protocol (as outlined in the AUP). Application for the exemption must also be indicated on the OR5. Further information about Health Canada exemptions can be found at the following links:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/substancontrol/exemptions/index-eng.phphttps://www.ucalgary.ca/animalhealth/exemptions/faqhttp://umanitoba.ca/research/orec/media/Info_package_for_filling_exemption_November_2011.pdf

The exception to this occurs when an animal that is part of a research project requires unanticipated medical treatment. In this situation a licensed veterinarian can prescribe to an individual animal a controlled substance as part of a veterinarian-patient relationship.  For example, if every animal in the study will be receiving hydromorphone for pain control after a procedure that is part of the study, a veterinarian requires an exemption (i.e. Health Canada approval) to receive, administer, and store the drug.

If one animal involved in the study breaks its leg while participating in the study, a veterinarian does not require an exemption to receive and administer hydromorphone.

This change is currently being communicated to all relevant parties across campus. For studies currently underway, there will be an allowed transition period to ensure there is minimal interruption. The OVC HSC Pharmacy will be contacting all researchers that have ordered controlled substances in the past 12 months informing them they will need to apply for the exemption as soon as possible if they anticipate needing to order prior to the completion of the study.

The exemption application form can be found at:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/substancontrol/exemptions/scientific-eng.pdf

Sincerely,

Shayan Sharif, Acting Associate Dean, Research and Innovation and

Stephanie Nykamp, Associate Dean Clinical Program

The University of Guelph’s Catalyst Centre invites you to a special presentation marking World Intellectual Property Day.

Together with Bereskin & Parr LLP, the Catalyst Centre presents “How can I protect biomarkers and other IP related discoveries in life science research?”

The talk takes place April 28 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 1713, OVC Lifetime Learning Centre.

Presented by patent agents Melanie Szwervas and Adrienne Bieber McNeil, the talk will explore:

• Protecting intellectual property related to biomarkers

• Protecting scientific discoveries of the natural world – especially biotechnology

• The changing laws around patents

• What can I patent in life science and medical devices research

• Patents – timeline and cost

The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session as well as an opportunity for individual discussions with the speakers. Space is limited and a light lunch will be available to those who RSVP to melissaw@uoguelph.ca.

World Intellectual Property Day is a yearly celebration of intellectual property’s role in stimulating innovation and creativitiy.

A recent book by a retired OVC professor is being celebrated as one of the best science books of the year.Dr. David Waltner-Toews mixing elephant dung to make paper in Thailand. Photo by Jennifer Firestone

University professor emeritus David Waltner-Toews’ book, “The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology and a Sustainable Society,” has been shortlisted for the Canadian Science Writers’ Association award for outstanding general audience science book in 2013.

Published by ECW Press, the book uses humour and science to discuss the importance of feces from evolutionary, ecological and cultural perspectives.

Waltner-Toews retired from OVC in 2011 after a 24-year career as a veterinary epidemiologist. He is the founding president of Veterinarians Without Borders / Vétérinaires sans Frontières – Canada. He is also an essayist, poet, and fiction writer whose published works include about 100 scholarly papers, several books of poetry and an award-winning collection of short stories, a murder mystery (Fear of Landing), and books of popular science (including The Chickens Fight Back and Food, Sex and Salmonella).

This week’s installment of Tales from the Vault features one of the most significant veterinarians to have graduated from the OVC. The portrait shown here from the C.A.V. Barker Museum Collection is of John Gunion Rutherford. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Rutherford came to Ontario in 1875 and studied at the Ontario School of Agriculture and Experimental Farm (later named the Ontario Agricultural College in 1880). After his graduation, he found work near Brantford where he took notice of various diseases that affected livestock, notably bovine tuberculosis.

Rutherford’s growing interest in animal health culminated in his graduation from the OVC in 1879. After a period of time practicing in Woodstock, Ont. and studying abroad, he relocated to Manitoba where he was appointed a veterinary inspector by the Manitoba government. In addition to the many positions he held in Manitoba, he was key in establishing the Veterinary Association of Manitoba. In 1892, he was elected an MP and became chairman of the committee on agriculture. In 1902 he took over the position of Dominion Livestock Inspector from Duncan McEachran. This position came to be known as the Veterinary Director General shortly thereafter.

Rutherford’s time as Veterinary Director General was marked by the increasing role of veterinary medicine as an authoritative branch of the Department of Agriculture. Under his authority, a number of animal diseases plaguing the Canadian livestock industry were addressed such as hog cholera, mange, dourine, glanders, and bovine tuberculosis.  Increasing the role of veterinary medicine in matters of public health, Rutherford established federal meat inspection laws in 1907.

Rutherford is an excellent example of the role OVC graduates historically and currently play in the service of the state. OVC veterinarians have played a vital role in the containment and suppression of various infectious diseases and have played a critical role in matters of public health.

Do you have a family member or member of your family tree who is/was an OVC grad?  Feel free to contact us with photos, stories, copies of business ledgers/practice records, diplomas, veterinary tools or other artifacts. We’d love to hear from you! Contact Dr. Lisa Cox at coxl@uoguelph.ca.

To learn more about the history of OVC order your copy of Milestones: 150 Years of the Ontario Veterinary College here:http://www.amazon.ca/Milestones-Years-Ontario-Veterinary-College/dp/0889556016”

Renovations are set to begin next week to update and enhance the client services areas of the Companion Animal Hospital (Small Animal Clinic).

Phase 1 of renovations is scheduled to start the week of April 21. This initial phase will create a new front entrance and reception area by repurposing the stairwell and laboratory space just west of the ICU.

While there should be minimal disruptions to the existing Companion Animal Hospital reception area during this phase, there may be periodic disruptions to access and parking availability in front of the hospital.

If Animal Cancer Centre clients are unable to access the ACC reception area, they are being asked to enter through the Companion Animal Hospital reception area and staff will accompany them to the Animal Cancer Centre.

There will be updates during each stage both through a webpage at www.ovchsa.ca/news and a bulletin board in the Sunken Lounge dedicated to renovation information.

Subsequent phases of the renovation will include five new exam rooms, a client comfort room, call centre, billing and discharge area, and donor walls.