kalamazoo . . . sounds like fun!

Last but definitely NOT least on the "regular" tour schedule of the 2009 HPSS (before the live surgery display in Chelsea):  The Kalamazoo County 4H Fair!

We pulled into Kalamazoo at about ten o'clock on Thursday morning and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day for the fair.  The fair board was very excited to see us and even offered us a stray kitten upon our arrival (we sadly had to refuse).  At first it looked like we were going to set up just outside the rabbit barn . . . but then we found Dr. Rowher and he created an exceptionally great location for us right in the Circle of Life tent!  Erin even backed her truck in so that the large animal porta-vet display sat right next to the HPSS tent and the rest of the exhibit.  We really think it was our best set-up yet - I guess we saved the best for last!

As soon as Christina cracked open the Pathology bin (maybe its the smell?), a line started forming to check out the HPSS!  It took us an extra long time to set up with all of the excitement around us, but we loved your enthusiasm right from the get-go!  I think we got some of our very best questions these past few days.  Here are a few examples and the answers we came up with:

"Is a turtle shell made out of bone?"  Yes, the shell is composed of hard bony plates covered by scutes.  The scutes are made of keratin (like hair, nails, and hooves of other animals).

"Isn't there one type of cat that can't retract its claws?"  Yes, cheetahs are the only member of the cat family that have non-retractable claws.

"Why is it that dogs and cats get tapeworms after swallowing a flea?"  Flea larvae consume the eggs of tapeworms and are then infected with tapeworm larvae.  By the time the flea is an adult, the tapeworm is ready to infect a dog or cat.

"I can count eight legs on this tick (under the microscope) . . . are ticks related to spiders?"  Yes, all arachnids have eight legs.  Arachnids include spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites (as well as many other species).

Wow you guys are smart!  Thanks for all of the great questions and for always keeping us on our toes.  It was really fun being in the Circle of Life tent because the other exhibits in the tent stimulated even further discussion and new questions for us to talk about.  I think the hottest topic at the fair must have been the debate on whether or not goats can see in color . . . sorry we couldn't help you out more with that one!

Unfortunately, we never did witness the "circle of life" in our three days at Kalamazoo.  The animals where smart and farrowed/calved/lambed in the early morning when it was coolest.  However, we did love coming in each morning to greet the newborn animals.  And no, we were not a part of the "udder chaos" when the pregnant cow broke free and bolted toward the midway on Wednesday.  We are pretty sure she was just looking for the HPSS exhibit, and wish we could have been there a day sooner!

Thank you to the fair-goers of Kalamazoo for an excellent fair, and for being brave enough to try the bovine rectal palpation demo - you ran Erin clean out of Tootsie Rolls.  It has been a great summer, and the student coordinators are really grateful that the "regular season" ended on such a good note!

Until next week in Chelsea . . . we will be practicing our suture patterns!  See you there!

part of the gang

It’s a busy week for the Healthy Pet Surgical Suite and your 2009 student coordinators!  After finishing up in Ingham late Saturday evening, we packed up the trailer and took off for the Sanilac County 4H fair on Sunday morning.  Fortunately, we left the rainy weather behind in mid-Michigan as we made our way to “the thumb”.  Unfortunately, we were met by the ferocity of the famous mid-August Michigan heatwave that never fails to bring high temperatures accompanied by even higher humidity levels!

That being said, one of our first stops was at the local supermarket where we stocked up on water and sport drinks to stay well hydrated and feeling our best for the Sanilac County fair-goers.  (With the excessive presence of liquids, this might be the very first fair where Christina avoided spending money on that oh-so-delicious fair lemonade.)

It turns out that our first day in Sanilac was also opening day for the Sanilac Country 4H Fair.  So the HPSS was there for the crowning of the Sanilac 4H Queen, the assembly of the ferriswheel, and the final warm up for the Sanilac Shining Star (similar to American Idol) contestants.  We set up next to the petting zoo, just downwind of the pigs and across from from the port-a-johns.  It was an ideal location for a couple of sweaty student coordinators and our lovely smelling pathology specimens.

However, the odors of the fair did absolutely nothing to deter you from coming to check out our exhibit!  We even caught up with a few carnival friends from earlier fairs this summer, including the pirate (who is always an excellent source of enthusiasm for the HPSS)!  Whether or not it’s a good thing (we think it is), the student coordinators are really starting to feel like a part of the carnival gang now!

Once again, we really liked the way fair-goers learned from us and then came back and taught friends – you were excellent teachers!  It was really great to learn with you and hear your stories as well.  We especially noticed an interest in the anesthesia machine, and thought it was very cool and very impressive when you asked such insightful questions.  Thanks to Sanilac for another memorable fair, and good luck to the girl’s softball team (we hear you made it to the World Series!) – the HPSS is behind you all the way!

bring 'em to ingham

The HPSS played the 2009 home opener this past Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Mason at the Ingham County Fair - and there's certainly no place like home! Once again, we talked to a record number of people! In fact, on Thursday we talked to over eight hundred of you!

It was great to see a few familiar faces and a lot of Spartans in the crowd, and just as in Ionia, we got a lot of help from local veterinarians. Dr. Meining came out on Friday and she was excellent! She brought a bunch of great radiographs and went through them with some very smart fair-goers. There are certainly a lot of future radiologists in the Ingham County area!

On Saturday, Dr. Rode came out to check out the HPSS 2009 and I think its safe to say that she was quit impressed! Of course, Dr. Rode jumped right in with the student coordinators (and was awesome highlighting some of the very cool aspects of veterinary medicine) and led some of you through the pyometra spay surgical video.

Midway through a couple of delicious elephant ears on Saturday . . . the Ingham County fair director came by with some exciting news: The lieutenant governor of Michigan wanted to come by and check out the Healthy Pet Surgical Suite (how cool!). The student coordinators plus Dr. Rode made short work of the elephant ears, brushed off any remaining cinnamon sugar, straightened up the demos, properly folded down their lab coat collars, and put on their very best welcoming smile for the lieutenant governor himself! He did come by as promised, and he wasn't disappointed (not that we were worried). He even stuck around to get his picture with us!

Now Saturday morning was actually a VERY rainy morning, but we are starting to think that a little bit of rain must just get Erin's creative juices flowing. She came up with an awesome bovine rectal palpation demonstration that actually allows fair-goers to don the full-arm-glove and reach into the rectum of a Holstein cow (made out of posterboard of course)! The best part is . . . she included a delicious tootsie-roll-like surprise inside! What a sweet idea, and a great way to teach you more about large animal veterinary medicine.

Well we are off to Sanilac today (in about five minutes actually)! We will continue to keep you posted and keep you excited about veterinary medicine and the many adventures of the 2009 HPSS!