The November issue ofNational Geographic magazine features a movingphotographof chimpanzees watching as one of their own is wheeled to her burial. Since it was published, the picture and story have gone viral, turning up on websites and TV shows and in newspapers around the world. For readers who’d like to know more, here’s what I learned when I interviewed the photographer, Monica Szczupider.
On September 23, 2008, Dorothy, a female chimpanzee in her late 40s, died of congestive heart failure. A maternal and beloved figure, Dorothy had spent eight years at Cameroon’s Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Center, which houses and rehabilitates chimps victimized by habitat loss and the illegal African bushmeat trade.
Interesting story. I have spent a few hours in the company of chimps, who can be aggressive, overwhelming, and extraordinarily loud. To see them display such a wide variety of emotions for one of their own is something really special. Great little insight.
3 days ago -
3
I adore turkey vultures. They present a different handling challenge than do the hawks, falcons, owls and eagles as their feet are fairly wimpy, but their bill is their primary means of ripping flesh and digging through bones. A restrained turkey vulture will always go after you with the head, whereas other birds of prey try their feet first and their bills second.
During my time at the raptor center, we saw many turkey vultures but had to euthanize the majority of them. Turkey vultures have excellent healing abilities, which is great for wounds that have been cleaned or fractures that have been set properly. It’s a death sentence for wing fractures that were never set, and healed with three new bends in the bone and significant muscle contracture to the point that flight or surgical repair are both impossible. We were always very excited when a turkey vulture came in with a fracture that was only a day or two old, as those we could save; but those with week or two-week-old fractures, too much healing in the wrong direction had been done and they would not be able to fly.
Love these guys!
(via ellapantheraleo)
Feral cat colony, Rome, Italy. The cats are all spayed, neutered and vaccinated, and appear to live a quite jolly life among the ruins in Rome’s bustling city center. My friend and I, two weeks from graduating vet school, noticed the kitties and spent the next 20 minutes sighing at their adorableness and missing our own kitties dreadfully. What a lovely place for a cat colony, safe from Roman traffic but open to public view. I love seeing lazy kitties in unique locations. :)
vetstudent-microbiologymaniac:
Orf is an exanthemous disease caused by a parapox virus and occurring primarily in sheep and goats. It is also known as contagious pustular dermatitis, infectious labial dermatitis, ecthyma contagiosum, thistle disease and scabby mouth. Orf virus is zoonotic - it can also infect humans. (wiki)
Images: Pathology Department, FMV Cluj
I’m a brand new doctor of veterinary medicine, here with my beloved mom. Whoa. This day is so surreal.
Thanks to all my followers - all 330 of you. I’m not doing an internship but I’ll be starting my job hunt in earnest next week, looking to start in small animal medicine and go from there. I will still be here on tumblr, only now the blog will focus on the experiences of a new veterinarian (though I’m always happy to answer questions about vet school too!).
Holy crap. I’M A DOCTOR!!!
I’m home from my trip in Europe; Dublin, Cambridge, London, Paris, Venice, Florence, Rome. It was amazing but I was also ready to come home.
I got my results. Passed the NAVLE and CA state boards. Graduation is Friday. About to start the job hunt.
I am five days from becoming Dr. This is So. Weird.
Wish me luck. Hopefully I won’t need much of it.
My extremely brief trip to Ireland. I want to go back! What an amazing way to begin my final rotation of veterinary school. Am I right???
Happy Easter from England to my followers!
Some notes about rabbits for your enjoyment:
- Rabbits are machines essentially designed to be constantly eating and defecating (and then eating their cecal pellets, which are still full of nutrients as compared to their regular pellets). If they are not able to do that they become ill.
- If your rabbit isn’t eating, there is a problem. If it has not eaten for several hours it is rapidly becoming an emergency. Rabbits may be nursed through mild episodes of gastrointestinal stasis by syringe feeding Critical Care or ground pellets, but if they don’t respond to home nursing in a few hours they should be seen. Severe gastrointestinal stasis can lead to bloating, pain, obstruction, dehydration, and death. A rabbit that is obstructed requires surgery but may or may not make it through the procedure.
- A rabbit’s main diet is hay. Timothy and orchard are good choices, alfalfa is nice for growing or debilitated rabbits. Supplement with a high quality pellet (but don’t free feed these; try 1/4 - 1/2 cup a day) and a handful or two of fresh greens, like kale, cilantro, and parsley. Carrots are super sugary and should be limited to a baby carrot once or twice a week. Rabbits eat their poop; place their hay in a box with litter and they will happily use it as a litterbox, munching in one corner and keeping waste in another.
- Rabbits may experience severe dental issues that keep them from eating or make them painful. Make sure to have your rabbit’s mouth checked at vet visits. If your vet doesn’t know how to at least check for a dental problem they have no business calling themselves a rabbit vet. Dental procedures such as trimming and filing molars are done under anesthesia.
- Never buy a rabbit as a present unless the recipient helps you pick it out and is able to adequately care for the bunny. Too many rabbits die yearly from poor husbandry or are given away when a child grows bored with their living Easter bunny.
A variety of old tinctures and medicinal treatments from 100-200 years ago. The blue one contained poison and had ridges on the side so it could be identified by feel (and hopefully not mixed into somebody’s salve or tonic!). - Cambridge County and Folk Museum, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. Checked this museum out today, definitely worth the £3.50!
I just went to Ireland. I’m now in England. Starting my neurology rotation tomorrow. Holy crap was Ireland gorgeous (see this picture I took in Glendalough) and holy crap is it strange for me to be the one with the accent. Looking forward to my month of neuro! Blog updates may be sporadic for the next month or two.
cryptorchidness:
Dog that was hit by a car- Was still living in this state. Insides pushed up through the vertebrae. Was euthanized. —- In shock that this dog was still alive coming to the clinic. What a fighter.
Holy crap. This made my jaw drop. Poor fellow.
