We would like to brag on the Fossil Rim Animal Health Department for their wonderful job representing our facility during the 2020 American Association of Zoo Veterinarians Annual Conference!
Of the 85 presentations in the scientific program, Fossil Rim had four! Of particular note were the fantastic presentations given by those trained by Fossil Rim:
*Dr. Lauren Schmidt (our former veterinary fellow) presented an outbreak of cryptosporidium in Attwater’s prairie chickens.
*Melanie Pearson, a final-year veterinary student at TAMU, former Fossil Rim preceptee, and former Fossil Rim hoofstock behavior intern, presented her retrospective analysis of sable antelope anesthesia.
*Avery Tilley, a sophomore at the University of Michigan, Fossil Rim animal health mentee, and Fossil Rim volunteer, presented on his retrospective analysis of copper-oxide wire particle treatment effect on strongyle infections in sable and gemsbok.
Also, Fossil Rim Director of Animal Health Dr. Holly Haefele presented the department’s case series of curvularia fungal infection in black rhinos and had a poster reviewing Fossil Rim’s cases of acanthocephalan infection in maned wolves.
Fossil Rim Associate Veterinarian Dr. Julie Swenson and Veterinary Technician Allyssa Roberts were major contributors to all of these projects. Overall, there were only a few veterinary student presentations and no other undergrad student presentations.
We appreciate the hard work that everyone in the department invested into these presentations, plus the findings can undoubtedly help veterinarians at other institutions provide optimal care to their animals.