Author Archives: NerdyVet

Work Experience – Top Tips from Phoebe

Posted on by
Reply

Veterinary Work Experience

Phoebe Russell, with her horse, LuckyPhoebe Russell

My name is Phoebe Russell and I’m from Norfolk, currently in year 12. I’m hoping to apply to vet school this September, for a 2015 deferred start, after a gap year. I work at a local petting farm, and have a pet snake called Casper, among a menagerie of other pets, including a horse too, called Lucky!

We all know the journey to vet school is a challenge; the course is competitive, and everyone applying is going to have tip top grades. So, to set yourself apart from the crowd, you really must get some work experience under your belt. Although not always an easy task to find placements, they are so valuable and will pay dividends when it comes to writing up your personal statement, and during interviews.

Obviously there will be loads of keen vetty hopefuls who are also applying for placements at your local vets or farm, for example. So how do you get the establishment to notice you? I’ve found it best to generally write a formal letter to them, one directly tailored to the particular institute you’re applying to, not merely a one for all. This proves you have genuine interest in their business, and you’ve not just sent a stock letter out willy nilly, and hoped for the best. Also, it may sound obvious, but remember to include:

  • Your name
  • Your age
  • Address
  • Email
  • Telephone number
  • Reasons for wanting the experience
  • What you are currently doing (e.g. sixth form/college)

It could also be beneficial to mention previous placements if you have any, and that you are willing to send a CV or references, if required. Better still, you could send them with the letter in the first place. Lots of contact information gives the person you’re writing to very little reason to not get in touch. After all, you’ve made it so easy!

However, do not expect that by merely sending this letter, you will actually get a number of responses. In fact, you’re lucky to get any offers at all. Vet practices in particular want to see that you really do want the placement, and you’re a worthy and willing candidate, so you should write a follow up letter, a week or so later, if you’ve not heard back. Otherwise, give them a call, drop them an email, or go straight in and ask! Being confident enough to do so would be admirable by potential placement establishments, and what’s the worst that can happen? They tell you no? Suck it up!

 The same issue stands with farmers or abattoirs too; they’re incredibly busy and you’re not their prime concern, so your letter may be at the bottom of their “to-do list”, so get in touch!

In a desperate panic in mid June, I realised summer was quickly approaching, and I needed to fit in some placements! So I hastily picked up the phone, called two vet practices, an abattoir, and a research centre. Straight away I was given the opportunity to organise placements, with email addresses of the person who I directly should contact thrust at me! Fab!

Remember your “pleases” and “thank yous”, before, during and after your placement; it will be completely appreciated and you never know, you may be offered a job at the business, which is always great. A card or phone call afterwards shows you truly are grateful, and the experience has been beneficial- the place is more likely to accept future applicants if you’ve not been a hindrance to them!!

So, my top tips are:

  • Be enthusiastic!
  • Be organised and get booking early!
  • Be polite!
  • Be confident and go that extra mile to get where you want to be: vet school.

In The Hot Seat

Posted on by
Reply

People are interesting, especially when they’re at vet school studying to do what they have always wanted to do. One of our clinic’s regular work experience students, Guy Wolfenden, very kindly agreed to be placed in the Vet School Success Hot Seat recently so that he could answer questions about studying in Australia and his life as a vet student.

vet student, Guy WolfendenGuy Wolfenden

Murdoch University Vet School – Perth, Western Australia

4th year of study

I did A-levels at a British school in Dubai, completing Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics with A grades, and an AS level grade A in Art & Design.

 

 

 

 

Had you always wanted to be a vet?

In theory yes, however, there was a stage in my school life where I pondered over Law or Veterinary science – however, I’m not the biggest fan of reading, so Law went out the window as I was told most lawyers spend most of their evenings and any other free time reading!

I also had a toss up between Medicine and Vet Science, but I feel as though I would prefer to help animals instead of humans and I’m not sure I would want to be forced to treat dying patients (humans) who could not legally be humanely let go to a better place.

 

Did you find it easy to source useful info to help with your preparations for vet school applications?

My university applications were done from two different sources. I applied to British Unis through UCAS at school during sixth form – a straightforward process that was shown to us by our teachers and careers advisors.

However, I also applied to Australian Universities externally, using the Internet as my sole source of information. Applications were done through individual university websites and I had to contact and seek advice and Visa approvals from Australian education agencies here in Dubai. All in all, both ways were relatively straight forward, just with lots of different forms to fill out and send off to respective Universities. The Internet is an extremely useful tool.

 

How much work experience did you have before applying?

I had worked at a vet clinic in Dubai as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, it was my ‘Service’ for Bronze, Silver & Gold – so all in all I had spent approximately 6 weeks at a veterinary clinic. However, most of this time was spent doing tasks completely unrelated to veterinary science itself, more so to help out the clinic staff with tasks and cleaning. I undertook a game-ranger course in South Africa the year prior to university. This was a two-week intensive course that gave me vast knowledge of wild life and game reserve management at a very busy national park in Africa.

To be completely honest, I enjoyed working/helping out at the vet clinic prior to university, but I could have just as easily started university without the experience as it didn’t serve to bolster or give me a head-start when Uni started.

 

What have you enjoyed most about the vet course so far?

Up until busy and intense 4th year, my favourite aspect of vet school was my friends and the fun we had both in and out of vet school. The people are fantastic and all in the same boat, so everyone wants to be learning and getting good marks, everyone wants to help each other and get as much experience as possible in practical classes. However, since the beginning of 4th year (approximately 6 months ago), surgery has been my favourite thing! There is nothing quite like the high when you finish a surgery and admire (in some cases!!) your work!

 

What have you found most challenging?

Finding the right study technique – I must confess, the first year or two I didn’t work hard enough during term time. I spent a lot of stressful nights, close to final exam time, cramming as many missed lectures into my head as I could! Even know, attending all lectures and being proactive with study and keeping up with the workload, it is often difficult to find the right way to study and retain the knowledge when it comes to exams. Keep up to date, and make notes during term time – good ones!

 

What is great about living and studying where you are?

Its Australia! I’m English, but there’s no denying, the lifestyle in Australia is a lot better! Studying in the sun and being able to unwind in the sun and play sports is a great bonus.

In terms of studying, Murdoch University is one of only a few Vet Schools that has its own farm and production centre on campus. That means no travelling to and from practical classes or to farms. It is just a two-minute walk down to the farm! A great bonus and I would highly recommend Murdoch University to anyone interested in studying within Australia.

 

Where do you see your career taking you?

I’d personally like to specialize in small animal surgery and open, or at least become a partner in a clinic(s) where I can set up a cat-friendly environment and offer the best possible service to all those purring-creatures!

But the great thing about vet science is that there are so many different avenues. I have friends in my class who have no desire to practice veterinary science, but use their degree to do research and pharmaceutical work to help advance the drug side of the industry.

 

Any helpful hints?

Keep focused on what your overall goal is, but don’t let the idea of ‘vet science is so difficult’ get the better of you. It’s a great degree and offers you a great outlet for meeting new people, learning great subject matter and most of all, having fun!

Also, MIND MAPS are a great study technique, for both school and university!

Work hard at A-level/IB – the hard work is rewarded in the end – the 1st year of vet school is basically one big party, so its definitely worth the hard slog at school!

Results Day – Scariest Day Ever?!

Posted on by
Reply

Exam results day is the culmination of all of the hard work done to date and hopefully the confirmation of the fact that you’ll definitely be heading off to vet school, either this year or following a nice relaxed and interesting Gap Year. As such, there is rather a lot riding on it all and the stress can be quite overwhelming. I should know as I have been there.

The first thing to point out is the obvious fact that you will be nervous. Even if you’re Mr or Miss Super Cool and Unflappable, the mere fact that you don’t actually know what it says on that results sheet will lead to some nerves. Embrace it though and recognise the feeling of nervous anticipation. It is, however, important to realise when nervousness is morphing into panic and act to prevent it. At the end of the day there is nothing you can do at this stage to change the results and reminding yourself of this fact is useful. Reassure yourself that you have worked hard and that this hard work will be reflected in your results.

Preparing for the Big Day:

1. Get a good night’s sleep – such a mum and dad thing to say I know but its true. Being rested and alert on the day will enable you to either react swiftly and decisively if the results don’t pan out quite as you’d hoped or to at least savour and enjoy every moment of success assuming you do as well, or better, than expected.

2. Arrive early – if your results don’t come out as expected and it looks as though your conditional vet school offer is at risk then being one of the first to be able to ring the vet schools will place you in a much stronger position compared to being one of hundreds later in the day. Similarly, if your grades turn out to be stellar and you don’t have a place or were on a waiting list then getting straight on the phone as early as possible is the surefire way of turning that opportunity into ultimate success. Surely it’s worth getting up nice and early just this once 🙂

3. Take a list of the vet schools’ contact details, especially the Admissions Offices – having the essential information to hand, such as who to call, will save valuable time and could be the difference between being one of the first to get through to the vet schools or being in a frustrating queue. When you’re in a bit of an emotional state on results day, the last thing that you will want to be doing is scrawling through the internet looking for the correct telephone numbers to call. Do the legwork beforehand and save yourself the headache.

4. Charge your phone and ensure you have call credit – rather obvious you might say but you’d be surprised how many people will turn up to results day, need to or want to call someone and find that they can’t as they’re out of battery. How rubbish would it be if you were on the phone to a vet school admissions tutor and the phone cut out? Pretty rubbish is my assessment. Don’t let it happen.

 

The Big Day itself:

1. Eat something – you’re likely to be super nervous and as such not feel like eating. That would be a mistake. Your brain needs fuel to work properly and if you need to step to it and be all proactive in calling the vet schools then you’ll want your brain along for the ride. Feed it beforehand.

2. Check you have everything you need – charged phone, contact details (as above), car keys etc. I am bit of a nerd and so tend to set out everything I need the night before so I can see if I am missing anything. That way, on the morning in question I can simply scoop everything up safe in the knowledge that it’s all present.

3. Arrive early – not only will you get to open your results in relative peace without the entire school buzzing about but you’ll also be in a great position to act quickly if necessary and call the vet schools before half the world has the same idea. You can, of course, then stay on and enjoy the buzz as everyone else arrives to get their results – after all, it’s potentially a great day of solidarity and celebration between friends so should be enjoyed.

4. Opening your results – the MOMENT OF TRUTH! Take a deep breath, relax and embrace the reality 🙂 I remember time slowing right down and the words and letters taking a few moments to really come into full focus, and then for my brain to compute them. What I remember really feeling, more than elation, was just pure relief. Relief that I had done what I had set out to do by getting the required grades and confirming my place, and also relief that I hadn’t let anyone down. As daft as that last statement might sound I don’t think I was, or am, alone in feeling that way. We place so much pressure on ourselves and the expectations placed on us, either real or imagined, from everyone around us is often huge. As such, when I saw my results I just thought “phew!” It doesn’t mean to say I didn’t enjoy the fact that I had achieved something big, just that the response was a bit more complex.

 

What if you do better than expected?

First of all pat yourself right there on your back – you legend! If you have not got an offer from a vet school then get on the phone immediately and see if that situation can be changed – you owe it to yourself to try, right?! Otherwise you may have another plan in place, in which case good luck and enjoy the rest of your summer.

 

What if I miss out on my conditional offer?

I sincerely hope this doesn’t happen to any of you as I know the crushing disappointment that comes with not achieving what you really had your heart set on. First of all, expect to ride a huge wave of emotions, from disbelief, to bitter disappointment, to anger and many more emotions still. Again, the key is to get on the phone immediately to the vet school that you have an offer from and see whether you can still take up the place. Sometimes the schools will have liked you so much that they are prepared to look past the black and white nature of your results – the only way you’ll know is to ask the question, so get on it. If you are not successful then your options at this stage are to either take a Gap Year and reapply, take up a place doing another non-vet course at uni, or do something totally different instead.

So, there you have it. A potted guide to how to handle what can be the single most stressful day of your academic career (so far). All that remains to be said is GOOD LUCK and ENJOY YOURSELVES 🙂

Gap Years – A Vetty Perspective

Posted on by
Reply

Anyone who has read my books will know that I took a Gap Year before starting vet school in Bristol and absolutely loved it. In fact I would go so far as to say it was one of the most important years of my life in terms of preparing me well for life away from home as a confident, self-reliant student whilst at university. I had, however, been set to go straight from A-levels into the vet course but when results day came around I suddenly had this overwhelming sense of needing to press the pause button and just take a breath for a bit before diving head first into several years of intense training and a major life change.

Thankfully, Bristol was open to the idea of me deferring – in large part due to having been oversubscribed that year from what I understand – and so I had the green light to go off and fill a year before taking up my (now confirmed, phew!) place the following Autumn.

So….. what to do? I had been so used to having a structure to my days and a firm, fixed goal in mind – do well in exams, get grades, go to vet school – and yet now I had a blank slate on which to create something. Where on earth do you start?! I had initially advised the university that I intended to spend the year working, primarily in order to save money to pay for what I knew was going to be a very expensive stage in my young life, and complete some more work experience, perhaps somewhere overseas. Other than that basic ‘plan,’ if indeed that’s what you could call it, I was clueless.

Where to Start?

When contemplating the unknown it’s never a bad idea to do some reading and see what others who have trodden a similar path before you did and look for inspiration from them. I guess that’s what you are doing when you read Vet School, for example. So, a trip to the library and a pile of ‘Gap Year’ titles was the result. This was, however, all done against the backdrop of finding a job as I knew that whatever I decided to do I would need some dosh. Agency sign-up complete. Rather dull but regular office temping job secured. Now time to do some dreaming and planning.

What to do?

It quickly became apparent to me that the idea of spending an entire year just working for the sake of saving was about as appealing as documenting paint drying and I started to get those classic twinges that come with the travel bug. I had always enjoyed seeing new places but until then my experiences were very very limited indeed. I had never really traveled properly or been out of Europe, unless you count my time as a foetus in Florida or my first 3-4 years in South Africa, of which all I can really recall is hiding out in a large laundry basket (odd what you remember!). As such, the world very much was there to be explored. But where should I go? What should I do? Should I be going off and engaging in some selfless charitable work? I quickly decided that the cost alone of signing up for some of the expeditions on offer was prohibitive and would only have enabled me to spend a very short time ‘traveling.’ Well, I knew I wanted adventure and I was sensible enough to realise that chucking myself in at the very deep end of the global traveler experience might have been a little much. My dad had, for a period in his hairier days, spent time living and working in New Zealand and so I had always been a little intrigued by the land of the long white cloud. A little research later and it was confirmed – New Zealand was perfect!

It was English speaking, which as a first time traveler made me feel a little more confident, far away so as to feel like I really was going on a huge adventure, and had so many options for doing crazy, nutty, adrenaline-fueled activities that it was as if it had been designed as an adventure playground. I had always wanted to try skydiving and bungy jumping and skiing, and all of the other such sports that Kiwis just get to do almost as a matter of normal life. With the where confirmed, I then did some more research and discovered that you could apply for a working holiday visa for a year. Perfect! Adventure that was going to pay for itself. Rather than jump on a plane myself and jet off into the unknown I did, again, think somewhat sensibly and found out about an organisation called BUNAC, who ran trips out to various parts of the world, including New Zealand. The advantage of booking through them was that they helped with every aspect of putting the trip together, from the important work visa, to booking flights. The most important reason, however, for electing to go through an organisation rather than be all independent was that a) I got to travel out to New Zealand with a diverse group of like-minded individuals from all over the UK, providing not only some semblance of reassurance – remember, I was a fresh faced naive wee young thing from Norfolk, UK – and a great social circle from the get-go. Meeting so many interesting and varied characters at the very start of the adventure was a great introduction to the experience of truly traveling and being somewhere new and embracing the rich experiences on offer – much like starting university where meeting and getting to know new and unknown people is so vitally important. The other advantage of traveling with an organisation was that I had a known support network in place once in New Zealand. Although my time in the country was ultimately very independent and I soon headed off on my own adventures, I knew that should things go awry then I had the backup of a team of professionals in the UK and Auckland in New Zealand. The other advantage was that I often ended up bumping into many of my original ‘BUNAC buddies’ during my travels round the country, which was lovely.

I guess the take-home message here is to a) have some idea of what you might like to do during a Gap Year – is there anything you’ve always wanted to do? Anywhere you’ve always wanted to visit? A Gap Year is the perfect time to indulge in such dream activities. However, the other thing to try and remember is to b) keep an open mind – do some research, talk to people who have had Gap Years and this way you’ll be surprised at how much inspiration and how many ideas you can generate that you wouldn’t originally have come up with. A Gap Year is, ultimately, a very personal experience and it is very much your blank slate on which to etch on to. Of course, if you’re planning on taking a Gap Year in order to resit exams or apply/ re-apply to vet school then there are some restrictions. Having said that, it is still a great chance to organise something unique, perhaps a “golden ticket” work experience placement.

Deferred Entry

As I mentioned, I had intended to enter vet school straight after my A-levels and so I guess I ended up deferring by rather unorthodox methods. I think the chances of being able to do the same are slim and if you apply to go this year then I daresay you will be expected to turn up this year. The options when it comes to deferred entry are therefore two-fold:

1. Apply for deferred entry – some vet schools will consider applications for deferred entry, the advantage being that you have an offer confirmed and can head off into your Gap Year safe in the knowledge that you have a place at vet school to come back to. Not all do so it is worth checking the latest applications info on each vet schools’ website to see if they clearly state their position on deferment.

2. Take a Gap Year and apply during it – after getting your results you could then take those stellar grades and submit an application for the following year’s intake. Obviously you would then need to be on hand to attend interviews and deal with any other associated administration, such as work experience questionnaires and university accommodation, and finance matters, but there would likely be more than enough time and opportunity – especially once final offers have been made – to indulge in some great Gap Year activities.

Include in your application/ Personal Statement?

I am asked often whether students should mention their Gap Year plans in their application personal statements or not, and my answer is “it depends.” If you have something firmly planned and confirmed, and it is of relevance to your vet school application then absolutely include it. The key with personal statements is reflection and illustrating your suitable and favourable qualities for vet schools so if you have organised a trip to go off and do some amazing experience somewhere, not even necessarily animal-related, then mention it and say what it shows about you (eg adventurous, determined, charitable, eager to educate etc etc). Simply stating that you are heading off to kayak the Zambezi without any further explanation does nothing really for your application, even though on the face of it is awesome. If you don’t have any plans for a Gap Year or they’re just unconfirmed ideas at the moment then I would pause before writing anything. Remember that it is easy to say what you’re going to do – for example, I am “going to” complete an Ironman next year – but universities are only really interested at the end of the day in what you have done as this is all they can realistically and fairly assess candidates on the basis of.

What are you up to? Any ideas?

What ideas have you got for an amazing Gap Year? Share your ideas and plans here or on the Facebook page so that others can feel inspired. Some ideas that I can think of to get you started include:

  • go to ‘Safari School’ in South Africa
  • work on a ranch in the USA
  • spend a year on a working holiday in Australia and New Zealand
  • learn to dive and volunteer at a small animal clinic in Thailand
  • build a school in Africa
  • teach English in Peru

The options are endless…..!

Summer Planning – Laying the Foundation for an Awesome Application

Posted on by
Reply

The sun is shining (occasionally), the weather is sweet (yeah), makes me want to move my writing hand…. and produce an awesome application in September.

Perhaps not the lyrics to an epic summer anthem but surely summer is indeed a great time to be thinking of and preparing for the application obstacle course that is soon approaching. It is truly amazing how rapidly deadlines can loom – I only have to think of the ones I impose on myself for writing the newsletter (and have, to my shame, occasionally missed spectacularly) – and the one for your vet school applications will be no exception. In fact, as far as deadlines go it probably represents one of THE most important ones you will have at this stage in your young lives.

Deadlines

Personal statement preparationSo, when is the deadline? Well, when it comes to applications submitted through UCAS to Cambridge, Oxford and professional courses, including Veterinary, the final deadline for application submission is 15th OCTOBER. Go ahead and write that somewhere prominent in BIG, BOLD lettering as it is very very important to keep that date firmly in mind.

Although many deadlines are there to be actually reached, this is one that you should really aim to come well under. In other words, you would be wise to aim to get your application finalised and submitted in advance of the deadline, with the best time to do so actually being when applications start to be accepted, which is September. “Why so early?” you might ask. The fact is that most applicants will leave theirs until the very last minute and as such the admissions tutors at the vet schools literally receive huge tsunamis of applications close to the deadline. They only have a finite amount of time in which to carefully read and appraise each and so naturally the time available to really appreciate your carefully crafted masterpiece is limited compared to much earlier in the process.

If you had a million and one (thankfully not literally) applications to read through you would be very keen to skim read and quickly assign submissions to either the “yep, lets interview them” pile or the “nah, not feeling it” pile. You have a much higher chance of being in the former the earlier you submit, in my opinion, purely due to fact that tutors will be able to spend a little more time actually reading your statement properly, thus enabling all of the wonderful things there are about you and your prospects as a future vet to be fully appreciated, much like taking the time to really savour a fine wine as opposed to quickly glugging it down.

Planning to Succeed

Okay, so you know that you should aim to get your application in early. What next? Well, planning and writing is the key step here and this time of year is the perfect time to start doing both. How do you write a masterpiece? Funnily enough authors tend not to just sit down and have a bestseller flow effortlessly from their fingertips in the first sitting. They ponder, plan, jot, scribble, cross out, proof read and generally go through several drafts before they are finally happy with the finished product. That, as it turns out, is also the key to a great personal statement. I won’t go into too much detail here about what should be your statement as that is a whole blog post, and actually chapter, in and of itself. Instead, the key take home message here is to prepare yourself adequately for success by starting early and preparing well. The old saying “to fail to prepare is to prepare to fail” is so true but the good news is we can do something positive to avoid it applying to us.

Key Steps to Preparing to Write an Awesome Personal Statement:

1. Be aware of the character and line limit – as much as you want to tell the vet schools everything about everything, there is only a finite amount of space for you to effectively state your case for why that vet school place should be yours. Being aware of the limit will help you get used to being succinct and to the point.

2. Summarise your work experience to date & identify lessons learned – vet schools want to see evidence of reflection following work experience and not just a meaningless list of placements completed. They want to know that you actually paid attention and identified what important traits go towards making a great vet and why you have shown evidence of such traits. I would advocate taking a large sheet of paper, making a big table and writing down what placements you have done so far, when they were, what key experiences stood out from them and what important lessons or skills you took from them. For example, working with the nursing team to prepare a patient for orthopaedic surgery at your small animal placement may well have highlighted to you the importance of effective teamwork and communication. By tabulating your experiences in this way you will also be able to spot at a glance any areas of experience that might need adding to, with time over the summer to hopefully do so. The other advantage is that you have a very simple to refer to summary of all of your work experience placements for when it comes to completing any additional supplementary work experience questionnaires, which some of the vet schools do ask you to complete.

3. Identify skills and attributes that you demonstrate through school and extra-curricular activities – the vet schools are keen to see that you bring more to the table than just an impressive ability to ace exams. What else do you do, both at school and outside of it and what do these activities tell the vet schools about the kind of person you are, and the sort of vet you might make? Again, summarising with the use of a large sheet of paper and a table can really help to pick out the key points when it comes to writing your initial drafts.

4. By all means be inspired by what others before you have written – the key word there was to be INSPIRED, not simply plagiarise. There is nothing wrong with taking a look at what others have written, including their style of writing, the flow of their statements and the kind of information included. What is not acceptable, however, is simply copying the work of someone else and passing it off as your own. Your statement should read and feel like it is actually you speaking and if it doesn’t then it will certainly become obvious come interview time. As I say, there is nothing wrong with gaining inspiration from others and there are a number of sources of previous veterinary personal statements that you may be able to use, from friends or family who have already been through the process of applying to vet school, to the example statement included in my Vet School book, or even to other example statements that become available. We all need a little inspiration sometimes. This, however, is definitely something to do at an early stage in the writing process as you will want to be focused on your own words later down the line.

5. Write drafts, scribble notes, read and read again – it is highly unlikely that you will produce a perfect statement on your first attempt so several drafts are to be expected. Write something initially, read it and then you have the basis for tweaking. The earlier you start this process then the easier it will seem and the better the results you will see.

6. Do a little each day – the cumulative effect of spending small amounts of time each day working on a project, such as your personal statement, can be incredible and I guarantee that by applying yourself in this way, as opposed to panicking and trying to bring everything together in one last minute mammoth effort, will lead to you producing better work and feeling much happier in the process. Don’t worry if it feels as if you’re not achieving huge amounts initially – that’s the beauty of cumulative effort: it adds up over time to a big, impressive result. Why not start or end each statement preparation session with a short period of reading up on scientific and veterinary current affairs, thus applying the same cumulative principle to your interview preparation. It will barely feel like work.

A few sage bits of advice I am sure you would all agree. The hard bit, however, will be implementing them and practicing what I preach. It will be worth doing so though. Good luck and enjoy your summer – you’ve earned it!

Vet News – Small Animal News

Posted on by
Reply

Vet NewsThis month our Small Animal editor, Harriet Woodhall brings us an article on a subject that many of us in practice and those aspiring to be there deal with on a daily basis: rabbit vaccination. This is a great topic to be up to speed on for veterinary interviews.

 

 

SMALL ANIMALS:

Rabbit Vaccinations

Harriet Woodhall (Vet News Small Animal Editor)

Rabbit health checkIn the past couple of months the importance of animal vaccinations has been highlighted and was the main topic of focus for World Veterinary Day (27th April). As rabbits are becoming increasingly popular and now a significant part of a small animal practice’s patients, their need for vaccination is also great. According to a PDSA survey in 2011, 54% of rabbits were not vaccinated and 62% did not have regular boosters, emphasizing the need for awareness and effective vaccines.

At present, rabbits can be vaccinated against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic disease in the form of two separate injections:

Myxomatosis was first introduced as a control for wild rabbit populations but is now a major threat for domesticated rabbits both indoor and outdoor. It is thought that the severe effect on domestic rabbits is partly due to them lacking genetic immunity that wild rabbits may have developed.

The classic signs of the Myxomatosis are swollen and runny ears, eyes and genitalia. It is spread by biting insects carrying the Myxoma virus such as flea and possibly mosquitoes but also by rabbit-to-rabbit contact. The disease can take 5 to 14 days to show and some rabbits may survive for months after infection. However, a general case often leads to a secondary lung infection and death in 12 days.

The current Myxomatosis vaccines can be given to rabbits over 6 weeks of age and it is recommended to have annual boosters.

Viral Haemorrhagic disease (VHD) is a highly contagious disease that is spread by direct and indirect (clothes) contact and also by fleas. It is also rapidly fatal, killing rabbits within 48 hours of exposure. Often there is not time for rabbits to show symptoms, but bleeding from the nose, mouth and rectum is sometimes seen.

The vaccine is normally given to 10-12 week old rabbits and must be given 14 days apart from the Myxomatosis vaccine, also with annual boosters.

Recent research has found a new recombinant vaccine against both Myxomatosis and VHD that is seemingly effective against both diseases and an improvement of many current vaccines. The vaccine is a live vector constructed from an attenuated (weakened) strain of the Myxoma virus and the capsid (shell of virus particle) protein gene of VHD that can be given in a single vaccination. This generates an immune response against both diseases but does not induce them. The research concluded that all rabbits remained healthy with no adverse effects, promising a step forward in rabbit disease prevention and awareness.

 

 

References:

http://www.msd-animal-health.co.uk/binaries/047958_The_importance_of_vaccination_for_your_rabbit_tcm80-69638.pdf

 

http://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/vaccinations

 

http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/170/12/307.extract?sid=5574f8dc-43c9-4387-bca1-ef48801d92d6

 

http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/170/12/309.full?sid=f65077e5-5975-4696-a378-fa358b36beda

 

Image: http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk/health/prevent-and-protect

Vet News – Exotics News

Posted on by
Reply

Vet NewsThis month Vet News Exotics Editor, Charlotte Hitch brings us a fascinating piece on the breeding of White Bengal Tigers.

EXOTICS:

Breeding White Bengal Tigers

Charlotte Hitch (Vet News Exotics Editor)

White tigers, which originate from South Asia, are becoming increasingly popular in zoos in the Western world. Despite the undeniable beauty of the sleek black and white coats and piercing blue eyes of the white tiger, much controversy has arisen about the ethics of breeding these animals.

White Bengal TigerMany people believe that the white tiger is a rare, separate species; one which is rapidly and alarmingly decreasing in numbers, and call for conservation programmes to be initiated in order to save the ‘Royal’ white tiger. However, this is a common misconception. The white tiger is not a species, but rather a genetic mutation of the normal orange and black Bengal tiger, caused by an abnormal recessive allele in a single gene, SLC45A2, which is only partially responsible for pigmentation of the animal. This explains the presence of black stripes on an otherwise colourless body – a condition called leucism (not albinism as some may think; which causes the whole coat to be white and the eyes to be pink).

For most zoo owners and directors, the primary reason for breeding white tigers is for profit. The scarcity of white tigers makes them a huge attraction in zoos, and one cub can make up to US$60,000 when sold.

The truth about the conservation of this ‘species’ is often hidden from the public – during the breeding process it is not uncommon for normal orange-coloured cubs to be born from a white tiger parent. In this case, the cubs are often sold or disposed of in ways which are far from humane because they do not show the rare colour desired by the breeder.

Since the white tiger is not a species on its own, and is caused by one mutated gene, until now the only way to produce white cubs was to extensively and continuously inbreed close relatives; e.g. daughter to father or brother to sister. In fact, it is thought that the whole population of white tigers originated from one single tiger.

Kenny the White Bengal TigerA famous example of the problems that inbreeding may cause is the case of Kenny the tiger. Kenny was born with serious deformities, such as abnormally arranged teeth causing difficulty with eating and a ‘pug nose’ which prevents correct and efficient breathing.

Other white tigers may have bulging or crossed eyes due to incorrect routing of their visual pathways, club feet, hip dysplasia, cleft palates, immunological problems, scoliosis (curving of the spine), shortened tendons, or kidney problems. It has been reported that they also react abnormally to anaesthesia, and their blood coagulates at a slower rate than that of their orange counterparts, causing more severe bleeding. Consequently, treating the animals to correct some of the problems caused by inbreeding is therefore close to impossible.

Now that the gene which causes the white coat has been discovered, it may be possible to screen normal orange tigers to see if they are carriers of the recessive gene and selectively breed the carriers to produce non-inbred white tigers. However, even this has consequences; the white colouration of these animals means that they would be incapable of camouflaging themselves in the wild in order to catch prey. For this reason, all white tigers are bred for a life in captivity. Some may argue that we are simply causing suffering by wasting money and resources on animals which will never be able to survive in the wild, while the number of healthy wild Bengal tigers from a more varied gene pool dwindles at an ever increasing rate.

 

 

 

 

References:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UKwY7yV5sYo

http://www.wildcatsanctuary.org/the-truth-about-white-tigers/

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/350943

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/white-tiger-numbers-can-be-increased-without-inbreeding/article4745897.ece

http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2010/02/white-tigers-conserving-misery/

 

Images:

Charlotte Hitch

http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/wp-content/uploads/white-tiger-2.jpg

Revision & Exams: Show them who is boss

Posted on by
Reply

Revising for examsYou want to be a vet. You want to go to vet school. Exams are one of the big ogres that stand between you and your goal. They will also be hiding under bridges at various, regular points along your journey through vet school itself, and even beyond into your professional lives. No-one likes exams. Well, that’s not strictly speaking true. I know some strange people who actually do like them. What I meant to say was that the vast majority of us dislike them intensely, myself included. However, they are as inevitable as taxes and English rain in August so we just have to endure. So, if you can’t avoid them and you know that you have to do well in them if you are to achieve your aim of getting to vet school, what tactics can you employ to show exams that they don’t rule you but you rule them?

The following advice is what I have managed to distill through years of trial and error with exams and what I found to, on the whole, work out best for me. This isn’t to say that what I suggest is the right or the best way to go about approaching revision and exams – I daresay many of you have far more elegant techniques and tips to propose. We will all have our own unique coping mechanisms for exams and if my suggestions merely serve to act as seeds of inspiration then so be it – I have achieved my aim. Feel free to share your own tips for getting through both revision and exams, either by commenting on this post or via the Vet School Success Facebook page.

 

Be the Boss Tip 1: Plan, Plan, Plan. Then do.

There is so much truth in the saying “to fail to plan is to plan to fail” that we have to consider it first. Not thinking ahead of time and preparing a revision and exam plan is tantamount to insanity. That’s not to say that you’ll end up sticking to your plan. In fact, the opposite is more likely, but the point is that even having a basic plan in place prepares your mind for the task of revising and ultimately sitting the exams that come at the end of it all. I am yet to meet anyone who has ever done well in exams – or indeed anything – without spending time in advance carefully planning their approach. Even if you only have a week to go before your exams start and are yet to start revision (good luck with that by the way), taking a couple of hours out to plan exactly what needs to be done and when you’re going to do it will be worth it. If anything, having a plan in place at least makes sure you remember to eat and sleep, both of which oft get neglected as exams approach.

It’s all well and good planning but you will ultimately then have to just crack on and do. The plan provides the direction and structure but is no substitute for actually sitting down, dusting off the books and actually doing what needs to be done.

 

Be the Boss Tip 2: A Poorly Maintained & Fueled Car Breaks Down

Exams rely on brain power. Brain power relies on fuel and rest. Eating and sleep are usually the two activities that fall by the wayside during revision, especially as the exams draw closer, meaning that many of you will enter the ‘exam period’ tired, stressed and feeling pretty ropey, all of which are not great hallmarks of being fighting fit. I’m going to sound like your mother here but she has a point: eating properly and getting enough sleep are vital. Oh, and FYI: chocolate does not constitute a square meal.

Caffeine drinks are another thing to try and avoid if at all possible. Your brain will not work any faster or more efficiently by being jacked up on rocket fuel. All that is likely to happen instead is that you crash, feel shite and perform poorly in the exams. Oh, and if you’ve seen The Inbetweeners then you’ll be aware of another potential side effect of too much caffeine. Not pleasant.

 

Be the Boss Tip 3: Prioritise

This will be a major part of your planning but knowing what is vital and what is nice-to-do-if-possible can make the difference during exams. You’ll have copies of the various syllabi and so will know exactly what needs to be revised in order to pass the exams with flying colours. If you don’t have this information then you need to do yourself a big old favour and get it by asking your teachers. Spending half of your revision time drilling down into some fascinating bit of knowledge whilst neglecting some important (ie, on the syllabus) subject matters because you didn’t know they were important is a really great way to feel all clever but still under-perform in exams. Know what needs to be done, do it and then build on this with the extras. It’s like planning work experience for your vet school application – there’s no point spending six weeks following round a specialist if it means you fail to spend any time on a diary farm. The vet schools will not give you extra marks for it; they will just give your place to someone else.

 

Be the Boss Tip 4: Be Your Own Boss

Do you think Usain Bolt gives his fellow sprinters a second thought in the lead up and running of a race? No, he doesn’t. The fact is he can no more determine how they will fare as they can him and so what point is there in expending energy and thought on their race plans. Usain focuses his full energies on perfecting his own preparation and execution. That is how you should approach revision and exams. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take an interest in what others are doing or engage in group learning activities, such as shared revision. What it means is that you shouldn’t allow yourself to be distracted from or directed away from your own, specific revision goals and exam plan. I was always wary at uni of spending too much time in the evenings discussing revision with others as the result was usually that one or all us would end up feeling as though we hadn’t done enough and had to fight back the desire to scurry back to our rooms in order to rectify the perceived gaps in our knowledge. The simple fact is that we had probably done the revision already, or had it in our plan at some point, but we had allowed ourselves to be mentally highjacked by someone else and divert our focus away from our own race. Be wary of this happening in your own exam preparation.

 

Be the Boss Tip 5: Learn the Best Way For You

Do you retain knowledge and understand concepts better if you see them drawn? Or maybe you’re a listener and respond better to hearing things. I personally found that I was much better able to remember things when I drew them out on large sheets of white paper, creating elaborate A3 sheets of graphical notes whilst one of my flatmates wrote everything out and would view my graphical revision sheets as complete gibberish. We all learn differently and it is important to identify the modality that works best for us as individuals. Find what works best for you, whether it even be something like standing to revise, or revising in short ten minute bursts with a five minute break in between, and you’ll be surprised at how much more effective you will be at revising and performing well in your exams.

 

Whatever tips work for you, good luck for any exams you have coming up and all the best for your Vet School preparations.

Reasons NOT to be a vet

Posted on by
6

Grumpy clientThere are times during every professionals’ working week when they might, in an exasperated moment, despair that they could, and should, be doing something – anything – other than the job that they are doing. We have all been there and you shall as well once you make it out of vet school and into the world of paid veterinary employment.

Being a vet is a stressful job – there is no denying that. Many people think that much of what we do day in and day out is stroke and cuddle cute fluffy kittens and roll around with adorable puppies whilst everyone else has to toil and struggle through the daily grind that is their working lives. The truth is that for most vets, their days are long, frantic and full of stress from start to finish, much like many other people, and this is perhaps something that is not made clear to those of you considering joining our ranks.

So, I thought it would be cathartic, and possibly even a little entertaining, in a dark sort of a way, to take a look at some of the reasons NOT to be a vet. If you’re not put off by the end then you know what, I reckon vet school just might be right for you after all 🙂

Reason 1: You’ll be in debt for most of your life

Studying to become a vet is hideously expensive with tuition fees for undergraduates standing at £9000 per year at most of the UK vet schools and multiples of that if you’re a graduate student looking to train as a vet. One student I have been speaking with recently is facing the dilemma of either accepting a place which will require them to find funding to the tune of about £27k per annum (£120k in total!!!) or forfeit their place and try reapplying to those vet schools charging graduates less. It is easy for politicians to dismiss the cost of going to university by pointing out that “you’ll only pay it back once you’re earning,” but the fact is that debt is corrosive to the soul and starting your working life so heavily indebted has a negative effect. For a profession that wants to widen access and encourage more applicants from poorer, under-represented sections of society to attend vet school, we have a tough sell if the costs of training to become a vet continue to remain as high as they are, especially when clever, motivated and ambitious young people see peers in other professions and industries earning significantly more for apparently as skilled, or less skilled, work. On the flip side, everyone will assume you get paid a fortune, drive a fleet of sports cars and live in a palace. So it’s not all bad.

 

Reason 2: Grumpy, Unreasonable Clients

About 80% of a vet’s clients are wonderful, easy to deal with, reasonable human beings who listen to the sage advice offered and act as directed by their vet, who is, after all, a trained medical professional and so does actually know what they’re talking about (gasps of shock ensue!). Sadly not every one of the clients that cross over our clinic thresholds is such a joy to deal with and there are some individuals who seem set on being difficult from the start regardless of how professional, knowledgable and nice you might be. They will be the people who turn up late then whinge about having to wait. Or expect to drop in and for their pet’s repeat prescription to be issued there and then regardless of the fact the vet is actually with other clients. They will be the people who quibble over the bill in spite of lengthy discussions at the outset about potential costs and estimates, and regular updates. Or perhaps the ones who will only see one specific vet and will then be downright rude to all when they find themselves in the position of having to see another vet, in spite of them being as qualified and capable as any. We all know them and we all deal with them, and they can make our working days a nightmare. But they do provide good anecdotes, so perhaps every cloud.

 

Reason 3: Aggressive Animals

It personally makes my blood boil when people chuckle in response to a vet or nurse getting bitten and say the immortal words, “well, it is part of the job.” No. It is not part of the job. In the same way that getting electrocuted is not an acceptable part of an electrical engineer’s job, or being run over isn’t part of a mechanic’s job, being mauled by our patients is not part and parcel of carrying out our duties. There will be times, unfortunately, when you may receive a bite or a scratch that simply could not be avoided. In fact, only the other day one of my nurses had to (very carefully) remove a cat who had decided that my chest made for a wonderful climbing wall, an outcome that was nobody’s fault but the cat’s. What is possible, however, is to do everything reasonable to reduce the chances of our patients getting at us, and that includes pet owners giving fair warning about their animals’ behaviour. It is not acceptable to let a vet assume that a pet dog or cat is friendly (the default position thankfully for most of our charges) only to point out that actually Fluffy does have a problem with vets as he has his jaws clamped around said vet’s hand. Animal bites are horrible. Cat bites often require hospital treatment and can, in extreme cases, ruin careers. Be warned: you will have to deal with some really shitty patients so be vigilent and if it’s a career free of any bite risks that you’re seeking then become an undertaker instead.

 

Reason 4: Animal Cruelty & Suffering

We go into the profession to prevent animal suffering and to ensure that, as far as is possible, we fix and protect animals under our care. Unfortunately there are times when we see the very worst that people can be and do to animals. Whether it be dog fighting and the horrific wounds that result, irresponsible breeding for the sake of making “easy money”, or abandonment and neglect cases, which every vet will have tales of, it is always staggering just how shit some people can be to animals and how little regard they can give to the fact that as humans we have incredible powers to either do what’s right or intensify suffering. It is important to be aware of the fact that during your veterinary career you will see things that will make you fume and despair at how awful people have the potential to be, and if this is something you will not be able to cope with then think hard about your career options. Thankfully, however, the vast majority of our experiences are the right kind of animal-human interactions, focusing on caring for and curing, as it should be.

 

I hope that this post hasn’t come across as being too miserable and whingy. As we all know, it is cathartic to unload sometimes and if my examples of some of the challenges we face as practicing vets serve to prepare you more fully for an application to join our profession then it has been a useful exercise. At any rate, I feel a bit better for having vented a little so thanks 🙂 In all seriousness, the veterinary profession does have a shamefully high level of both alcohol abuse and suicide amongst it’s members, all borne, I am convinced, of the sorts of trials and tribulations described above. It is important to have people you know and trust to talk to about any problems you might have and to not let them get to the point of causing long-term damage. Organisations such as the Veterinary Benevolent Fund are on hand to offer advice, guidance and just a friendly ear should it be needed.

Right, I’m off to find a kitten to stroke.

Vet News – Exotics News

Posted on by
Reply

Vet NewsOur newest addition to the team is Charlotte Hitch, who has come on board the good ship Vet School Success to bring you some fascinating articles with a more exotic flavour. It’s great to have Charlotte on the team and she takes up the role of Vet News Exotics Editor. Welcome Charlotte 🙂

EXOTICS:

Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) in Marmosets

Charlotte Hitch (Vet News Exotics Editor)

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis is an infectious zoonotic viral disease which affects a family of New World monkeys called Callitrichids, including the species Callithrix jacchus, or the common marmoset, an increasingly popular exotic pet especially in the United Kingdom and USA. In 1991, in a zoo in Texas, 5 of 7 pygmy marmosets died after exposure to infected neonatal mice. Hence, the LCM virus, once present in a population of Callitrichids, poses a significant risk to simian health.

The secondary effects of contracting LCM, an arenavirus-induced condition, include aseptic meningitis and Callitrichid hepatitis (CH), a commonly fatal disease which presents itself in the form of clinical signs such as dyspnoea (shortness of breath), anorexia (loss of appetite), lethargy (extreme tiredness), and jaundice (yellowish pigmentation of the skin and the ocular sclera). In basic terms, the pathology of CH consists of an inflamed liver which may be likely to develop cirrhosis or fibrosis, and metabolic disorders often follow.

Group of MarmosetsThe LCM virus can be carried by the common house mouse, Mus musculus, and can be caught through exposure to the faeces, saliva, milk, nasal secretions, semen or urine of an infected specimen. M. musculus are a reservoir species; they are able to carry and spread the virus to other species without being harmed or killed by it. Captive marmosets are particularly at risk due to unnatural contact with infected house mice, and also because of the difficulty in controlling such carriers.

Transmission can also be vertical, i.e. to unborn foetuses in utero through the placenta – possibly producing infected offspring.

While its effectiveness has not yet be confirmed, the drug ribavirin may be used on a trial basis to treat the initial LCMV infection; however once CH develops, the chances of survival are greatly reduced. Additionally, ribavirin is teratogenic (may lead to the formation of teratomas). The virus may be inactivated by hypochlorite solution, heat, UV light or gamma irradiation if disinfecting a contaminated area. Corticosterone, an anti-inflammatory drug, may be used to treat the encephalitic effects of the infection – reducing the cerebral and spinal cord inflammation.  It is also highly recommended to avoid feeding captive marmosets mouse pups, as other proteinous food items such as mealworms should suffice; however this preventative method will be ineffective once infection has already occurred.

Currently, Callitrichid Hepatitis is incurable but treatable with increased rest and diet regulation, through reduction of dietary fats. Future developments in regenerative medicine may allow treatment of CH through intravenous transplantation of cord blood stem cells into the liver, replacing damaged hepatocytes and restoring normal hepatic and immune function. While these ideas are still in the development and pre-testing stages, precautions must be taken to control reservoir species such as mice to prevent rodent-borne transmission to captive marmosets.

 

References:

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/viral/LCM/LCM.htm

Pathology and Immunohistochemistry of Callitrichid Hepatitis, an Emerging Disease of Captive New World Primates Caused by Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus, American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 148, No. 5, November 1995

http://www.eaza.net/activities/tdfactsheets/010%20Callitrichid%20%20Hepatitis.doc.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/Fact_Sheets/Lymphocytic_Choriomeningitis_Fact_Sheet.pdf

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/management_and_nutrition/nutrition_exotic_and_zoo_animals/nutrition_in_primates.html?qt=callitrichid%20hepatitis&alt=sh

http://hepatitis.stemcellcentre.org/en/

 

Picture credits:

http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=image&assetId=1232729045758&imageSize=xLarge&mode=prd