La Veterinaire 2016 The News Magazine of the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine LETTER FROM OUR DEAN When I first came to LSU from Cornell, I was aware that LSU had a live mascot but not how important he is the LSU community. I quickly learned that, for Tiger fans, Mike the Tiger embodies the spirit of LSU. This was never more apparent than when Mike VI was diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma in May 2016. I am so proud of the faculty and staff who worked together to examine and diagnose Mike VI under the direction of Dr. David Baker, Mike’s veterinarian and the director of our Division of Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Baker took over the care of Mike V in 1996 and selected Mike VI in 2007. Mike VI’s diagnosis was just the first step. The next was to determine if Mike could be treated, and, if so, how and where. Dr. Baker consulted with veterinary specialists both within and outside of the LSU community, and we partnered with the Mary Bird Joel D. Baines, VMD, PhD, became dean of Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center (Cancer Center) to give Mike stereotactic the LSU SVM on September 1, 2014. He radiotherapy, or SRT—to our knowledge the first time this treatment has been done on came to LSU from the Cornell University a live tiger. With fingers crossed, the treatment appears to have been successful, and College of Veterinary Medicine, where we hope to have Mike VI with us for many more months. This positive outcome would he was the associate dean for research not have been possible without the collaboration of the LSU SVM, the faculty and staff and graduate education and the James at the Cancer Center (including their facilities and security staff) and the LSU Police Law Professor of Virology. In addition to Department. serving as dean, Dr. Baines also serves as the Dr. Kenneth F. Burns Chair in Veterinary Because the linear accelerator we are installing in 2017 will have SRT capability, the Medicine. He received a bachelor’s LSU SVM’s Oncology Service will be able to provide any future treatments if they are degree in microbiology from Kansas State deemed necessary. For Mike VI’s 2016 treatment, our veterinary oncology service worked directly with the faculty and staff at the Cancer Center. We have a long-standing University in 1979 and received a VMD relationship with the Cancer Center in that Daniel Neck, clinical medical physicist there, degree from the University of Pennsylvania is also an adjunct assistant professor at the LSU SVM and reviews all of the radiation in 1983. He then received his PhD from protocols for our radiation oncology patients. Cornell University in 1988, studying the molecular virology of feline coronaviruses. The LSU SVM has also researched different cancers and cancer cells for several years and He obtained postdoctoral training at continues to do so. It is our hope that both LSU and the Cancer Center can learn from the University of Chicago, studying the Mike’s diagnosis and treatment for the ultimate benefit of both people and animals. molecular virology of herpes simplex virus replication. Dr. Baines has been funded Sincerely, by the National Institutes of Health since January 1, 1995, to study herpes simplex virus assembly. His research focuses on how capsids are assembled and exit the Joel D. Baines, VMD, PhD nuclei of infected cells. These key parts of Dean the viral replication cycle are prime targets Dr. Kenneth F. Burns Chair in Veterinary Medicine for new antiviral drugs. LSU SVM Administration ON THE COVER Joel D. Baines, VMD, PhD Dean (Joined LSU SVM in 2014) Mike VI treated for cancer Dr. Kenneth F. Burns Chair in Veterinary Medicine Lorrie Gaschen, DVM, Dr.med.vet., Dr.habil., PhD, In May 2016, LSU’s live tiger mascot, Mike VI, was diagnosed DECVIM with spindle cell sarcoma and was subsequently treated at Associate Dean for Diversity and Faculty Affairs Mary Bird Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center in (Joined LSU SVM in 2006) Baton Rouge, La. Rhonda Cardin, PhD Associate Dean for Research and Advanced Studies (Joined LSU SVM in 2016) Story on page 2. Joseph Taboada, DVM, DACVIM Associate Dean for Veterinary Education and Student Affairs (Joined LSU SVM in 1988) Ernie Tanoos, MPA Assistant Dean for Finance and Administrative Services TABLE OF CONTENTS (Joined LSU SVM in 1994) Mark Mitchell, DVM, PhD (LSU SVM 2001), DECZM Director, Veterinary Teaching Hospital Mike VI Treated for Cancer .................................................................2 (Rejoined LSU SVM in 2016) Mike VI’s Care Team ..............................................................................6 Tracy Nye Evans, MPA Senior Director of Development (Joined LSU SVM in 2014) Mary Bird Perkins - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center .......8 Ginger Guttner, MMC, APR Director of Public Relations (Joined LSU SVM in 2004) Care Timeline ...................................................................................... 11 School of Veterinary Medicine History of Mike the Tiger................................................................. 12 Louisiana State University Mike’s Habitat ..................................................................................... 16 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803 Fans Support Mike VI ....................................................................... 19 Administration 225-578-9900 Admissions (DVM Program) 225-578-9537 Mike VI’s Caretakers .......................................................................... 20 Alumni Relations 225-578-9565 Continuing Education 225-578-9825 Oncology .............................................................................................. 24 Research & Advanced Studies 225-578-9765 Oncology Success Stories ............................................................... 26 Veterinary Teaching Hospital Pets and small exotics 225-578-9600 Cancer Research................................................................................. 29 Horses and farm animals 225-578-9500 To make a gift to the LSU SVM 225-578-9870 New Faculty and Faculty Promotions......................................... 30 Our Students ....................................................................................... 32 www.lsu.edu/vetmed @LSUVetMed DVM Alumnus Profile ....................................................................... 34 facebook.com/LSUSVM facebook.com/LSUVTH MS/PhD Alumnus Profile ................................................................ 36 instagram.com/LSUVetMed Distinguished Alumnus Award ..................................................... 38 Special thanks to contributing writers, Jennifer Gutierrez with Development ...................................................................................... 39 the LSU Foundation and Julie Thomas with the LSU SVM. Thank you!............................................................................................ 40 La Veterinaire, our award-winning magazine, is published by the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Contact Ginger Guttner at 225-578-9922 or [email protected] for more information. Mike VI, LSU’s live tiger mascot is doing well following stereotactic radiotherapy, or SRT, which took place on June 1 at Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center (Cancer Center). Mike’s veterinarian and professor at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU SVM), David Baker, DVM, PhD, and his veterinary student caretakers previously noticed swelling on the right side of Mike VI’s face. On Thursday, May Members of Mike VI’s 12, Mike VI was sedated in his night house and then brought to the LSU School of Veterinary 1 LSU SVM Care Team get him ready to undergo a Medicine for a physical examination and diagnostic tests. CT of his face on May 12, 2016. Once at the LSU SVM, Mike VI was put under general anesthesia and given a CT (computed Mike is positioned for tomography) scan to determine the cause of the swelling. All diagnostic findings were reviewed 2 his CT at the LSU SVM on May 12. by multiple specialists, both at LSU and at other institutions, and it was determined that Mike has a tumor in his face near his nose. Biopsy analysis led to a diagnosis of spindle cell sarcoma, which Mike undergoes a is a malignant tumor derived from fibrous connective tissues of the bone. This is an extremely rare 3 biopsy and physical exam at the LSU SVM on form of cancer, but this type of cancer is unlikely to spread to other areas of the body. May 12. CT of Mike’s head taken The team on Mike VI’s case at the LSU SVM was composed of Dr. Baker, Mike’s veterinary student 4 at the LSU SVM on May caretakers, and veterinarians and veterinary technicians in the anesthesia, dermatology, 12. The mass is visible on the left side of the image (the laboratory animal medicine, ophthalmology, oncology, surgery, diagnostic imaging and anatomic right side of Mike’s face). and clinical pathology services, as well as local veterinarian Alfred Stevens, DVM (LSU SVM 1979) On May 28, 2016, and veterinarian for BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Gordon Pirie, DVM. 5 members of Mike’s Care Team moved him from Dr. Baker consulted with specialists at LSU and around the country to put together Mike’ VIs the gurney to the Elekta Versa HD at Mary Bird Perkins treatment plan, which was formally announced at a press conference at the LSU SVM on Monday, - Our Lady of the Lake Cancer May 23. Mike’s treatment plan consisted of a new and highly sophisticated form of radiation Center. therapy called “Stereotactic radiotherapy” or SRT. SRT delivers radiation to the tumor in a highly Members of Mike’s