Spring 2019 floridaveterinarian The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine Magazine UF veterinarians collaborate to save the eye of a rare okapi calf CONTENTS 2 Message from Advancement 3 New acupuncture center opening 5 Open heart program announced 8 Q&A: Forensic Pathologist joins faculty 10 Lifetime study: The heart of a Doberman 13 Cover Story: A Rare Sight: Saving the eye of a rare okapi calf 13 19 Roy Curtiss — A pioneer in research 23 New teaching consortium formed 25 Love & Philanthropy: 30 years of giving 27 Small Investments 30 Calendar of events Florida Veterinarian is published by the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine for alumni and friends. Suggestions and comments are welcome and should be emailed to: Sarah K. Carey Editor, Florida Veterinarian [email protected] Dean James W. Lloyd, D.V.M., Ph.D. 03 Executive Associate Dean Thomas W. Vickroy, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs Juan Samper, D.V.M. Interim Dean of Research and Graduate Education David Pascual, Ph.D Associate Dean for Clinical Services and Chief Medical Officer Dana Zimmel, D.V.M Senior Director of Advancement and Alumni Affairs Katie Boudreau Director of Communications Sarah K. Carey, M.A., A.P.R. Events Manager Jessalyn Fernandes Graphic Design Selena Carter The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is supported through funding 23 from UF Health and the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. MESSAGE FROM ADVANCEMENT AND ALUMNI AFFAIRS Being asked to write a column for the Yokohama, Japan, and our college will make Florida Veterinarian magazine sounded this all possible. Dr. Uechi has agreed to very daunting at first. What could an train UFCVM cardiologists, surgeons and advancement/development officer have to other essential staff in mitral valve repair say that would be of interest to our readers? surgery. The collaboration will also involve cardiologists at UF Health Shands Children’s After some contemplation, I realized that as Hospital. Simon Swift, D.V.M, chief of the an avid animal lover (and a certified crazy cat cardiology service, will head up the UFCVM lady), I get the opportunity to talk about my team. This story is certainly an exciting one favorite subject every day with some of the for my team to tell, and we look forward to most amazing professionals in the veterinary sharing it with you. Sarah Carey’s story is field. I’m able to see the ever-changing work included in this issue. that continues to improve the lives of our companion animals, food animals, wildlife In the equine and large animal field, the and aquatic creatures that we all care so UFCVM is developing new robotic imaging deeply about. Many people think my job is technology that will eliminate the need just about raising money but in reality, it’s for animals to be anesthetized before the also that of a storyteller. scanning process. This groundbreaking technology will be developed through I find many of our veterinary stories so a collaborative effort of UF scientists compelling that asking people for support in the veterinary field, engineering and becomes secondary to raising their human medicine. Stay tuned for further awareness of how their dollars can make developments. an impact in moving our college forward. I’d like to briefly tell you about a couple of Aside from storytelling, my job is also to our most recent initiatives that our team is manage a team of committed advancement excited to share. professionals who work tirelessly to garner support from individuals who care about the The first development is the exciting news health and welfare of animals. Whether you that the UFCVM will soon have the first fully are a grateful client of the hospital clinics, a functional open heart surgery program for shelter medicine advocate who cares about dogs in the country will be the only one to rescue animals, or someone with an interest offer a complex procedure known as cardio in providing scholarship opportunities for mitral valve repair. I’m not an authority on our students, our goal is to help you find all the technical explanations of how the a way to make a difference in the lives of procedure is performed, but I do know that people and animals. it will save hundreds, maybe thousands of dogs that suffer from this issue. Small-breed Please call me at 352-294-4256 or email GO GATORS! dogs most commonly develop this cardiac me at [email protected] if you have any Sincerely, problem, which has previously been treated questions about our many programs or how Katie Boudreau on a temporary basis with medication. you can help. We have a great team; we’re all Senior Director of Advancement honored to be here supporting the UFCVM, and Alumni Affairs A collaboration between renowned veterinary and we’re here if you need us. cardiologist, Masami Uechi, D.V.M., Ph.D, of The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine is supported through funding from UF Health and the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. 3 | FLORIDA VETERINARIAN UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | 4 New Equine Acupuncture Center: COLLEGE OPENS NEW EQUINE ACUPUNCTURE CENTER IN OCALA By Sarah Carey n an effort to better serve horse Acupuncture involves the use of owners in the Ocala/Marion specific methods to stimulate points County area, often referred to as on the body in order to elicit a I the “horse capital of the world,” therapeutic effect. These points are the UF College of Veterinary Medicine referred to as Shu-xu, or acupuncture opened a new acupuncture center for points, Xie said. horses in Reddick, Florida, on Sept. 4. Studies have shown that acupuncture The UF Equine Acupuncture Center therapy may be effective in treating consists of a 6,240-square-foot musculoskeletal conditions, lameness, barn, which includes 12 stalls neurological disorders, reproductive, and a treatment area, as well as a respiratory and gastrointestinal 12,500-square-foot arena. The center disorders, dermatological issues and will function as a clinic through even behavioral problems. which Huisheng Xie, BScVM, Ph.D., a clinical professor in the integrative “Although we have occasionally medicine service at the UF Veterinary provided equine acupuncture Hospitals, will provide acupuncture through our farm call service, therapy to aid in treatment of a this new operation will be offered variety of conditions affecting horses. regularly, every Monday through Wednesday,” Xie said. “I am very Xie, who founded The Chi Institute honored and also proud of being of Traditional Chinese Veterinary part of the UF College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998, is a world- Medicine to bring this unique renowned veterinary acupuncturist medical care to our local equine with decades of experience in the community.” field. The new center will be located adjacent to the Chi Institute, about Hours of operation will be 9:30 a.m. two miles west of Interstate 75 in to 5 p.m. All visits must be made Reddick. through appointments scheduled with the UF Large Animal Hospital. “Acupuncture has been practiced in both animals and humans for Visit vethospitals.ufl.edu for thousands of years in China,” he said. more information. To make an “The benefits of acupuncture have appointment, call 352-392-2229. been documented in an increasing number of clinical trials, and, as a result, we have a better understanding of acupuncture’s method of action. Our patients can benefit greatly from these new developments.” Photos courtesyPhotos of Huisheng Dr. Banner Xie Star and Alan Youngblood/Ocala 3 | FLORIDA VETERINARIAN UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | 4 5 | FLORIDA VETERINARIAN UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | 6 Story by SARAH CAREY From the heart College to launch open heart program The UF College of Veterinary Medicine will launch an open heart surgery program for dogs in mid-2019, becoming the only fully functional program of its type in the United States and the only one to offer the complex procedure known as mitral valve repair. The program will be a elsewhere with a success rate over “This will lead to a teaching and collaboration between UF and 90 percent. research collaboration between renowned veterinary cardiologist UF, the JASMINE Clinic and Azabu Masami Uechi, D.V.M., Ph.D., “The plan is for Dr. Uechi to come University.” of the JASMINE Veterinary with his team and equipment for Cardiovascular Medical Center in a week later this year to perform As part of an agreement Uechi Yokohama, Japan. the procedure initially on one dog, reached with UF, he and his then to return two months later team would provide training Uechi visited UF last February at to do four more cases. From then in mitral valve repair surgery the college’s invitation and gave on, he and his team plan to operate to UF cardiologists, surgeons, a presentation on the complex on six dogs every two months,” anesthesiologists, perfusionists, procedure known as mitral said Simon Swift, D.V.M., a clinical critical care specialists and other valve repair, which he performs associate professor and chief of the key staff, with the ultimate regularly in Japan and has cardiology service at UF’s Small goal of UF being able to operate performed in the past with his Animal Hospital. and maintain the program team in France and occasionally independently. 5 | FLORIDA VETERINARIAN UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | 6 DISCUSSION FEW WORDS ABOUT LOREM & THE HISTORY BEHIND IT 34m ago 37 WHAT IS LOREM IPSUM? Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.