Cool cases during a hot weather week

Each summer DVM students from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph delve into hands-on, practical experience at veterinary clinics across Ontario and additional locales during their Externship Veterinary Course. Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), students must complete an eight-week Externship Course between third and fourth year in a rural veterinary practice that works with food animals and/or equine, as well as companion animals. These Externship blog posts are an opportunity to tag along with students during their externship. Here student veterinarian Melissa talks about cool cases during a hot weather week. Check out all the student blogs here.

It’s been a hot week up here in Eastern Ontario! The temperatures are well into the 30s with the added bonus of humidity and not a drop of rain in sight. I’ve been coming home in the evening just exhausted from being in the heat all day and I’m not the only one who the heat is taking its toll on – our patients are feeling it too! Our dairy producers have been trying to keep their cows cool by using large fans and sprinkler systems. Many stables are bringing their horses into the barn during the day to try and keep them cool as well. It’s in weeks like this that I’m thankful for the blasting AC in the truck between calls.

For me, these hot days are tolerable because of all of the cool cases that I am involved with. Every night at dinner, my husband asks “did you see anything cool today?” and the answer is always yes! I would like to share with you the highlights of my week and you can be the judge on how cool it was!

Highlight #1: I got to assist with my first DA (displaced abomasum) surgery in a dairy cow! For the experienced dairy vet, this is a very routine procedure but for the student, firsts are always very exciting. Although it was unfortunate that the cow needed surgery, it was a good learning experience and led to some very important conversations about transition cow management. Displaced abomasums are a preventable condition so we, as veterinarians, need to work with our producers to set protocols to best manage our transition cows and get them off to a great start in their lactation.

Highlight #2: I was involved with some emergency calls which included a uterine torsion in a dairy cow, a tough calving and laceration on a horse’s foot. I am very grateful for these experiences, as emergency medicine is a big part of what a large animal veterinarian does. It was a welcome change to be involved in the fast paced, “fire engine” style of practice.

Highlight #3: One day, we went to a small hobby farm that had four Highland calves for us to castrate, ear tag and deworm. The work that we did on this farm was very routine but the calves were so fluffy and cute!

Highlight #4: I was also involved with evaluating a newborn calf that had been stepped on by her mom. After palpating her leg we found that her foot was broken at the distal end of her metatarsal bone. Young animals have the ability to heal very quickly so we decided to wrap and splint her leg to keep it immobilized. The farmer went into his workshop made a great split out of PVC pipe which we secured in pace using lots of Vet Wrap. We also gave her some pain medication to keep her comfortable and some antibiotics to help prevent infection at the fracture sight. We will see how she does in a few weeks!

I’m looking forward to what the next week brings, until then, stay cool!

Follow OVC on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @OntVetCollege

Comments are closed for this blog post

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Scrap to Steiger: Teen’s Metal Tractor Turns Heads at County Fair

At this year’s Dodge County Fair, one youth exhibit is sparking curiosity and admiration: a hand-built metal tractor crafted from 120 recycled parts by Columbus FFA member Jack Yelk.

Sustainability and productivity the focus of Manitoba 4R Day

Implementing 4R practices improves agricultural productivity and minimizes impact on the environment, helping farmers grow food in a sustainable way. EMILI hosted nearly 100 people at Innovation Farms on August 6 for Manitoba 4R Day, where attendees learned first-hand from industry experts about how to put the 4Rs – Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place – into action. The morning began with a panel discussion between Bryce Geisel from Koch Fertilizer, Lyle Cowell from Nutrien and Marla Riekman from Manitoba Agriculture, moderated by Wendy McDonald from Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, on real-world examples of 4R stewardship practices, common barriers to 4R adoption and use cases of enhanced efficiency fertilizers on farms in western Canada. The audience then rotated between three stations in the field. At the Managing 4R Stewardship with Innovative Technologies station, the audience dove into innovative technologies being tested, validated and demonstrated at EMILI’s

Young Innovators: USask researchers giving canola producers never-before-seen insight into their crops

To get a bigger picture of canola’s growth cycle, University of Saskatchewan (USask) graduate student Hansanee Fernando is turning her attention towards the sky, past the whips of cotton clouds, and into space, where she is harnessing satellite imagery to help canola producers monitor and grow healthy crops. “My PhD work aims to support farmers by identifying key growth stages and estimating yields, or how much the crop will produce, early on,” said Fernando. “I’m hoping to empower farmers to make informed decisions and optimize their management practices while potentially reducing costs, within the growing season.” To achieve this, Fernando is collecting images from open-source satellites and using these to map large scales sections of farmland across Western Canada. While optical satellite imaging is a commonly used technique that captures clear, crisp pictures of the Earth below—like you’d see on an online map—there are certain limitations that prevent researchers from collecting

Shokupan: Baking an Icon

Shokupan bread is just one example of how strong trade relationships can cross oceans, bridge knowledge gaps, and help maintain equitable market access for years to come. Also known as Hokkaido milk bread or Japanese milk bread, Shokupan is a staple food in Japan. Found in convenience stores and bakeries across the country, the iconic, pillowy-soft white bread reflects the fast-paced Japanese lifestyle—where quality and convenience intersect. Shokupan has a complex baking process which is the result of careful refinement of traditional processes and recipes. To achieve the signature fluffy texture and comforting flavour that Japanese customers expect, skilled bakers require ingredients that they can count on. The choice of many Japanese millers and bakers is Canada Western Red Spring wheat, known for its quality and functionality. “The exacting nature of Shokupan production, with its long fermentation process and minimal use of additives, requires wheat with a perfect balance of str

Growing and diversifying ag research

Alberta’s agriculture sector has a well-earned reputation for making the world’s best agri-food products, from high-quality honey to top-shelf triticale. That reputation is owed in part to innovative research the province’s two crop diversification centres (CDC) have been conducting for decades, that directly benefits farmers. With that in mind, Budget 2025 earmarked a total of $5.2 million for repairs, upgrades, replacements and operational support at both CDC North in northeast Edmonton and CDC South, southeast of Brooks. “Alberta’s farmers are the best in the world, driven by a tradition of constant innovation. Investing in our crop diversification centres ensures world-class research continues to deliver practical solutions that help our producers stay competitive.” Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta The funding supports upgrades and replacements to greenhouses, labs and administrative buildings at both sites. It also funds essentials that have increased in cost, like fertilizer

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service