Where passion for animals, science, and medicine lives…
Not a lot of farts, just a soupçon of farts, a light crop-dusting perhaps. Why is this? Our many bacterial nemeses do not like their DNA with farts, so it keeps ours separate. As you may have guessed, a bit of creative license exists here, but you won’t forget this mnemonic device. When do our […]
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It’s crunch time! We are one month out from the big day. All travel plans should be finalized. We arrived at the hotel a few days ahead of the exam to allow for a “settling in” period. We didn’t want a stressful day of travel, with little rest and feeling rushed, the night before the […]
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Despite life, work, and intense studying, you have taken time to purchase flowers for that all-important holiday that occurs near the ides of February. We are talking of course, about Lupercalia, the ancient Sabine celebration which the Romans later renamed as Februa. During this time, we purify evil I-can’t-possibly-pass-this-test self-doubts and rejuvenate our health […]
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“What do you feed your dog?” you perfunctorily inquire, while completing your examination. “Cooked chicken and rice,” the pet owner boasts. “Is that on top of the kibble?” “No. Just chicken and rice. I buy premium, cooked chickens at Costco. I make sure it is lean, white meat, no skin, no bones, no fat. […]
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Have you ever asked, “What are my odds?” For most people, this question seeks information different from what an epidemiologist, mathematician, or gambler inquires after. If you thought the answer would give you risk, the odds are against you. Here’s a quick test. If you have a pair of dice and you take one die […]
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Have you ever read a vaccine study and quickly tried to skip to the heart of the matter? Perhaps there is someone there, a teacher, a colleague or a vaccine representative. You ask, “What’s the bottom line here? How well does the vaccine work? What percentage of pets are protected?” The other person says, “The […]
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In some parts of the country, fall has arrived. Unfortunately, in South Texas, we never really make the transition to fall colors, pumpkin spice, or crisp sunrises. What we settle for instead, is cooling weather and decreasing hordes of blood thirsty mosquitoes. These aerial vampires not only cause intense irritation and itching from bites, they […]
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In our last podcast, we introduced our listeners to the basics of farmed Pacific white shrimp. But, with any commercial livestock operation comes increased risk of disease. The first disease we discussed was infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV). First reported this year, IHHNV was not the first shrimp FAD to occur in the […]
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When we discuss foreign animal diseases, we usually think of mammals, with the occasional bird outbreak. But, in the field of veterinary medicine, we treat all species. Texas has extremely varied geographic terrain, allowing many different species to call this home. Farmed Pacific white shrimp offers a sustainable source of fresh shrimp to many areas […]
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The most powerful woman in the world blinded her own son to uphold her beliefs Gorgeous, brilliant, and powerful, the Empress Irene perched upon her throne and contemplated her Eastern Roman Empire. She sought to reunite it with the West through marriage with none other than Charlemagne. Luckily for the great Carolingian king, pleuritis killed […]
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