Happy Holidays from Dean Greg Keefe

On behalf of AVC, I wish you all peace, good health, and happiness during this wonderful season. I thank our students, faculty, and staff for their ongoing dedication, and our many friends, donors, and partners for their great support. In the coming year, we look forward to celebrating new achievements and embracing new opportunities. Happy Holidays, and a joyous New Year!

Nichola K.S. Goddard Foundation donates $25,000 to AVC

The Nichola K.S. Goddard Foundation has donated a total of $25,000 to the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) for the College’s cardiology service.

Applications accepted for 2017 Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp

As of January 4, 2017, applications will be accepted for the 2017 Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp. The popular camp program provides participants with an interactive and educational look into the world of veterinary medicine. Students enjoy a week filled with science, animals, and fun. Junior camps (grades 7-9) are scheduled for July 10–14 and July17–21; senior camps (grades 10-12) take place from July 24– and July 31–August 4.

Find out what being a veterinarian is really like! Camp information and an application form are available at www.upei.ca/avc/camp or by calling (902) 566-0589. Deadline for applications is Friday, March 10, 2017.

Photo: A student in the 2016 Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp runs a dog through its paces on a dog agility course. 

Call for nominations for Atlantic Award of Excellence

AVC is calling for nominations for its 2016 Atlantic Award of Excellence in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care. This annual award recognizes veterinarians who have made significant contributions to animal health and welfare in Atlantic Canada. The award will be presented at the Atlantic Provinces Veterinary Conference in April. Nominations are due January 31, 2017.

More information and a nomination form are available online at http://www.upei.ca/avc/community. Send nominations and letters of support by mail to:

Atlantic Award of Excellence Nominating Committee
c/o Dean’s Office, Atlantic Veterinary College
550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3

Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre offers 2017 webinar series

The Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at AVC will hold its second annual three-part webinar series on February 21 and 28, and on March 7, at 1 p.m. AST.

Entitled “New Approaches to Old Diseases: Supporting Our Clients and Their Animals in the Face of Terminal Illnesses,” the series will give participating veterinarians and veterinary technicians three hours of affordable CE from the comfort of their home or office. The webinars will be offered by Dr. Caroline Hewson, past Chair of Animal Welfare at AVC now residing in the UK, and Dr. Christine Savidge, Assistant Professor, Small Animal Medicine, at AVC. The speakers will review some core communication tools for discussing terminal diagnoses with clients and then focus on practical strategies, including from human medicine, that offer busy veterinary teams a new framework for handling severe and chronic disease in their patients. After exploring the four main disease trajectories, we will use the example of renal disease to discuss real life examples.

At the end of the series, participants will have a framework that will make it easier
• to discuss terminal diagnoses and prognoses with different clients;
• for clients to comply with a care plan and have more peace of mind during clinical crises;
• to ensure that their chronically ill or elderly patients have “a life worth living”;
• for veterinarians and clients to prepare for euthanasia and identify when it is in an animal’s best interest.

Early bird offer to February 1: $20 per webinar or $50 for 3; after February 2: $30 each or $75 for 3. There is no charge for veterinary or AHT students. For more details about the webinars and registration, visit awc.upei.ca.

Gifts for the PEI Humane Society!

A big shout-out to the student-organized AVC Shelter Medicine Club! The club members collected supplies for the PEI Humane Society through their holiday “giving tree”—everything from pet food and toys to blankets and cleaning supplies. Shown here, Genevieve Machum, Class of 2018, delivers the donations to the PEI HS.

Barred owl released after regaining health at AVC

After almost three weeks of treatment and recovery at AVC, a barred owl is back in the woods near Hunter River, PEI.

Craig Younker, of Oyster Bed Bridge, brought the owl to the AVC Wildlife Service on November 17 after it collided with the windshield of his car on the Hopedale Road. The bird remained on the windshield for a short time before it fell to the ground. It then flew to a nearby tree and perched on a branch, but when Craig approached it, it fell to the ground. At that point, he decided to take it to AVC.

Upon admission to the Wildlife Service, the bird was given a physical examination, and radiographs were taken to check for broken bones. No breaks were revealed, but the owl could not perch and was leaning against the wall of its enclosure. The bird was obviously sore and was given pain medication. It also did not eat on its own for the first week of its stay at AVC.

With the help of a team of students, the owl was fed by hand and began to improve and eat on its own. It was placed in AVC’s outdoor flight cage to adjust to the weather in preparation for its release.

The AVC Wildlife Service released the owl on Wednesday, December 7, with assistance from Craig and his girlfriend, Anna Potter, a fourth-year student at AVC.

Photo: The barred owl perches in a tree after its release.

AVC students give back to their community

Elizabeth Moses, Class of 2017, and Julie Sparks, Class of 2018, recently delivered 260 food items collected during a Christmas food drive to the UPEI Food Bank.
Since September of this year, AVC students have collected 553 food items for the food bank!

“Time and time again we are humbled by the generosity of my fellow colleagues,” say Elizabeth and Julie. “Every donation matters, and we thank everyone in every class for the support this year!”

The four classes at AVC held a friendly competition to see which would gather the most donations during the semester. The winner was the Class of 2018, contributing 363 items. Assisting Elizabeth and Julie with the food drive was Shanna-Lynn Neily, Class of 2020.

Photo: Elizabeth Moses and Julie Sparks display food items donated by AVC students to the UPEI Food Bank.

Dr. Sophie St-Hilaire’s Canada Research Chair renewed

The Government of Canada recently announced more than 200 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs at 48 postsecondary institutions across the country. Among the honourees was Dr. Sophie St-Hilaire, who begins her second, five-year term as UPEI’s Canada Research Chair in Integrated Health Research for Sustainable Aquaculture.