All creatures great and small

Only 28 communities in the United States are lucky enough to have accredited veterinary schools. Beyond educating Fluffy and Fido’s future physicians, these academic centers give their hometown pet owners access to state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures as well as cutting-edge cancer, orthopedic and rehabilitation treatment and even the opportunity to participate in clinical trials.

While the building’s Skip Bertman Drive lawn is prime real estate for Tiger Stadium and Alex Box tailgaters, few have ventured beyond the lobby of LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, which is usually accessible to exclusively to faculty, students and animal owners seeking specialty care. However, once a year, the school invites the entire city access to meet its experts and explore the latest developments in animal health care, rescue, therapy, welfare and research.

On February 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the LSU Vet School Open House offers a self-guided tour of the gross anatomy lab, equine treadmill, canine underwater therapy, cancer treatment center, intensive care units, surgery and radiology suites. Throughout the corridors, rescue representatives, students and faculty explain the animal-related issues, services and resources available to local owners.

Since the open house attracts future vet school hopefuls, biology classes, Boy and Girl Scout troops as well as young families, diversity has been the key to the event’s roaring success.

Besides being fun, educational and free, Open House exposes animal lovers to the work of 80 exhibitors, a tremendous variety of domestic and exotic species, breeds and live animals they are unlikely to see elsewhere—such as Hildy the fistulated cow, who has a portal in her side so students can observe digestion.

Other than Hildy and Mike the Tiger, the biggest draws have historically been the adoptable pets brought by breed rescues, the farm animal petting zoo and the endoscopy fishing station that allows visitors to manipulate a real medical instrument to retrieve an object from a stuffed animal. Children may also bring their own injured stuffed animals to be “sutured” by vet students at the Teddy Bear Clinic.

In addition to animal encounters with rescued rabbits, rehabilitated raptors and all creatures great and small, the open house presents special presentations including the parade of dog breeds and equine treadmill demonstration.
For more information and a schedule of events, visit the LSU Veterinary Medicine Web sitevetmed.lsu.edu.

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