LSU’s popular Pets Vets series returns

As the home of one of the country’s 28 veterinary schools, local large and small animal owners benefit from the state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment facilities year round.

In June, its mission as a teaching institution prompts LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) to open its doors and provide Baton Rouge’s elementary school children a glimpse into the world of veterinary medicine.

For more than a decade, the faculty has hosted a series of seminars. “The LSU SVM created Pets & Vets as a community outreach program to teach the next generation about veterinary medicine,” explains Brandy McMills, SVM’s advancement coordinator. “Many of our graduates knew they wanted to become a veterinarian since a very early age. Our goal is to education people of all ages about veterinary medicine and basic pet care.”

Each year, these biweekly events attract 200 kids, curious about everything from raptors, pet therapy and horse anatomy to pet communication, prosthetic limbs and even acupuncture for animals.

All presentations are free and open to children age 6 and older and their parents, but pre-registration is requested.
Although topics are subject to change depending on the professionals’ availability, the 2013 schedule includes these presentations:

10 a.m. Anatomy presented by Dr. Martha Littlefield
11 a.m. Birds of Prey presented by Dr. Javier Nevarez

10 a.m. Choosing and Caring for Your Pet presented by Dr. Sandra Merchant

11 a.m. Hello! How Animals Communicate presented by Dr. Tom Tully

10 a.m. Horse Anatomy/Treadmill by Drs. Dan Burba & Laura Riggs

11 a.m. Physical Therapy: The Underwater Treadmill presented by Jennifer Bridges

10 a.m. Dermatology presented by Dr. Cherie Pucheu-Haston

11 a.m. How Pets Help Us: Tiger HATS presented by Stephanie Johnson

10 a.m. Overview of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine presented by Dr. Dennis McCurnin
11 a.m. Tour of the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital

10 a.m. House Calls for Horses presented by Dr. Ann Chapman

11 a.m. Animal Prosthetics presented by Niki Marie Hansen

10 a.m. How Animals Get Anesthesized presented by Dr. Patricia
 Queiroz-Williams
11 a.m. Integrative Medicine presented by Dr. Rebecca McConnico

All Pets & Vets courses are held at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine on Skip Bertman Drive. For more information or to register, please visit vetmed.lsu.edu or call 225-578-9900.

For kids and their families ready to commit to a new pet, Cat Haven offers a variety of cuddly kittens and cats including:

	Leah was born to a feral mother. Fortunately a PetSmart employee’s family found her and brought the tiny tabby to Cat Haven. This sweetheart gets along well with children, other kitties and dogs.
	Oliver was found abandoned in an apartment complex. This one-year-old is a sweet fellow looking for a new home. He seems to get along with other cats.
	Romia is a very happy girl who was rescued at a work site as a kitten. When her owners could no longer keep her, they sought Cat Haven’s help. Romia loves people of all ages and other kitties, but she has never been around dogs.
	Chief is a large declawed fluffy orange tabby boy. This quiet, senior was found as a small kitten and lived in a home with young children and dogs.
	Fuzz was adopted from Cat Haven as a bottle-fed kitten. An owner experiencing personal problems returned him to Cat Haven. This black beauty is playful, independent, affectionate, sweet and quiet. He like using a scratching post and gets along well with other cats.
	Alex’s elderly owner could no longer care for the orange tabby, so she brought him to Cat Haven to find a new home. He’s a sweet, loving, playful boy.

These pets have all been vaccinated, spayed/neutered and FeLeuk/FIV tested. Many other adoptable cats and kittens are available at Cat Haven, cathaven.org or call the shelter to make an appointment at 636-2680.