Nothing unremarkable on the piglet front over the last few days. Isolated some more Group B Salmonella today from last weeks samples, which came from the weaner pigs. As the piglets on the sows don't have the bug, but once weaned they are infected, it must be as weaners that the pigs are first exposed to it.
Had lots of animals come through the PM room this week, many of them through the SSPCA. Got to see haematomas, mucoid enteritises, rotten dogs and appalling hair mats.
Having far too much fun in pathology!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Day 29
Lots of interesting things today. One piglet had atresia ani, a common problem in piglets and lambs where the anus doesn't form properly. I've seen sheep where this has gone undiagnosed for 3 weeks, by which stage the poor lamb was almost comatose and blown up like a balloon - everything was going in but nothing was coming out.
Another piglet had an orange liver, and it's got everyone stumped. When I'd finished, the liver was removed for histopathology, to join the heart from last week.
Also got two lovely green and black, decomposing piglets that were apparently born 2 days late, although I'm wondering how long they were lying out for before someone actually noticed they were there. They stank - I didn't really notice the smell (I'm nearly immune to everything a pig can throw at me by now) but it didn't take long for visiting physiologists to notice and evacuate the area. Lightweights.
Last Friday in Bacteriology I looked at the latest TSI agar, and all samples were negative. So no Salmonella in the farrowing houses. Today I was working with the new samples we collected on Thursday, streaking out plates. And we took a record 31 samples, which took ages to put onto agar.
This is my last week collecting data. I suppose I should be happy that I’m not going to be dissecting dead piglets from now until eternity, but because my project only takes up the mornings, I’m spending the rest of the day in the PM room, and I’m having so much fun I don’t want to leave!
Had a good weekend - on Saturday we went out to lunch, then went to Braehead Shopping Centre (very big) and managed to not get lost, which is an achievement in itself. However, the taxi we called to get us home got lost in the car park. Which says something about the size of the place!
Another piglet had an orange liver, and it's got everyone stumped. When I'd finished, the liver was removed for histopathology, to join the heart from last week.
Also got two lovely green and black, decomposing piglets that were apparently born 2 days late, although I'm wondering how long they were lying out for before someone actually noticed they were there. They stank - I didn't really notice the smell (I'm nearly immune to everything a pig can throw at me by now) but it didn't take long for visiting physiologists to notice and evacuate the area. Lightweights.
Last Friday in Bacteriology I looked at the latest TSI agar, and all samples were negative. So no Salmonella in the farrowing houses. Today I was working with the new samples we collected on Thursday, streaking out plates. And we took a record 31 samples, which took ages to put onto agar.
This is my last week collecting data. I suppose I should be happy that I’m not going to be dissecting dead piglets from now until eternity, but because my project only takes up the mornings, I’m spending the rest of the day in the PM room, and I’m having so much fun I don’t want to leave!
Had a good weekend - on Saturday we went out to lunch, then went to Braehead Shopping Centre (very big) and managed to not get lost, which is an achievement in itself. However, the taxi we called to get us home got lost in the car park. Which says something about the size of the place!
Friday, August 25, 2006
Shelebrations! hic!
Friend over from Belfast this weekend. Went out for a drink at the local tonight. Good time had. Coke good. Vewy good.
Day 26
Had a sick piglet this morning in one of my boxes - it looked like it had dilated cardiomyopathy with associated congestive heart failure - the heart was enlarged and thin-walled, with fluid in the chest and abdominal cavity and with a fibrinous exudate on the liver, which was enlarged and congested. The heart's been sent off for histopathology. My supervisor reckons I'll get the results around Christmas time, and the PM room staff think it'll be more like Christmas 2008. I think I'll be waiting a while, then.
Today was supposed to be the last day of us collecting material from the farm, but because we started so late on the first week, I'll be collecting material all next week too. I'm not complaining, because it means I get to spend lots more time in the PM room. >:)
This afternoon, a bull mastiff came in from a vet practice in Glasgow, with lymphosarcoma (often called 'Bull Mastuff disease' because this breed seems to get it quite frequently). It was a lesson in anatomy - all the lymph nodes were grossly enlarged and in some cases, visible through the skin.
To those non-vets out there reading this, the locations and names of lymph nodes are something all vet students are expected to know, but because the nodes are usually small they're hard to find, and sometimes even hard to see when pointed out. So to see them through the skin was something very unusual, and all those nodes I'd heard about but never actually seen were suddenly there. And visible. Also visible were nodes I didn't know existed, like the cervical nodes - which must be miniscle on a normal dog, but were bigger than 1.5cm on this poor animal.
Think I'm recovering from the shock of my first driving lesson today. When I was a kid, my nightmares weren't about monsters but about cars being out of control and stuff like brakes not working. It's one of the reasons I've put off taking lessons for so long. However, my birthday present this year was money for lessons, and I suppose we all have to start somewhere.
I shook the whole way through the lesson and experienced that feeling of blind panic you usually get as you enter an exam hall. When I got in the door from the lesson, my heart rate was sitting at 170 (normal 65!) and my hands were still shaking an hour afterwards. Still very apprehensive about the next lesson!
Today was supposed to be the last day of us collecting material from the farm, but because we started so late on the first week, I'll be collecting material all next week too. I'm not complaining, because it means I get to spend lots more time in the PM room. >:)
This afternoon, a bull mastiff came in from a vet practice in Glasgow, with lymphosarcoma (often called 'Bull Mastuff disease' because this breed seems to get it quite frequently). It was a lesson in anatomy - all the lymph nodes were grossly enlarged and in some cases, visible through the skin.
To those non-vets out there reading this, the locations and names of lymph nodes are something all vet students are expected to know, but because the nodes are usually small they're hard to find, and sometimes even hard to see when pointed out. So to see them through the skin was something very unusual, and all those nodes I'd heard about but never actually seen were suddenly there. And visible. Also visible were nodes I didn't know existed, like the cervical nodes - which must be miniscle on a normal dog, but were bigger than 1.5cm on this poor animal.
Think I'm recovering from the shock of my first driving lesson today. When I was a kid, my nightmares weren't about monsters but about cars being out of control and stuff like brakes not working. It's one of the reasons I've put off taking lessons for so long. However, my birthday present this year was money for lessons, and I suppose we all have to start somewhere.
I shook the whole way through the lesson and experienced that feeling of blind panic you usually get as you enter an exam hall. When I got in the door from the lesson, my heart rate was sitting at 170 (normal 65!) and my hands were still shaking an hour afterwards. Still very apprehensive about the next lesson!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Day 23
Had my first driving lesson today. Very scary. Still shaking. Not looking forward to next one.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Day 19
After a week of mangled otters, saw a mangled badger in the PM room on Tuesday.
Had no material to look at until Wednseday, when a whole lot arrived at once and I identified my first mummified piglet. I contemplated celebrating, but didn't think the PM staff would approve me bouncing about all over the place...
Then on Thursday, I finally isolated some Salmonella Group B from the farm samples. We knew it was there, but up until now we had no idea which group of pigs it was hiding in. Looks like we're starting to find out!
On Friday we went back to the farm to get some more samples - this time the farrowing houses were under scrutiny. It was hard to do the piglets - they're even smaller than the growers and finishers, and can't differentiate between being restrained and being killed, so tend to squeal a lot. And, they're cute.
Who could resist?
Went back to the PM room late afternoon, and saw some more interesting cases, including a rottweiler with parvovirus.
Thinking that being a veterinary pathologist is actually quite interesting!
Had no material to look at until Wednseday, when a whole lot arrived at once and I identified my first mummified piglet. I contemplated celebrating, but didn't think the PM staff would approve me bouncing about all over the place...
Then on Thursday, I finally isolated some Salmonella Group B from the farm samples. We knew it was there, but up until now we had no idea which group of pigs it was hiding in. Looks like we're starting to find out!
On Friday we went back to the farm to get some more samples - this time the farrowing houses were under scrutiny. It was hard to do the piglets - they're even smaller than the growers and finishers, and can't differentiate between being restrained and being killed, so tend to squeal a lot. And, they're cute.
Who could resist?Went back to the PM room late afternoon, and saw some more interesting cases, including a rottweiler with parvovirus.
Thinking that being a veterinary pathologist is actually quite interesting!
Monday, August 14, 2006
Day 15
Decided that over the last two weeks I've spent more time either looking for my supervisor, or waiting for him, than I actually spent on my project and the extra salmonella assignment put together. So from now on he can find me (this should be fun).
Was streaking plates out today in Bacteriology, and it has to be the most boring job on the face of the earth. When the swabs come in, I culture them overnight in tetrathionate broth. The mixture is activated by adding iodine to it, then the swabs are placed in the broth and broken off and the container sealed. Tetrathionate is supposed to supress other types of bacteria and only let Salmonella and a few select others grow. Unfortunately, some of the few select others also happen to look very much like Salmonella on an agar plate.
After being incubated overnight, I then innoculate the broth onto two different types of agar plate and streak them out. This part is the most monotonous, with two plates per sample and having to flame my wire loop after every stroke - argh!!!
The plates are incubated overnight and then anything that remotely resembles Salmonella the following morning is stuck into urea broth. The urea broth is yellow and should go pink if Salmonella isn't there - but stays yellow if it is.
Any yellow tubes are further cultured onto TSI agar, which should go black if Salmonella is present. All in all, it takes about a week to actually make a positive identification using the agglutination technique!!
I've decided that while this is an invaluable experience for me, I don't think I'll be a Bacteriologist when I graduate.
Was streaking plates out today in Bacteriology, and it has to be the most boring job on the face of the earth. When the swabs come in, I culture them overnight in tetrathionate broth. The mixture is activated by adding iodine to it, then the swabs are placed in the broth and broken off and the container sealed. Tetrathionate is supposed to supress other types of bacteria and only let Salmonella and a few select others grow. Unfortunately, some of the few select others also happen to look very much like Salmonella on an agar plate.
After being incubated overnight, I then innoculate the broth onto two different types of agar plate and streak them out. This part is the most monotonous, with two plates per sample and having to flame my wire loop after every stroke - argh!!!
The plates are incubated overnight and then anything that remotely resembles Salmonella the following morning is stuck into urea broth. The urea broth is yellow and should go pink if Salmonella isn't there - but stays yellow if it is.
Any yellow tubes are further cultured onto TSI agar, which should go black if Salmonella is present. All in all, it takes about a week to actually make a positive identification using the agglutination technique!!
I've decided that while this is an invaluable experience for me, I don't think I'll be a Bacteriologist when I graduate.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Irish Air Disaster
Ireland's worst air disaster occurred early this morning when asmall two-seater Cessna plane crashed into a cemetery. Irish searchand rescue workers have recovered 1826 bodies so far and expect that number to climb as digging continues into the night.
New dog cross breeds
The following breeds are now recognized by the AKC:
Collie + Lhasa Apso:
Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport
Spitz + Chow Chow:
Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot
Pointer + Setter:
Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet
Great Pyrenees + Dachshund:
Pyradachs, a puzzling breed
Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso:
Peekasso, an abstract dog
Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel:
Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle
Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever:
Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists
Newfoundland + Basset Hound:
Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors
Terrier + Bulldog:
Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes
Bloodhound + Labrador:
Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly
Malamute + Pointer:
Moot Point, owned by....oh, well, it doesn't matter anyway
Collie + Malamute:
Commute, a dog that travels to work
Collie + Lhasa Apso:
Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport
Spitz + Chow Chow:
Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot
Pointer + Setter:
Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet
Great Pyrenees + Dachshund:
Pyradachs, a puzzling breed
Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso:
Peekasso, an abstract dog
Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel:
Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle
Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever:
Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists
Newfoundland + Basset Hound:
Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors
Terrier + Bulldog:
Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes
Bloodhound + Labrador:
Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly
Malamute + Pointer:
Moot Point, owned by....oh, well, it doesn't matter anyway
Collie + Malamute:
Commute, a dog that travels to work
Friday, August 11, 2006
Day 12
The family went home on Sunday evening and left me to my paperwork.
Had a much more interesting week this week - been helping with otter post-mortems since Monday and I had a great time :)
Had some piglets to look at on Monday, but nothing after that, so it's been an easy week in that respect. The first batch of rectal swabs we took were all negative, so we went up to the farm again on Wednesday to pick up some more. This time it was the grower and finisher pigs' turns to get swabbed, and I found it harder to do these than the sows because they're smaller and lower to the ground - which means they can wriggle out of your grasp much quicker, and can reach your head with ease. Almost lost a swab inside a pig, but luckily got it back (albeit in two pieces!).
Had a much more interesting week this week - been helping with otter post-mortems since Monday and I had a great time :)
Had some piglets to look at on Monday, but nothing after that, so it's been an easy week in that respect. The first batch of rectal swabs we took were all negative, so we went up to the farm again on Wednesday to pick up some more. This time it was the grower and finisher pigs' turns to get swabbed, and I found it harder to do these than the sows because they're smaller and lower to the ground - which means they can wriggle out of your grasp much quicker, and can reach your head with ease. Almost lost a swab inside a pig, but luckily got it back (albeit in two pieces!).
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Daytrippin'
Another good day - this morning we went to the new Loch Lomond Aquarium and I saw more otters (of the living variety).
Later on we went to Loch Katrine for a trip on the steamship Sir Walter Scott - a good time was had by all!
Friday, August 04, 2006
Day 05
Results!
Had a stillborn piglet and a placenta to look at this morning. I was quite excited but my family couldn't see what was so good about it all!
Saw a roadkill otter being post-mortemed in the PM room today - I've never seen an otter outside of wildlife parks and zoos so it was great to see one up close (even though it was dead. And mangled.)
Went to Edinburgh this evening with the family to visit my cousin, who's working there at the moment. We went out to East Fortune airfield to see Scotland's Concorde, G-BOAA, then did a short sight-seeing trip on the way home.
Had a stillborn piglet and a placenta to look at this morning. I was quite excited but my family couldn't see what was so good about it all!
Saw a roadkill otter being post-mortemed in the PM room today - I've never seen an otter outside of wildlife parks and zoos so it was great to see one up close (even though it was dead. And mangled.)
Went to Edinburgh this evening with the family to visit my cousin, who's working there at the moment. We went out to East Fortune airfield to see Scotland's Concorde, G-BOAA, then did a short sight-seeing trip on the way home.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Day 04
No piglets today for me to look at - so just did bacteriology today.
It's 5pm and I can still smell pig from somewhere. Fervently hope I don't have to go to the pig farm too often over the next six weeks.
It's 5pm and I can still smell pig from somewhere. Fervently hope I don't have to go to the pig farm too often over the next six weeks.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Day 03 cont
Had a bath and washed all my clothes and I can still smell pig. Contemplating sleeping on the floor in case the bedclothes start to stink of pig as well...
Day 03
Spending lots of time sitting outside my supervisor's office and the people in that corridor keep giving me funny looks...
Went up to the pig farm today to take measurements, pictures and rectal swabs. Although it's not part of the project, I'm going to be looking for Salmonella over the next six weeks. Go me.
We spent an hour talking to the farmer, then then an hour running through farrowing pens measuring everything I can think of and taking photos of the pens. And the piglets, because they're cute.
Then we went to the dry sow house and took said samples. People laugh - but it's really hard to hold on to the short, slippy tail of an animal weighing over a quarter of a tonne with one hand, while trying to take a swab with the other, all the time being dragged around the pen by the indignant animal, and crowded by the others! It's a hard life, being a vet!
Can still smell pig on me somewhere, despite the fact I was wearing a hat and coveralls and wellies over my clothes. Think I'll be having a bath tonight...
Family coming across to visit - arriving tonight!
Went up to the pig farm today to take measurements, pictures and rectal swabs. Although it's not part of the project, I'm going to be looking for Salmonella over the next six weeks. Go me.
We spent an hour talking to the farmer, then then an hour running through farrowing pens measuring everything I can think of and taking photos of the pens. And the piglets, because they're cute.
Then we went to the dry sow house and took said samples. People laugh - but it's really hard to hold on to the short, slippy tail of an animal weighing over a quarter of a tonne with one hand, while trying to take a swab with the other, all the time being dragged around the pen by the indignant animal, and crowded by the others! It's a hard life, being a vet!
Can still smell pig on me somewhere, despite the fact I was wearing a hat and coveralls and wellies over my clothes. Think I'll be having a bath tonight...
Family coming across to visit - arriving tonight!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Day 01
The work begins...
Most of you reading this will be aware that I'm doing a summer project researching the differences in piglet mortality between two pig houses (what a mouthful - try telling that to people all day).
The good thing is I get to play with piglets, which are infinitely cute, in a pink, sharp-toothed, curly-tailed sort of way.The bad thing is that they're usually dead when I look at them.
My first day was a bit disorganised, and went something like this:
0900: Arrived at vet school at office of supervisor. Nobody there.
0910: Supervisor arrives and is immediately called away for a meeting. Tells me to go look some figures up and we agree to meet back at his office at 11 to further discuss the project.
1200: After an hour of me sitting in the office, supervisor arrives back from meeting.
1230: Supervisor called away again.
1300: I gave up at that point and went home to research project. Spent the evening researching computer games.
Most of you reading this will be aware that I'm doing a summer project researching the differences in piglet mortality between two pig houses (what a mouthful - try telling that to people all day).
The good thing is I get to play with piglets, which are infinitely cute, in a pink, sharp-toothed, curly-tailed sort of way.The bad thing is that they're usually dead when I look at them.
My first day was a bit disorganised, and went something like this:
0900: Arrived at vet school at office of supervisor. Nobody there.
0910: Supervisor arrives and is immediately called away for a meeting. Tells me to go look some figures up and we agree to meet back at his office at 11 to further discuss the project.
1200: After an hour of me sitting in the office, supervisor arrives back from meeting.
1230: Supervisor called away again.
1300: I gave up at that point and went home to research project. Spent the evening researching computer games.
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