Successful Treatment of a Cervical Injury and Myopathy Using Integrative Medicine Techniques in an Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) Following Cervical Entrapment.

A 2-year-old female eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus) was presented for suspected cervical myopathy due to trauma. Severe ventroflexion of the cervical spine and mental depression were identified during the physical examination. The bird was responsive to stimuli but otherwise quiet. Plasma biochemistry results were suggestive of a myopathy, based on marked elevations of both aspartate transaminase (25 652 U/L) and creatine kinase (253 240 U/L). Whole-body radiographic images were unremarkable. Treatment was initiated with supportive therapy for presumptive shock, dehydration, pain, myopathy, and possible spinal swelling. Allopathic therapy included subcutaneous fluids; vitamins A, D, and E; dexamethasone sodium phosphate; hydromorphone; and gavage feeding to treat the acute inflammatory process and provide nutritional support during healing. Supportive care through the Integrative Medicine Department (Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA) was also performed on the patient. Photobiomodulation, acupuncture, Tui-na massage, and rehabilitation exercises were instituted to provide adjunct treatment for relieving pain, promoting muscle healing, improving patient demeanor, and improving cervical mobility. Integrative therapies were well tolerated by the patient, with no sedation required. By day 3, mentation had subjectively improved by 50% despite the persistent cervical ventroflexion. By day 8, the elevated serum enzyme activities had decreased, the patient could eat and drink on its own, and it could readily step up and seek attention during handling. The bird was able to lift its head and could hold it at approximately 50% of normal posture. Integrative therapies were continued throughout hospitalization. The bird was released from the hospital 20 days after initial intake, with head carriage in approximately 80% of the expected normal position and no apparent cervical pain based on palpation. This case demonstrates the benefits of integrative therapies as an adjunct treatment for cervical pain and myopathy in a psittacine species.

Development of and Validity Evidence for a Canine Ocular Model for Training Novice Veterinary Students to Perform a Fundic Examination.

Indirect fundoscopy is challenging for novice learners, as patients are often intolerant of the procedure, impeding development of proficiency. To address this, we developed a canine ocular simulator that we hypothesized would improve student learning compared to live dogs. Six board-certified veterinary ophthalmologists and 19 second-year veterinary students (novices) performed an indirect fundic examination on the model and live dog. Prior to assessment, novices were introduced to the skill with a standardized teaching protocol and practiced (without feedback) with either the model (n = 10) or live dog (n = 9) for 30 minutes. All participants evaluated realism and usefulness of the model using a Likert-type scale. Performance on the live dog and model was evaluated in all participants using time to completion of task, performance of fundic examination using a checklist and global score, identification of objects in the fundus of the model, and evaluation of time spent looking at the fundus of the model using eye tracking. Novices (trained on simulator or live dogs) were compared in fundic examination performance on the live dog and identification of shapes in the model. In general, experts performed the fundic examination faster (p ≤ .0003) and more proficiently than the novices, although there were no differences in eye tracking behavior between groups (p ≥ .06). No differences were detected between training on simulator versus live dog in development of fundoscopy skills in novices (p ≥ .20). These findings suggest that this canine model may be an effective tool to train students to perform fundoscopy.

Development and Evolution of the Clinical Skills Learning Center as an Integral Component of the Illinois Veterinary Professional Curriculum.

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine opened a clinical skills laboratory in August 2009, making it one of the earliest North American veterinary schools to do so. The Clinical Skills Learning Center has been an integral component of the Illinois veterinary professional curriculum since its inception. However, its role in the curriculum has changed over time, which has had an impact on its size, scope, and staffing. In this article, we describe the development and growth of the Clinical Skills Learning Center, with an emphasis on its evolving curricular role and the lessons we have learned over nine years.