State of Care: See it up-close at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital Open House

Note to Reporters: Link to news story with photos to download: http://source.colostate.edu/state-care-see-close-csu-veterinary-teaching-hospital-open-house/

People who care about animals will learn how veterinarians care for animals during the 38th annual CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital Open House on April 22.

Colorado State University’s James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, 300 W. Drake Road, welcomes community residents to the free event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 22.

The Open House features hospital tours, educational talks and demonstrations, kids’ activities, a petting zoo – as well as food trucks, live music, and visits with CAM the Ram. Two sessions, always popular among visitors, provide information about veterinary careers and how students may prepare to attend vet school.

“Each spring, we are very pleased to invite visitors to the hospital to share the joys of caring for animals,” said Dr. Tim Hackett, director of the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “Our Open House is a celebration of animals and their care. It’s also a way our CSU veterinarians, students, and staff can express appreciation to the community where we live and work.”

The Open House is organized by students enrolled in CSU’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, one of the university’s best-known academic programs. The program is the No. 3 veterinary school in the United States, and for decades has held its spot among the very best vet schools, according to U.S. News & World Report. Students in the DVM Program learn veterinary clinical skills at the CSU hospital.

The hospital houses 79 university veterinarians who provide medical care for pets, horses and livestock; these animal doctors represent 28 boarded specialties that match specialties in human medicine, such as cardiology, neurology, oncology and orthopedics. An additional 650 caregivers – including veterinary nurses, students, staff and volunteers – contribute to patient care.

Each year, the hospital manages more than 42,000 patient visits, with animal owners coming from near and far for advanced medicine and compassionate care. The hospital is open to the public; many of its patients are referred for specialty care by other veterinarians across the state and nation.

Through 2020, the hospital is undergoing more than $20 million in renovations, funded entirely through philanthropy, to ensure state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research and clinical service. Visitors will see these upgrades and will learn about others ahead.

A schedule of presentations is listed below. More information is available on the Open House webpage.

Getting there

• The hospital is located at 300 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins.
• Turn into the hospital lot, then turn left; parking for Open House is north of the hospital, in lots serving the Diagnostic Medicine Center.

All day

• A petting zoo and activities for kids will run throughout the day.
• Activities include mock surgery with Teddy bears, animal anatomy lessons, a virtual reality anatomy program, animal-related crafts, and presentations by veterinary student groups.

Hospital tours

• Tours will run from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., beginning every 15 minutes from the tour start inside the Diagnostic Medicine Center.

Lectures in Diagnostic Medicine Center Room 101

9 a.m. Dr. Theresa Wendland, with the Small-Animal Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation service, will discuss rehabilitation techniques for dogs overcoming illness and injury.
10 a.m. Veterinary student ambassadors will offer a panel discussion, titled “So you want to be a vet?” They will discuss life in veterinary school and will answer audience questions.
11 a.m. Dr. Dean Hendrickson, an equine surgeon, will describe the how-tos of correctly bandaging horse wounds.
Noon Dr. Krystan Grant will discuss veterinary care for exotic pets and wildlife in the field known as zoological medicine.
1 p.m. Dr. Gretchen Delcambre, director of admissions for the CSU Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, will provide a second session titled “So you want to be a vet?” with information about applying to veterinary school and more.
2 p.m. Dr. Sarah Smith, with the hospital’s Urgent Care team, will describe common pet toxins and first aid.
3 p.m. Cristy Dice, with the poultry team in the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories, will discuss how to raise healthy backyard chickens and other “backyard barnyard” critters.

Demonstrations

10 a.m. Get Over It Agility of Fort Collins will demonstrate the athletic skills of agility dogs.
10 a.m. Veterinary students will demonstrate goat milking.
11 a.m. Fort Collins Police K9 Unit will show off the work of police dogs.
Noon Get Over It Agility of Fort Collins will demonstrate the athletic skills of agility dogs.
Noon Veterinary students will demonstrate goat milking.
1 p.m. Fort Collins Police K9 Unit will show off the work of police dogs.
2 p.m. Veterinary students will demonstrate goat milking.

Food and music

• Food trucks will operate from mid-morning until mid-afternoon.
• The Wendy Woo Band, a local favorite, will play from 11 a.m. to noon and from 1-2 p.m.
• CAM the Ram from noon to 3 p.m.