Alpacas, alpacas, alpacas

I have honestly touched an Alpaca once before this summer. Now they are everywhere. We have had four alpacas in in the last month, and a llama. Camelid city! My knowledge is growing but I still have much to learn.Apparently the OVC doesn't get a lot of camelids and all the clinicians/technicians have been in shock about our 5 in July. They are gaining popularity but as hobby farmer stock, there is not a ton of money in the industry, so not many people are willing to pour cash into emergency vet fees.

Alpaca 101:
- Alpacas are a different species, but highly similar to Llamas.
- Mostly fibre industry
- Three chambered stomachs; high fibre low fat diets
- Will spit, but most are very well handled and are relatively comfortable with humans around
- Have dental pads just like cows and sheep; also split lips like sheep
- Have a cartilaginous fighting pad to protect their necks/carotid/jugular
- Veins have many valves (that make catheter placement a long and tedious process!)
- Come in two breeds; Huacaya and Suri
- Suri's are more rare (something about the fibre texture being simple dominant trait.... the literature is vague and incomplete on this subject), their fibre is less curly, more wavy, and much finer, worth way more (crias can go for 5 grand!!!)
- Babys are called "Cria"s, but there is no real industry wide name for the males and females (cloesest for males is "Herd Sire") nor castrates
- They have a more "flat footed" confirmation where phalanges 2 and 3 are level with the ground and 1 is 45 degree angle to the metacarpophalangeal joint (in horses known as Fetlock), also they have two toes!


And that is about it. End knowledge.
We have seen them in for broken femoral head, heat stress, interphalangeal luxation, acute abdomen, and neurological weakness of the legs. All seem to be related to heat, dehydration, anorexia, and trauma from injury. So important tip: offer lots of shade and water, and don't let them fight each other. (Easier said then done, eh?)

All Legs and Neck!

Also a cool thing today, had the farrier in to look at a foundering horse (all four feet). Founder = Laminitis FYI. Applied these wooden shoes with plasticine and rubber soles. No nails or screws, just casted then on after a good clean out. They are called EVA Wooden shoes (see www.equicast.us for more info). They reduce shock and wear and allow the coffin bone to stop migrating during the healing process. I had never seen them before. It really made me think about how important it is to have a good farrier-client-veterinarian bond because all the vets just watched as this guy did his thing. The horse is on his way to being a fat happy cart horse once again. Although the "fat" part is probably what started the laminitis in the first place. I definitely will invest in a good farrier for my clinic in the future, or even in a technician with farrier training. That would be awesome, and well worth the salary!

Casted to the hoof!

MCAT

So in Canada the veterinary schools require the completion of the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). American veterinary schools require the GRE (Graduate Record Examinations). These both are standardized tests for getting into graduate schools. I think it is silly, but they won't drop it so you should just suck it up, pay the money, study hard, and kick this stupid things bum. Also, Internationals just have to take one or the other; the OVC will look at either if you are an international student!!

MCAT - https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/
GRE - http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register

MCAT covers:
Multiple Choice (1-45) - 26
Biological Sciences (Bio and Organic Chem)
Physical Sciences (Chem and Physics)

There are seven 'scenarios' for each. You have to answer 5-7 questions about the scenario. And one or two of the 'scenarios' are just science questions that are free of a scenario. It is frustrating because 50% is actual knowledge of science. The other 50% is your ability to read and understand the question. They try to trick you. The material is pretty much first and second year 'science' stuff. Physics is exactly the same as my intro to physics courses in first year. This is why they suggest (and so do I) you try the MCAT first AFTER second year but BEFORE third year (summer seems to be perfect!!!).

Verbal Reasoning

There are 5-7 writing samples that you have to read and answer questions about. Again, you don't have to have ANY background in the subject material to get the answers right. In fact, you do better on the random architecture or political ones than the science and nature ones... The subject material can literally be anything. Newspaper articles, sections from novels, scenes from a play/movie, journal articles... anything. This was a section I would have failed miserably at if not for my MCAT prep course. It takes a very different part of your brain and you must go against common sense.

Written (L-T) - My score = Q
Writing Sample

You are given a statement like "The sky is blue" and you must write a sample including why this is true/right with an example, and why it is false/wrong with an example, then summarize. This section is retarded. I am sorry I have no advice for it, I am not really sure how they mark it and I was SHOCKED to get a Q.


Here is that big kicker, it is not a raw score. So if you get 40/45 questions right, you do not get an 88%. It is bell curved in some way. You get compared to the previous year's section. Totally silly.

Ok so prep course or no? I needed it because I am a poor self-motivator. I needed to have someone telling me what sections to read when. Also, their books had ALL of the info I needed in one place, I did not have to sort through my old notes and worry that I missed a section. Another thing was the access to TONS of practice tests which helped you gauge how well you were doing and gave me a sense as to what the test would feel like day of. It is a 5 hour test so getting used to timing was nice. Another helpful part was that my teachers would mark and walk me through the verbal and writing sections (which I had NO IDEA what I was doing for). I honestly would not have figured that out on my own. Now, can you do well on the test without a prep course, yes. No prep at all, no. So look into AT LEAST getting a prep book and working through the stuff they offer on their website!

I took the whole summer to study, I did not work, and I took the Princeton Review 16 hour/week course. We did MTWTh 4pm - 8pm. I signed up early and only had to pay $1500 for it (costs $1700). So I financially invested in myself. But that was my decision. I planned on only doing this once so I was throwing myself into it. The test it self costs $300 and I suggest signing up way in advanced. The med students take the MCAT WAY more seriously because they need a 30-S to even apply to med school, so us vetties are not nearly as intense. My class's average was about 22-O. So you do not need an amazing test score.... you just need to try a bit and score average. But the meddies will take up all the good seatings. BUT they have to have their scores ready for OCT 1st (ours is JAN 1st) so they won't write any later than August. I suggest mid-August.

It is stupid and you will hate your life, but you all have to do it so just give'er!

Prep Courses:
Princeton Review - http://www.princetonreview.com/medical/mcat-test-preparation.aspx
Kaplan - http://www.kaptest.com/MCAT/Home/index.html
Prep 101 - http://www.prep101.com/mcat/
Oxford Seminars - http://www.oxfordseminars.ca/MCAT/mcat_about.php

Test Day:
- ARRIVE EARLY!!!!
- It is all online so you don't need any paper or pens (they provide you with scribble paper)
- You need government ID and I think your AAMC registration info
- They will take your finger print
- Wear comfy clothes that are weather conscious with layers (you will have to show all of your pockets to get in and out of the room)
- Stay hydrated, have a good breakfast, and GET SLEEP BEFORE!!!
- Have someone drive you if you can, you will feel like shit after

Then when it is all done, drink heavily! :)

Melting

Scorching hot in Southwestern Ontario. Just gross. 42 C today. I feel for the people and animals living/working outside.

I got to see Stallion Semen collection this week. Same as all the videos I have watched in reproduction class, but now I can officially say I have seen it happen live. It really is a quick procedure.... 10 sec flat.

I also helped out with some porcine x-rays (broken humerus repair with pins and K wire). So we can add that to the list! I applied a belly bandage onto a heifer that had come in for an umbilical hernia as well. She was so sweet! But ringworm positive so I had to dress up to see her... I look lovely in bright yellow!

So orientation week for the 2016s approaches and the committee is deep in preparation. I am helping revamp the handbook that will be emailed out to the newbies at the beginning of August. Our years was 50 pages, which is just ridiculous. So I am working to shave it down to 30. Another thing we are trying is to make a more fun/creative/useful map of OVC and Downtown. My peer is an excellent cartoonist and he is working with me on the project, so I am very excited about the end result!

Speaking of him actually, he is working on a cartoon blog to represent the students of OVC as we go through the program here. Once his link is up, I will post it!

I also realized that there were some pieces missing from my advice section that I should have posted when I started this thing. I will look back and try to fill in the holes, especially because I have been talking specifically with some people who are trying to get in to the OVC recently!! You guys should have as much info as possible.

Any questions or requests, please comment or email!