WCVM graduate program
CAHF fellow helps fungus-filled dogs
September 19th, 2013
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Physicians use the drug voriconazole in their human patients to cure fungal infections in difficult-to-treat sites and to combat fungal diseases such as systemic aspergillosis. But can this anti-fungal drug be used in dogs? While the use of voriconazole in dogs hasn’t been extensively studied, the drug does offer advantages over other medications. “This drug has a very good penetration …
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Diagnostic precision for pancreatic cancer
Feline pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a rare and fatal malignant cancer of the pancreas in cats. Symptoms of the disease appear very similar to pancreatitis and are generally non-specific, making it a challenge to diagnose. “In some cases, it can be difficult to establish a diagnosis before death,” says Dr. Melissa Meachem, a Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) graduate student …
September 19th, 2012 Full story »
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Clinical pathology career a custom fit
Originally from Spruce Grove, Alta., Dr. Melissa Meachem grew up among all kinds of animals ranging from the family dog to the cows, horses and sheep at her grandparents’ farm. But the thought of a career as a veterinarian never entered her mind until her second year of undergraduate studies at the University of Alberta (U of A). “I studied …
September 19th, 2012 Full story »
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Study sets standard for knee assessment
Wearing a knee brace is a simple and easy method to conservatively manage a knee injury in people. But how useful are these orthopedic devices in dogs that injure their knee joints? “Right now, there’s no peer-reviewed research that actually shows they work even though there are a lot of claims that they do,” says Dr. Rhea Plesman, a small …
July 17th, 2012 Full story »
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Study first step toward novel therapy
Cancer — it’s a diagnosis that no pet owner wants to hear and no veterinarian wants to make. What can be even tougher is coming up with a prognosis and an appropriate treatment plan for oncology patients. Dr. Kirsty Elliot hopes she can help to improve the odds for pets with cancer. As the oncology resident explains, her research may help …
June 26th, 2012 Full story »
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Funds back baker’s dozen of research projects
Researchers at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) have received more than $183,000 in grants to support a baker’s dozen of vital research projects that will enhance equine and companion animal health care in Canada. “The calibre of the submitted research proposals was very high this year — making it difficult for the funds to make a final selection …
March 27th, 2012 Full story »
