MU Veterinary Small Animal Surgery

Please help us congratulate the newest Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons from our MU surgery family! Dr. Kim Aeschlimann has worked diligently to achieve this distinction that few accomplish in their career. We are so proud of her!

Did you know:
✔️ There are only 2,267 board certified ACVS surgeons in the world
✔️ It takes about 8-10 years to become a veterinarian, and an additional 4-6 years to become a veterinary surgeon
✔️ During the residency there are specific training and caseload requirements that must be met. In addition to these requirements, applicants must perform research that is published in a scientific journal and then pass a rigorous examination.

Congratulations, Dr. Aeschlimann!

Moe is a 2-year-old Nigerian Dwarf Goat who was brought to the Food Animal Service at the Veterinary Health Center for straining to urinate and blood in the urine in January, 2021. Radiographs and ultrasound of Moe’s abdomen revealed a possible stone lodged in Moe’s left ureter, blocking urine from passing into his bladder and causing a dilation of the left kidney called hydronephrosis. Additionally, Moe had a stone lodged in his urethra. To further characterize the problem, a CT scan was performed of Moe’s abdomen. The CT helped to determine that there truly was an obstruction of the left ureter just before it entered into the bladder but it was unclear if it was caused by a stone or due to a stricture, a narrowing of the ureter due to trauma.

The Food Animal clinicians, faculty Dr. John Middleton and resident, Dr. Kelsey Walker, consulted with Equine Surgery faculty Dr. Megan McCracken, and Small Animal Surgery faculty Dr. Jill Luther to determine the best course of treatment to take for Moe. Ultimately, an exploratory surgery was performed to determine if the kidney could be saved by re-implanting the ureter into the bladder or by placing a ureteral stent, or if a left nephrectomy (kidney and ureter removal) would be required. Drs. Luther and McCracken performed the surgery and Moe underwent a nephrectomy. He recovered under the post-operative care of Drs. Walker and Middleton.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our Equine, Food Animal, Small Animal Surgery clinicians, as well as those on our Radiology and Anesthesia Services, Moe is doing very well at home on his farm with his small herd of 3 other goats 6 weeks after surgery. Way to go team!

Congratulations to Dr. Alicia Nye on a stellar abstract presentation at the Society of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgery meeting!

Cheers to Dr. Nye and her mentor, Dr. Jill Luther, on an impactful paper entitled:

Retrospective multicentric study comparing durations of surgery and anesthesia and likelihoods of short- and long-term complications between cats positioned in sternal or dorsal recumbency for perineal urethrostomy

A huge congratulations to these award recipients! These recent graduates have shown exemplary dedication and ability in the area of Small Animal Surgery!

Wishing you all the best from the surgical faculty, house officers, and technicians!

Dr. Shevaun Johnson - MU Small Animal Surgery Award
Dr. Claire Vani - Lucy B David Surgery Award
Dr. Haley Foster - American College of Veterinary Surgeons Award
Dr. Matt Iuliani - Nestle Purina Orthopedic Nutrition Award