Tag Archives: marine mammals

Dr. Jennifer Bloodgood’s Journey to Becoming a Wildlife Veterinarian

  By Maison Scheuer • October 11, 2023

Do you ever wonder about the approach certain wildlife veterinarians took to get to where they are today? Well, I was fortunate enough to chat with Dr. Jennifer Bloodgood over coffee recently to do just that. In November 2022, Dr. Bloodgood was hired as an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and as a wildlife veterinarian with the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, part of the New York State Wildlife Health Program. Through these two positions, Dr. Bloodgood essentially gets to work on, “anything and everything wildlife health oriented for the state of New York.” How cool! Since immersing herself in the CVM community almost a year ago, she has had such a positive impact, especially for students who have dreams of following in her footsteps. In writing this post, I hope to convey her inspirational nature as I share about her pathway to becoming a wildlife veterinarian.

Dr. Bloodgood pursued a career in veterinary medicine after obtaining both a Bachelor and Master of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology at Clemson University in South Carolina. After finishing her master’s degree, she worked at the University of Georgia as a research technician where she got to study both harmful algae management and the disease of Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy. Following her interests in wildlife health and disease, Dr. Bloodgood also worked in the Aquatic Epidemiology Lab at North Carolina State University where she studied endangered freshwater mussel species. Through this job, she not only got to snorkel in local creeks, but she also learned how to manage and propagate endangered species. Dr. Bloodgood then got recruited to work as a veterinary assistant at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences where she assisted in the medical management, health care, and husbandry of hundreds of collection animals. While at the museum, she also developed and delivered education programs for undergraduate students, interns, and volunteers. It was here that Dr. Bloodgood realized how much she loves veterinary medicine, and that she really enjoys educating.

Following her new-found passion, Dr. Bloodgood attended the University of Georgia for 7 years to complete a dual DVM-PhD degree. She finished her PhD during her first semester of vet school, which was completed in Integrative Conservation, a program focused on integrating natural and social sciences with conservation. For her dissertation, Dr. Bloodgood evaluated the nutritional status of rehabilitated green sea turtles at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and compared it to that of a wild population in Florida. Through this research, she found that feeding squid and fish to captive green sea turtles, as opposed to a vegetarian diet, was associated with obesity and fatty liver disease, as well as high cholesterol and an inverted calcium/phosphorus ratio. She concluded that feeding a vegetarian diet to rehabbed green sea turtles is better for their health than feeding them seafood, which she terms, “the mac and cheese of sea turtles.”

Once Dr. Bloodgood graduated from the University of Georgia, she got to combine her passion for research and aquatic veterinary medicine by securing a job as a research veterinarian at Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) in Alabama (the same place I did my first dolphin necropsy)! Here, Dr. Bloodgood served as a network veterinarian involved in live animal response and necropsy of cetaceans and manatees with the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network and Manatee Sighting Network. During her time at DISL, Dr. Bloodgood worked with the ALMMSN team to study the effects of freshwater on bottlenose dolphins that entered Mobile Bay, a nearby estuary. They discovered that it was a less than ideal environment for them, often inciting skin lesions, and even death. The team also studied the effects of cold stress on manatees in response to climate change. In their natural behavior, manatees should migrate from Alabama to Florida during cold months, but due to increasing temperatures, they are sticking around longer than they should, which has sadly increased their morbidity and mortality. Despite there being a lot of necropsy and pathology involved in her first job, it is the veterinary work that she is most proud of. At DISL, she developed her skills as both a veterinarian and scientist and got to work with some of the world’s most magnificent marine mammals, including a sperm whale, which to her was a life-changing experience.

In fact, Dr. Bloodgood was not even looking to change jobs, but when she saw that Cornell University was hiring, she thought, “it was me in a job description.” She really appreciated all the time she got to spend working with marine mammals, but she was excited for an opportunity to once again practice as a generalist by working with birds, reptiles, and mammals, in addition to marine mammals. She was also really excited about the education aspect of the job, afterall she loves teaching students who share her drive to facilitate conservation and disease management through the lens of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Bloodgood enjoys working in interdisciplinary teams to tackle real-world issues, and she believes her current pos  ition allows her to do just that. Even though I only met with Dr. Bloodgood for a brief period, I could tell that she is a perfect fit for the roles she has acquired within the CVM and the New York State Wildlife Health Program. Her passion for wildlife and conservation is contagious, and her journey towards becoming a wildlife veterinarian is certainly inspiring.

In parting ways, I asked Dr. Bloodgood what advice she has for students interested in pursuing a similar career path, and she said, “don’t be afraid to open the door.” Dr. Bloodgood encourages all her students to network – she stresses the importance of meeting people in the field by attending conferences and seeking externships. And while doing so, she recommends following opportunities that one may have never thought of before. For instance, Dr. Bloodgood started her first job after vet school not knowing a lot about marine mammals, but she was excited to try it, and she believes that her curiosity and open-mindedness is what got her to where she is today – and we are fortunate that that is here with us at the CVM!

Maison Scheuer is the 2022-2023 WildLIFE Blog Editor and a proud member of Cornell ZAWS. Her passions lie at the intersection of veterinary medicine and wildlife conservation. She loves to travel and has spent time in Canada, Thailand, Alabama, Belize, and Honduras where she studied Columbian ground squirrels, elephant conservation, wildlife rehabilitation, and veterinary medicine. Though particularly interested in One Health and international medicine, she has also discovered a love for small animal medicine through her experience working as a veterinary technician at a full-service exotics and small animal private practice.

Fishy Adventures – AQUAVET® Edition

  By Hery Rios-Guzman • October 3, 2021 Uncategorized

I want to be an aquatic veterinarian when I grow up. And no, that doesn’t mean that I just want to work with fishes. Well, at least not entirely. Aquatic veterinary medicine is not so much a field within veterinary medicine, but a completely parallel entity. In other words, there is an aquatic veterinary job for every terrestrial veterinary job. And that means that there is more to aquatic animal medicine than “just fishes.” For example, production animal vets are akin to aquaculture vets, whereas zoo/wildlife vets are typically mirrored by aquarium veterinarians. And there are plenty of other examples, too! Isn’t that super cool?!

You may be wondering how the heck you’ve never heard of any of this. Truth be told, the lack of exposure to aquatic animal health is a real problem within veterinary curricula nationwide. Granted, it would be very hard to cram even more information into an already packed curriculum. Hope is not lost, however! There are various extracurricular courses that you can take advantage of if you feel like aquatic animal medicine is for you. MARVET, SeaVet, and AQUAVET are just some of these amazing opportunities. All three are very different in terms of length, cost, and location, but they will undoubtedly expose you to the amazing world of aquatics. I know that AQUAVET did so for me.

AQUAVET is a summer program that is open to veterinary students (and veterinarians) from all over the world. It consists of three courses, AQUAVET I – III, each of which is focused on a particular aspect of aquatic veterinary medicine. AQUAVET III is dedicated to clinical aspects of marine mammals, while AQUAVET II is focused on the histology and histopathology of various aquatic species. The course I was fortunate to take this past summer,  AQUAVET I, is a one-month crash course on all things aquatic. It provides information on the anatomy, pathology, husbandry, and clinical aspects of a plethora of aquatic animals. From invertebrates like jellyfish and corals to vertebrates like sea turtles and marine mammals, AQUAVET I does it all! In addition to learning about these animals, I also learned important diagnostic techniques, such as fin clips, venipuncture, necropsies, and gill endoscopies. To finish it all off, I got to perform supervised surgery on a fish!

As you might imagine, there is absolutely no way that all of this can occur in a one-month time frame and not be a tremendous amount of work. Believe me when I say it is! With ten-hour workdays, five days a week (and some work on Saturdays, too), it’s a LOT of work. Fortunately, AQUAVET I isn’t all work and no fun. In fact, it feels just like summer camp for fish nerds! I got to meet amazing people from veterinary schools all over

 

 the United States and beyond. When we weren’t studying, my AQUAVET cohort and I were playing volleyball on the sand courts, enjoying the breeze of the Rhode Island shores, or enjoying one of the many social activities that were part of AQUAVET. It was truly amazing to make connections with students who get as excited as I do when someone so much as mentions something remotely aquatic-related. AQUAVET truly made me feel like I finally found my people.

In addition to networking with students, I got the chance to meet many incredible lecturers. In fact, it’s common for there to be more lecturers than students during AQUAVET I. I received lectures from government officials, aquarium and aquaculture veterinarians, and veterinarians who have created their own jobs. The best thing about having so many lecturers come in, coupled with the fact that this field is so small, is that they all want to see you succeed. I even got a letter of recommendation from one of the professors at AQUAVET that allowed me to win a scholarship!

All in all, AQUAVET I was an amazing experience that I will cherish for years to come. It provides the opportunity to obtain aquatic animal resources and develop clinical skills related to all types of animals while building relationships with like-minded people. Without a doubt, AQUAVET has made me a more resilient veterinary student, one who is better prepared for a future as an aquatic veterinarian.

Hery Ríos-Guzmán, Class of 2024, obtained his Animal Science/Pre-Vet degree from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez. The island environment in which he grew up influenced his professional interests and put him on the path to aquatic veterinary medicine. He has special interests in conservation medicine and hopes to use his knowledge to improve coral reef health around the world.

Aquadocs: An Aquatic Medicine Podcast

  By Michelle Greenfield • February 24, 2021 Uncategorized

While every good veterinary student learns the basics for dogs, cats, horses, and cows, there are usually few (if any) courses specifically focused on aquatic animals. Since before I can remember, all I have wanted to do is study and work with the animals that call the sea their home. Therefore, as someone who intends to pursue a career in aquatics, I am constantly searching for new learning opportunities to expand my understanding of aquatic medicine. As I scoured the internet looking for resources, I realized, there honestly aren’t very many places to look. Sure, there are textbooks and journal articles, and the occasional short summer course (shout out to AQUAVET which is an incredible summer program sponsored by Cornell), but manuscripts are often dense, and courses can be quite expensive. I am fortunate that Cornell offers a few courses in aquatic animal health—namely Fish Health Management and Anatomy and Histology of Fish—but these courses only touched the surface of all that there is to learn. They cover topics such as common diseases in fish and marine mammals, how to properly monitor water quality in an aquarium, and how to perform a fish necropsy. While these are important lessons for a career in aquatics, I wanted to learn beyond the scope of these courses. 

Based off this desire to deepen my own knowledge of aquatic medicine along with lots of encouragement from some incredible Cornell faculty members, namely Dr. Rod Getchell and Dr. Jorge Colon, Aquadocs was formed. Aquadocs is the #1 podcast focused on aquatic medicine and is a top 50 life sciences podcast. On each episode, I interview veterinarians and other aquatic animal health professionals about their careers in the field, what research they are working on, and conservation projects they are involved with. My guests also share lots of advice and guidance for aspiring students interested in pursuing the field of aquatic medicine. Some of the most important advice I have received is that there is no one right path to success in this field, and that having a strong support network and mentorship is key. 

I publish new episodes every Tuesday. Here are some of my favorite episodes I recorded (links in episode title): 

Baby Beluga: How do you prepare for a baby beluga? Tune in as Dr. Chelsea Anderson, Georgia Aquarium Associate Veterinarian, describes her experience working with beluga whale Whisper and calf Shila born in May 2020.

The Astronaut Vet: Dr. Rick Linnehan, the first veterinarian in space, discusses what it is like to be a NASA astronaut, and describes his journey from being a veterinarian for the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program to being amongst the stars (literally).

Stethoscopes for Dolphins: What does a dolphin’s heart sound like? And how can you use a stethoscope in the water to hear it? Listen as Dr. Barb Linnehan, Deputy Director of Medicine at the National Marine Mammal Foundation, discusses her recent research article about bottlenose dolphin heart health.  

Manatee Medicine: Every good vet student knows about cows… But what about SEA COWS? Tune in this week as we talk to Dr. Mike Walsh, a Veterinarian at the University of Florida, about Manatee health assessments. Every year, he and his colleagues visit Manatee breeding grounds to monitor these populations and ensure the animals are in good health. 

By hosting and producing this podcast, I hope to teach listeners about aquatic animal health and inspire people around the world to care more about animals and the environments they live in. I want this podcast to be a resource for anyone who is interested in learning about aquatics and a place where people can come together to connect with others passionate about a similar aspect of veterinary medicine. Developing Aquadocs has been an incredible journey so far, and I know it is going to continue to grow for years to come! 

If you are interested in learning more about Aquadocs, please check out the episodes, which are available on your favorite podcast streaming services (Apple, Spotify, Google) and at www.aquadocspodcast.com. I also post a lot of photos and advice for vet students on Instagram, so please follow us on Instagram and facebook @aquadocspodcast.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Greenfield, class of 2023, is the producer and host of Aquadocs, the #1 podcast on aquatic medicine and a top 50 life sciences podcast. She has a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University. Michelle has interned and volunteered at a number of organizations including the US Navy’s Marine Mammal Program and Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Dolphin’s Plus, Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute, and SANCCOB. Her research interests focus on bottlenose dolphin social behavior as well as regenerative medicine in horses and marine mammals.

My Introduction to Marine Mammal Medicine

  By Daniel Ruvolo • May 8, 2019

Four dolphins jump gracefully out of the water at Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida

Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida is a not-for-profit organization that offers dolphin-assisted therapy programs to children, adults with special needs, and their families and caregivers. The founders, Deena and Peter Hoagland, created the organization back in 1997 after their son personally experienced the healing powers that dolphin-assisted therapy can offer. At the age of 3, the Hoagland’s son, Joe, suffered a stroke while undergoing his third open-heart surgery resulting in severe weakness on the left side of his body. The Hoagland’s eventually brought Joe to a local dolphin swim facility where he interacted with dolphins as a form of physical therapy. Over time, Joe was able to make a full recovery because of a special bond with a dolphin named Fonzie, which inspired Deena and Peter to provide the same opportunity for others.

Performing a routine physical exam on one of the dolphins

In addition to providing therapy swims, Island Dolphin Care hosts approximately 80 students throughout the year from various fields to participate in an introduction to marine mammal medicine course. Students enrolled gain hands-on experience in the veterinary care of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins while learning about their anatomy and behavior. Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and trainers work directly with the students in small groups to educate the next generation of marine mammal enthusiasts. As an aspiring marine mammal and aquatic-focused veterinarian, this introductory experience proved to be truly invaluable and served as an excellent introduction to marine mammal medicine in a real-life clinical setting.

As a first-year veterinary student, I was very nervous and unsure of my potential for success in this program. I hadn’t completed any advanced clinical or diagnostic courses yet and my hands-on veterinary experience up to that point was limited to domestic terrestrial species. However, I felt reassured upon arriving when I discovered that my classmates, all with different backgrounds and experiences, had never worked with dolphins in a clinical setting either.

Danny entices a dolphin to demonstrate one of its learned behaviors

Every morning, students started their day in the commissary to learn about the feeding protocols. Different fish species were fed in different ratios for nutritional and enrichment purposes and to promote learned behaviors. For example, fatty herring was a large component of most diets because of the high omega-3 fatty acid content. Following this, we would normally make our way to the pool to begin our physical exams. Every day, each student was assigned a different dolphin to conduct a physical exam on. My two favorite dolphins to work with were Sarah and Squirt, the two matriarchs of the pod, because they consistently reminded the trainers that the dolphins were in charge of the relationship. Students were tasked with obtaining relevant history and information from the different trainers prior to their exam and were expected to write full reports with recommended treatments following the exams. We were also charged with evaluating current medications, the purpose for treatment, and recommending changes should any be necessary. I remember my surprise in finding out that female dolphin reproductive physiology is so similar to that of horses, that female dolphins can also take Regumate as a form of birth control while in captivity.

Danny performs an abdominal ultrasound

Throughout the week, we also attended lectures focusing on dolphin digestive and reproductive anatomy, how to perform diagnostic testing procedures, and on the learned behaviors that are critical for both medical procedures and enrichment. This information was then used to perform daily ultrasounds on the dolphins. Outside of a basic introduction as a technician before school and then briefly again in school, I barely had any experience with ultrasonography. Despite my lack of prior training, before my week at Island Dolphin Care was over, I was able to conduct a complete digestive and reproductive ultrasound on a dolphin and write a report on my findings.

Later in the week, we were taught how to draw blood from a dolphin’s ventral superficial fluke vein, make a blood smear, and perform cell counts. We also learned how to evaluate erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test results. This test, which isn’t commonly used in terrestrial veterinary medicine, is a crucial marine mammal diagnostic tool used to detect an inflammatory response by measuring how quickly erythrocytes can settle in a tube overtime.

I’ll never forget the time I spent at Island Dolphin Care because I was able to learn crucial hands-on techniques early in my veterinary education that will help make me a better and more prepared veterinarian. Having learned these skills at a facility like Island Dolphin Care only made the experience more unique and meaningful.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Danny Ruvolo, class of 2022, is a veterinary student originally from Staten Island, New York. Danny received his B.S. in Biology with minors in chemistry and psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and his M.B.S. from Rutgers University School of Graduate Studies. He is interested in exotic, zoo, and aquarium medicine and aspires to one day treat as many species as he can.

 

Event: Wildlife Forensics at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

  By Wildlife Blog Editor • March 4, 2017 Uncategorized

Join ZAWS next Thursday (March 9th, 2017) for a web-talk dinner lecture at 6PM, with NOAA Forensic Analyst Trey Knott! Learn how forensics can help stop seafood fraud and can be used to identify poaching of protected and endangered species.

From swabbing blood stains on boat decks to identify endangered sea turtle species or sharks killed for their fins, to going undercover to a restaurant serving whale sushi, to figuring out if a carved figurine is made out of whale bone or cow bone, forensic scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Forensic Laboratory work to analyze evidence collected during the investigation of civil and criminal violations of laws protecting marine species.

The Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammals Protection Act are easy for most of us to interpret – don’t hunt or trade in products from endangered species or marine mammals.

But have you heard of seafood fraud?

A 2013 Oceana study conducted DNA analysis on over 1,200 commercial fish samples from across the US, and found that over 30% of the samples were mislabeled. 87% of fish labeled as “red snapper” were actually different species of fish. 44% of all the retail outlets visited sold mislabeled fish, including 74% of sushi outlets and 38% percent of restaurants.

These seafood substitutions aren’t just semantics. The fish on your plate might be an overfished or protected species, might be labeled as wild-caught even though it was farm-raised, or may be hiding toxins or contaminants with adverse health effects. 84% of white tuna samples in the Oceana study were actually escolar – a snake mackerel that produces a gastrointestinal toxin. The sale of escolar is banned in Italy and Japan, other countries have issued health advisories, and our FDA advises against its sale in the United States.

There’s a lot more going on below the surface, and it’s NOAA’s job to stop it.