38th Vet Open House

38th Veterinary Open House at CU, April 17, is still a student-run event

Pets, farm animals and exotic creatures will be in top form -- and so will the students who are learning to care for them -- when the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine welcomes the public to its annual open house.

This year's edition, the 38th, is scheduled for Saturday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The family-oriented event, with free admission and parking, features attractions for animal lovers of all ages and education information for those considering careers in veterinary medicine.

"We're proud to show off the top-rated veterinary school in the country and to share what we've learned so far about caring for animals," said Dave Schmidt, an open house organizer and a second-year student in the four-year curriculum that leads to a D.V.M. (doctor of veterinary medicine) degree. He notes that the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine is once again rated first among 28 American schools by U.S. News & World Report magazine.

"A degree in veterinary medicine from Cornell is our ticket to an amazing array of careers," Schmidt said. "Of course there's hands-on practice in small- and large-animal clinics and in zoos, but did you know our graduates also find rewarding work in biomedical research, government and public health and in the pharmaceutical industry? Cornell has been giving these open houses for 38 years, and some of the people who came to the first open houses, as kids, and were turned on to careers in medicine, must be ready for retirement by now. There's a great need for well-educated veterinarians," he said, noting that education and career seminars are scheduled throughout the six-hour open house. Seminar schedules and other details are at http://www.vet.cornell.edu/showcase/openhouse/.

Among the open house perennial favorites and new events this year are:

demonstrations and displays about animal anatomy, surgery, nutrition and disease diagnosis;

the high-speed equine treadmill, where horses are observed during different gaits;

exotic animals cloaked in feathers, scales or even the finest camel hair -- among them birds of prey, snakes and other reptiles, and "Chewy," the Bactrian camel;

the ever-popular fistulated cow, with a "porthole" in her side for up-close-and-personal rumination about bovine digestive processes;

the baby animal petting zoo, a must-see diversion for human kids and the goat kind, too;

Teddy Bear ER, where veterinary students practice their suturing skills on "wounded" stuffed toys;

mini-lectures on "mad cow" disease, animal first aid and plants that are poisonous to pets; and

dogs, dogs, dogs of all sorts, including K-9 police dogs, herding dogs and dogs running through obstacles in agility trials. New this year: An all-breed, noncompetitive dog show will give potential pup owners a chance to evaluate their options.

April 8, 2004