The AVMA’s Committee on Environmental Issues (CEI) is in the final stages of developing a searchable database of various externships, internship, and other (field or classroom) educational experience opportunities pertaining to environmental aspects of veterinary medicine such as wildlife medicine, zoological medicine, conservation, toxicology, one health, and many others. CEI is developing this central database which will allow qualified programs to be posted for free because veterinarians and veterinary students have typically had a difficult time finding environmentally related educational work experiences that could match their interests and potentially coincide with their busy schedules.

This is not a job posting site. It is best described by the following excerpt from the site’s landing page.

“Spearheaded by the AVMA's Committee on Environmental Issues, this searchable database serves as a central location of contact information for a variety of training and work opportunities – including externships, internships and other work experiences – for both veterinarians and veterinary students. The database is composed of items submitted to us by program hosts or gathered from public sources.
These sometimes hard-to-find, unique programs can provide opportunities for veterinarians and students who want more options in gaining real-life experiences, either paid or unpaid, within these disciplines. With diverse programs ranging in length from a few days to a few years, and located in all parts of the United States and beyond, finding experience-building opportunities that fit into your schedule is now much easier.”


Currently, the proposed title of the database is “Training and Service Opportunities in Conservation, Environmental, Wildlife, and Zoological Medicine,” and the data consists of specific fields, which are populated by the specific information pertaining to each program.


The committee consists of 15 members, but unfortunately AAV was not represented in the mix. Any ideas on why not? Anyway, it seems that it will be quite valuable. This is one of the ideas that we had wanted to develop with AAZV and I’m glad that AVMA is handling it because it’s a huge task.
Laurie, you may want to make sure they know about your internship.
Adina, do you think this should go into our announcements section on our website?
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Please note this office's new email address: Thank you very much.

aavcentraloffice@gmail.com

Avian Studios proudly announces the release of the 'Expert Companion Bird Care Series: Volume I. This first-of-its-kind DVD was created by leading avian veterinarians and bird care specialists. Topics include bird identification, housing, nutrition, toxins, identifying general illness, and finding an avian veterinarian.

The DVD is designed as a reliable resource on avian care that veterinarians, pet stores and websites can offer to their bird-owning clients.

For more information, go to www.AvianStudios.com.

Researchers find that birds can spread Lyme disease to humans, pets
Researchers have found that robins and other common birds can carry ticks into people's backyards, and as such, potentially transmit Lyme Disease to pets and humans. To prevent exposure to Lyme Disease and other tick-borne illnesses, a companion-animal practitioner urges owners to regularly groom their pets and provide them with veterinary-quality tick control products and vaccinations

EXOT314-0310: Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Avian Infectious Diseases

http://www.vin.com/ce/EXOT314-0310.htm

DATES:
March 16 - March 30, 2010
Real-time sessions: Tuesdays, March 16 and 23; 9:30 - 11:30 pm ET (USA)



EXOT315-0410: Imaging Tools in Avian Medicine

http://www.vin.com/ce/EXOT315-0410.htm

DATES:
April 14 - April 28, 2010
Real-time sessions: Wednesdays, April 14 and 21; 9:30 - 11:30 pm ET (USA)

The Infectious diseases course is open to vets and staff. The Imaging Tools course is vets only, since RACE would judge this content as what only vets would need to know.

Association of Reptilian & Amphibian Veterinarians - 17th Annual Conference

Download Announcement

Deadline February 15, 2010

A Joint Meeting with the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
October 23–29, 2010
Isla Grand Beach Resort
South Padre Island, Texas
Join us for high quality continuing education plus great food, fun, & friends!!
**Behind-the-scenes tours of local wildlife and zoological attractions!!
**Field trip to observe native reptiles & amphibians of the Lower Texas Coast!

The AVMA is looking for veterinarians and veterinary students to volunteer for positions with two new groups that will help define AVMA priorities and initiatives.

At its January 8, 2010 meeting, the AVMA Executive Board approved establishment of these new AVMA entities: the Task Force on AVMA Programs for Students and Recent Graduates, and the AVMA 20/20 Vision Commission.

The Task Force on AVMA Programs for Students and Recent Graduates will aid the AVMA in reviewing current programs and developing a strategic plan for involvement with veterinary students and recent graduates.

The charge of the AVMA 20/20 Vision Commission is to create a vision for the AVMA that would incorporate the qualities and characteristics needed to position the AVMA as a dynamic association that is increasingly relevant and responsive to the membership and the public 6-10 years in the future (i.e. to the year 2020).

More information about these entities, and nomination forms for each, are available online at http://www.avma.org/news/nominations.asp. Nominations for either entity should include the completed nomination form and a 1-2 page resume. All nominations for both entities must be received by March 15, 2010.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An experimental vaccine works against the newly spreading Chikungunya virus, at least in monkeys, and the approach may also work against other exotic viruses, U.S. government researchers reported on Thursday.

Health

They used virus-like particles, which are mock versions of the virus that resemble an empty shell, to vaccinate monkeys against the rarely fatal but painful mosquito-borne infection.

"At a time when there are no commercially available vaccines ... a virus-like particle vaccine has the potential to have a considerable impact on the spread of this disease," Dr. Gary Nabel of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and colleagues wrote in the journal Nature Medicine

They said the same approach may be useful similar mosquito-borne viruses, known as alphaviruses.

Chikungunya, first seen in the 1950s, came back in 2004 and 2005 and has since spread to nearly 20 countries to infect millions. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a map here CH_GlobalMap.html.

It is rarely fatal but it causes debilitating pain and exhaustion and can have long-term or even permanent effects.

"Changes in trade, travel and global climate have aided the spread of mosquito species worldwide, which may potentially cause other alphavirus outbreaks," they wrote.

"Our approach may prove useful for vaccine development against other pathogenic alphaviruses, including Western, Eastern and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses, O'nyong-nyong virus and Ross River virus."

O'nyong-nyong virus is similar to Chikungunya and is found in Uganda, while Ross River virus affects Australia, Papua New Guinea and other Pacific islands.

People have tried to make a Chikungunya vaccine but one attempt caused similar symptoms to infection and others did not do well in testing.

Nabel's team tried making virus-like particles, an approach that Merck and Co uses in a vaccine against the human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer.

These particles resemble hollowed-out viruses, which the body can recognize and attack. They cannot cause infection on their own.

Vaccinated monkeys fought off infection and the antibodies their bodies made against Chikungunya also protected mice, Nabel's team reported.

"Because virus-like-protein-based vaccines are currently safely used in people for protection against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus infections, they may prove to be a practical candidate for Chikungunya vaccine efforts," the researchers wrote.

Nabel said the next step is human testing.

Maryland-based vaccine maker Novavax has been using virus-like particles to make vaccines against influenza and has teamed up with Cadila Pharmaceuticals in India to make vaccines they hope will work against influenza and perhaps dengue fever and Chikungunya.

MARGARET PETRAK
The AAV Extends Its Condolences to Friends and Family of Margaret Petrak.
Dr. Margaret Petrak (University of Pennsylvania, 52) 81 of Medway MA died October 19, 2009.
Margaret Petrak was a pioneer in establishing the speciality of Avian Medicine. Her scholarly and authoritative text Diseases of Cage and Aviary Birds was one of the first books edited by a female veterinarian and filled a great void in the veterinary literature for guiding practitioners in the care of pet birds.
Margaret was a charter member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, served as a board member in AAV’s formative years and later on the committee that developed Avian Certification. She was an Honorary Life member of AAV.
She spent her career at the MSPCA’s Angell Animal Medical Center where she served an internship after graduating with honors from veterinary school. As a staff veterinarian she educated hundreds of interns in the art of clinical practice. The kindness and gentleness that she modeled left a lasting impression on all who were fortunate to have worked with her.
Margaret was a member of the law enforcement staff and worked endlessly on behalf of mistreated and abused animals. She was often an expert witness for the many law enforcement cases prosecuted by the MSPCA.
Donations may be made in memory of Margaret Petrak’s to the AAV Avian Research Endowment Fund, PO Box 811720, Boca Raton, FL 33481.


JOEL PASCO never met an animal he didn’t like.
So it was destiny that he’d become a veterinarian, with a special affinity for treating wildlife.
He was surrounded by wildlife on the final day of his life, Sat., Oct 24th. He was grateful that he’d been feeling well enough to take another trip to the Sierras to fish with his good friend, Cris Hagen. Battling esophageal cancer, diagnosed in late 2006, had taken a lot out of Joel but he continued working a couple days a week at the animal hospital he founded—All Creatures Care Cottage in Costa Mesa—and volunteering his veterinary services at the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, which he also helped build.
Joel had a wonderful final day, fishing at Convict Lake, surrounded by nature. He made dinner for the fishing group before heading back into the rented RV. He went to bed Friday evening and died in his sleep. He was 62.
Joel received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Illinois in 1972 and then completed a 14 month internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York.  He’d taken a cross-country trip to California with a fraternity brother, so when it came time to decide where to practice veterinary medicine, he headed West to Newport Beach. He worked at the Newport Center Animal Hospital and in South Laguna. In 1978, he co-founded the Alliance for Wildlife and Rehabilitation and became its first president.
Joel was a member of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, the California Veterinary Medical Association, and the Association of Avian Veterinarians.  He was a past president of the Orange County Chapter of the SCVMA, co-founder of Avian & Exotic Society and Director of Veterinary Services for the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center. The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center wouldn’t have been possible without Joel. 
He made the treatment and protection of animals his life’s work for more than 30 years. He shared his love for animals with his wife, Jean, and his children, Jessica and Andrew, and son-in-law Kurtiss Nielsen. And he passed along that sense of stewardship to his grandson, Christien.
Joel also tended a love of bonsai during his life and accumulated an impressive collection of bonsai trees. He spent hours tending to individual trees and miniature forests. He was a member of Kofu Bonsai Kai club and the California Bonsai Society.
A memorial service celebrating Joel’s life will be at the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach on Saturday, November 7th, 2 p.m. For those so inclined, please make any donations in care of Joel’s memory to the wildlife center.
Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center
21900 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach, CA 92646