swine experience

[Packers04]

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I am interested in observing a swine vet and have finally found one to possibly call that is not too far away from my location. I was just wondering if swine docs typically allow shadows or if anyone got some swine experience before vet school.

 

[Bacci]

I did! I actually still work with pigs. The professor that taught my animal nutrition class is also the head of the UW swine research and teaching center, and he happened to take a liking to me in his class. So I work for him. However, before I worked for him, I came to him wondering if he could hook me up with some large animal vets, since I'm "city folk" and really didn't have any connections there. He set me up with a dairy vet who also takes care of a lot of the pig farms in the area. Most of the time I spent with that vet was on the dairy side of things, but he did let me tag along a few times on his pig days.

In my experience, most of the farms were pretty welcoming, but because I was hired by my professor shortly after and began working with the university herd, I was banished (

) to dairy only. If you've been in contact with other pigs in the past 5 days, they tend to be a little wary of letting you mingle with the herd (especially if they don't know you well, like in my case.) Communicable disease is a huge concern. Also, what surprised me at first is that you actually have to shower into almost all of the farms and wear their clothes. Not a huge deal, but I wasn't expecting it, so it freaked me out a little, ha.

Just something to think about. Every vet is different. The worst thing that can happen is he says "no!" It's a pretty small risk that you should take. 😀 Piggies are fun!

 

[breenie]

Bacci, was your boss a Dr. C? My undergrad advisor taught nutrition and did swine research. 😛

Hoping Packers is a Wisconsin reference! I helped out with a swine surgery at UW, and they got vets to come in from Plain (?) to do it. They apparently do a ton of swine work. They were pretty friendly and happy to answer questions. I would hope the swine vets are just as nice as the other vets. Give it a go! I think the biggest barrier to shadowing a swine vet is just HAVING one in your location, and I'm guessing they don't get a ton of pre-vet interest, since pigs aren't very fluffy and cute.

 

[Bacci]

Bacci, was your boss a Dr. C? My undergrad advisor taught nutrition and did swine research. 😛

Hoping Packers is a Wisconsin reference! I helped out with a swine surgery at UW, and they got vets to come in from Plain (?) to do it. They apparently do a ton of swine work. They were pretty friendly and happy to answer questions. I would hope the swine vets are just as nice as the other vets. Give it a go! I think the biggest barrier to shadowing a swine vet is just HAVING one in your location, and I'm guessing they don't get a ton of pre-vet interest, since pigs aren't very fluffy and cute.

Yep actually, Dr. C is my boss! Aaaand, those vets from Plain? Yeah, I did a few ride alongs with them, the guy that does the swine is the very one I'm talking about. He's really great! Very very helpful. Probably my best shadowing experience.

Also, I helped with the swine surgery the day after last Thanksgiving. Were we helping together perhaps?

 

[Packers04]

Since I work in a vet diagnostic lab which deals mainly with PRRSV and BVDV should I let any swine doc know about this? As I understand the bio security on swine farms is quite intense. Could this also hurt my chances of ever getting some pre-vet school experience with these animals?

 

[Bacci]

I would definitely tell them. I know PRRS is one of the biggest concerns here, as the farms around here have not yet tested positive (and would like to keep it that way). I think it could definitely hurt your chances, but depending on where you are, the reaction may be different. You are a biosecurity risk, plain and simple. How much would have to depend on the procedures used in your lab and how comfortable your vet is with taking you along.

 

[EnvyPointers]

About a year and a half ago, I cold-called a Swine Veterinarian. I have shadowed him numerous times, and I now work for one of his clients (a 6000 head sow unit).

I was lucky to get to do this. Biosecurity is a big concern among the hog farms, and most of the farmers are wary about someone coming onto their farm. PRRS is a huge issue as someone else mentioned.

Check around! Hopefully someone will let you ride along on farm calls. Swine Medicine is a whole different ball game, but I absolutely love it!! Good Luck!

 

[breenie]

Yep actually, Dr. C is my boss! Aaaand, those vets from Plain? Yeah, I did a few ride alongs with them, the guy that does the swine is the very one I'm talking about. He's really great! Very very helpful. Probably my best shadowing experience.

Also, I helped with the swine surgery the day after last Thanksgiving. Were we helping together perhaps?

Dr. C was my advisor and supervised one of my internships. And I worked on the floor below you for all of the past year. 😉 Yep, the c-sections after Thanksgiving on the furlough day was the one I was at. I knew about half of the people there, and I think most of them were recruited from the Repro Phys class. Not that this is particularly helpful, but I was the short redhead with glasses (not to be confused with the taller redhead with glasses there).

 

[sunshinevet]

I think the biggest issue facing you is not whether or not a vet says yes, but whether or not the farmers do. Biosecurity is the number one priority on pig farms, and the number one strategy to prevent diseases coming in is to limit things/people etc coming in. So the vet might say you can come, but the farmer might say you can't!

And of course, if you've come in contact with pigs or felt sick recently, dont go 🙂

 

[Bacci]

Dr. C was my advisor and supervised one of my internships. And I worked on the floor below you for all of the past year. 😉 Yep, the c-sections after Thanksgiving on the furlough day was the one I was at. I knew about half of the people there, and I think most of them were recruited from the Repro Phys class. Not that this is particularly helpful, but I was the short redhead with glasses (not to be confused with the taller redhead with glasses there).

Neat! I think I've run into you a few times...if I'm thinking of the right person. I was the giant blonde girl. Okay, not giant, but I'm 6 feet tall. I was on scrub down and sew up duty. All you repro kids got to play in the bubble! I was sooo jealous haha

 

[breenie]

Neat! I think I've run into you a few times...if I'm thinking of the right person. I was the giant blonde girl. Okay, not giant, but I'm 6 feet tall. I was on scrub down and sew up duty. All you repro kids got to play in the bubble! I was sooo jealous haha

Oooh! Okay! You were in the lab one day when I came in trying to hassle Dr. C to hurry up and write my letter of rec, I think. 🙂 And this is creepy but I've probably seen you in an sci since the ladies' bathrooms are only on the even floors...

The bubble was definitely fun! The first round was really stressful though because everyone was going a little slower getting the hang of things and the piglets didn't wake up quickly. I think I remember seeing you on sew duty.

Small world. 🙂

 

[Bacci]

Oooh! Okay! You were in the lab one day when I came in trying to hassle Dr. C to hurry up and write my letter of rec, I think. 🙂 And this is creepy but I've probably seen you in an sci since the ladies' bathrooms are only on the even floors...

The bubble was definitely fun! The first round was really stressful though because everyone was going a little slower getting the hang of things and the piglets didn't wake up quickly. I think I remember seeing you on sew duty.

Small world. 🙂

Hahaha I wanted to mention the bathroom but I too thought that would be creepy. 😛 Small world indeed!