8/9/01

Charles Martin, 334/844-3698

AU ESTABLISHES VETERINARY CRITICAL CARE PROGRAM

AUBURN -- A new veterinary program at Auburn University will help save the lives of critically ill pets across the Southeast.

The AU Critical Care Program, one of only five such university programs in the United States, recently began at the College of Veterinary Medicine as a rapid response, same-day referral center for regional veterinarians who have small animal cases that need urgent attention.

"Your local veterinarian is well equipped to handle most cases, but there are a few that require the resources and specialists of the veterinary college," said Dr. Timothy Boosinger, dean of the college.

An intensive care unit is operated 24 hours per day by AU clinicians and technicians, who have immediate access to the college's diagnostic and therapeutic equipment essential for critical cases. Specialists are available in the areas of internal medicine and critical care.

"We have always been a referral hospital, but this new program will allow us to quickly admit an acutely ill animal on the same day that a veterinarian calls," Boosinger said. "In the past, most of these animals had to wait until the next available appointment."

The college serves as a veterinary hospital for animal owners living within 30 miles of Auburn, but anyone outside that area must be referred by his or her regular veterinarian.

"We have faculty members with extensive experience and training in critical care, so we shifted some of their responsibilities so they could be more available to practicing veterinarians for the same-day referral of critically sick dogs and cats," Boosinger said. "We plan to add large animals to the program in the near future."

AU's Critical Care Program is also a regional training center for students and veterinarians in the discipline of veterinary emergency and critical care medicine. Its participants include fourth year professional veterinary students, interns, residents and visiting practicing veterinarians.

In addition to Auburn students, the program is available to senior veterinary students from across the country as they complete elective rotations in critical care as part of their professional curriculum.

"The program is an approved residency-training site sanctioned by the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Medicine," added Dr. Jim Wohl, one of the participating AU faculty veterinarians. "At the conclusion of their training, the residents take a specialty board certification examination leading to diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care."

Veterinary critical care technician Mary Tefend has joined Auburn as the Hill's Clinical Instructor in Veterinary Critical Care Nursing, a position sponsored in part by Hill's Pet Nutrition pet food company. She joined AU on July 2 after spending five years developing the intensive care unit at Texas A&M University.

"I gave up a job that I loved, but Auburn's excitement for this new program was contagious," Tefend said. "Being a part of the critical care team is an exciting opportunity, and with the support of Hill's in the area of nutrition, we can develop one of the best critical care centers in the country."

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