A New Home

You could just see it in Dr. Rod Bagley’s eyes. He wanted to care for Doree. At the time, Doree couldn’t stand. She couldn’t walk. She could barely lift her head. She was malnourished.

Yet Bagley saw something in the golden retriever who had spent her four years delivering puppies at a USDA licensed breeder in Iowa. In November 2021, a federal court judge ordered the surrender and removal of more than 500 dogs and puppies from the breeder to the Animal Rescue League of Des Moines.

One of those dogs was Doree. She was also the only dog that required hospitalization at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center. Not only was she severely emaciated with almost zero muscle mass, X-rays showed she had multiple fractures to her ribs and spinal vertebrae. She spent most of her next two months in the LVMC’s Canine Rehabilitation Center.

At first, she could only walk with the aid of a sling. She spent parts of every day in a pool swimming and walking on a water treadmill. Day by day, she slowly worked her way back to health.

One of the veterinarians who cared for Doree was Bagley, professor of veterinary clinical sciences and a neurologist by training, who supports the canine rehabilitation service.

“When animals can’t get up, the natural thinking is that they have a neurology problem,” Bagley said. “But that wasn’t Doree’s problem. She had the mechanics to walk, but either never learned how to do so, or didn’t feel that she could.”

From the first day he saw Doree, Bagley began considering adopting her or at the very least, becoming a foster parent to the dog. But as the weeks passed by, he decided Doree needed the support in a home environment but under a watchful eye.

“First of all, I wanted to make sure we (Bagley and his wife Lynn) could take care of Doree’s needs,” he said, “and I realized that if we did take her home she would probably become a ‘foster fail’ and we would eventually adopt her.”

Doree went to Bagley’s home out in the country just before Christmas Day. The family has several cats and a great dog Cooper, who Bagley describes as Doree’s “service dog.”

Since her arrival at the Bagley homestead, Doree has made significant progress. On December 23, Bagley had to carry her in and out of the house. Next, she learned to stand on her front legs. Four days later she would walk about 20 feet before stopping.

New Years’ Day she squatted to urinate for the first time. On January 10, she began going down two outside stairs. By January 14 she was doing more dog things – barking, wagging her tail, and eating her meals.

“She continued to get stronger every day,” Bagley said. “Physically she was able to start doing normal dog stuff.” On February 13, Doree was starting to run a little following with her playmate Cooper. A month later she was rolling on her back outside like her new brother.

Today Doree is close to 60 pounds and has developed her personality. She still is timid around everyone, but is more comfortable around the Bagley home. She tends to sit up close to walls and furniture as though she doesn’t want anything sneaking up behind her. She’s indifferent to the family’s cats but she has learned to walk a flight of stairs to sleep in the master bedroom.

“I really think we were the right ‘space’ for Doree,” Bagley said. “We have the space, time and resources to help care for her. Doree needed someone who could pay attention to her and her health issues. I knew based on my experiences I could do that.

“In the end, there really wasn’t a question if Doree was going to come home with me. I didn’t really think about it. It was just going to happen.” gd

Left: Dr. Rod Bagley with Doree (right) and her pal Cooper. Above: Doree at the Canine Rehabilitation Center. Submitted Photos

On the Job

There may never be the perfect time to start a new job, but Dr. Marc Kinsley is certainly facing challenges as the new executive director of Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center (LVMC) that his predecessors didn’t have.

“There are definitely many challenges facing veterinary medicine,” Kinsley said, “and the significance of those challenges are maybe as high as we have seen in quite some time.”

Kinsley and the LVMC aren’t unique. Studies have indicated that one in five U.S. households acquired a cat or dog since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those increased adoptions have translated into additional visits to their local veterinarian including appointments made at Iowa State.

Kinsley started his new position in January 2022. From day one, he has dealt not only with increased demand, but also the challenges of finding clinicians and technicians to treat these animals.

“There are limited veterinarians and technicians in the work force,” Kinsley said. “Every private practice is having the same issues as we are – trying to meet the increased demand for animal care and everyone is being aggressive in hiring veterinarians as well as technicians.

“It’s a double-edge sword because if we don’t have enough staff to support our faculty, then we can lose our faculty, which would not allow us to continue to provide the level of patient care that the animals and clients in the State of Iowa deserve.”

Even though this is the first time Kinsley has served in such a capacity (he was previously an associate professor of large animal surgery at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine with a specialty in equine surgery), he has hit the ground running and is looking to quickly meet the challenges the LVMC faces. He’s worked hard to hire and retain veterinary technicians and will continue to support the clinicians on staff including increasing salaries for the hospitals’ interns and residents.

He has authorized several equipment purchases which have dramatically improved the hospitals’ functions. An “Unsung Hero Award” has been established to recognize staff members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. “One of the main reasons I took this job was that I was tired of seeing my friends constantly leave because they didn’t feel supported,” Kinsley said. “I could see things that weren’t getting done and wondered ‘why don’t we do it this way?’”

At the LVMC, Kinsley now has that opportunity.

“I like the challenge and thinking about things in a different way than I did when I was a faculty member,” Kinsley said. “I want to look at the whole puzzle, see if we can modify one thing, and then determine how it not only affects our patients and clients, but our hospital and staff.” gd

Photo: Dave Gieseke

Driven by RESEARCH

Research drives Dr. Qijing Zhang each and every day. “If I get an experiment started, I’m anxious to learn the results,” said Zhang, a Clarence Covault Distinguished Professor in Veterinary Medicine.

He’s so passionate that his nickname was “Scientific Nerd.” As a graduate student in the College of Veterinary Medicine (he earned his PhD in 1994), his brain was constantly racing, thinking about his latest research study.

“My mind was so busy, I failed to stop at a stop sign and got into an accident,” Zhang recalled. “That really scared me, and I had to consciously put my mind at rest and not think about science all the time.”

Over the years, Zhang has added other lines to his resume including serving as the College of Veterinary Medicine’s associate dean of research.

But his own research studies are a constant pull on Zhang. And make no mistake about it – he’s good at what he does. Really good.

This past spring, Zhang was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

Election to the National Academy of Sciences is among the most prestigious honors given to U.S. scientists and engineers. Zhang is just the 12th Iowa State faculty member to receive the honor, and the first faculty member in the College of Veterinary Medicine to be elected since Dr. Harley Moon’s election in 1991.

“Dr. Zhang’s election to the National Academy of Sciences is a testament to his international impact, leadership and outstanding achievements in antimicrobial resistance and food safety,” said Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen. “We are delighted that Dr. Zhang is being recognized with this prestigious honor.”

“I am extremely honored to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences,” Zhang said. “It is an honor not just for me, but also for my team and my beloved college and university.”

Zhang’s research has had regional, national, and global impact on the control of antibiotic-resistance pathogens in animals and humans. As a renowned microbiologist, Zhang built a world-class research program on antimicrobial resistance and food safety. Early in his academic career, Zhang concentrated his research on swine pathogens. He made the switch to antibiotic resistance and food safety and has never looked back.

“There was a natural need for this type of research and at the time, few people were trained to do it,” he said. “It was a challenge, but a great opportunity.

“We had to identify gaps in the field and what needed to be done to close those gaps. There was an advantage to be one of the first in this area.”

Dr. Zhang’s election to the National Academy of Sciences is a testament to his international “ impact, leadership and outstanding achievements ”in antimicrobial resistance and food safety.

– Wendy Wintersteen

Iowa State President

ZHANG CONTINUED

That advantage has led to competitive grants totaling over $25 million from not only the USDA and NIH, but the National Science Foundation and the Food and Drug Administration.

His expertise in antibiotic resistance has earned him international acclaim. He is an expert in areas related to antibiotic resistance development, persistence, transmission from animal reservoirs to humans, and mitigation strategies. He is a pioneer in the effort to understand mechanisms involved in the emergence, persistence, and fitness of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter, a major zoonotic pathogen worldwide.

Zhang’s research group at Iowa State was among the first to document the impact of antibiotic resistance on bacterial fitness. His work is often used as a resource for science-based policy making by regulatory agencies on the use of antimicrobials in animal production. His research also identified emergence and transmission of zoonotic pathogens and their intervention strategies, contributing to improvement of animal health, and public health.

His journey to the National Academy of Sciences started out simple enough. Zhang grew up in a small village in China. He fondly remembers his childhood spent working on his family’s fields, working with plants.

“I was really fortunate to get into college,” he said. “My two older brothers were smarter than I was, but they had no opportunity to attend college. I guess I was born at the right time.”

And for Iowa State, he was in the right place at the right time. Zhang served as an interpreter when Dr. Richard Ross, then dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, visited Zhang’s university in China.

The rest as they say is history.

“I knew Dr. Ross from his publications because we were researching the same subject,” Zhang said. “That connection led to me becoming a graduate student in his lab.

“I am very proud to not only be a faculty member at Iowa State but a graduate as well. I feel incredibly fortunate for having had my career at this fine institution.” gd

Trail Blazer

She was perfectly happy in Canada. At her alma mater, the University of Guelph, Dr. Suzanne Millman was researching, teaching and writing about animal welfare, including ethical and scientific issues.

Then she learned about a new academic position – the first of its kind – and it intrigued her.

“This was attractive to me because here was a veterinary school in the one number animal agriculture state in the U.S., that was advertising a tenure-track faculty position, specific to animal welfare,” Millman said. “This was the first such position at a veterinary school in the U.S., with the full complement of research, teaching and professional practice and it intrigued me.”

Even before she threw her hat in the ring, Millman knew the job’s responsibilities would be a challenge.

“Whomever got the job would have to do it delicately if they were to be successful,” Millman said. “What intrigued me about the job was the opportunity to help guide the animal welfare discussion.”

Millman got the job, joining the Iowa State faculty in 2008. She immediately started working closely with the State of Iowa’s State Veterinarian’s Office, the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, animal industries, and a diverse range of stakeholders.

“A big piece of my outreach is to be a resource to these and other groups as well as to the general public,” Millman said.

Despite her determination, it wasn’t easy at first. She says many groups and individuals were ready for a conversation about animal welfare. Others, not as much.

“People are increasingly interested in animals, which usually starts with their pets, and extends to curiosity about farm animals and where our food comes from,” Millman said. ‘This attention is a good thing, but also results in tough conversations about our social contract with animals and whether we are providing them with a good life.

“Veterinarians are often at the forefront, and I wanted to design a program to help them understand and respond constructively to societal concerns.”

Her work has been influential in shaping scientific understanding of how agriculture animals express pain and distress, how we recognize these states, and the importance of finding practical, affordable, and effective ways of mitigating suffering.

She has also been instrumental in shaping agriculture animal producers’ care of ill and injured animals, and the opportunities to use animal behavior for better handling, housing and animal care practices.

The author of countless peer-reviewed journal articles, Millman has delivered hundreds of presentations. She is highly sought as an animal welfare advisor by multiple national and international organizations. Her outreach programs target tools for animal welfare assessment, particularly animal-based outcomes that can be practically and reliably in field or farm environments.

These efforts and her personal dedication have won over the initial skeptics.

“I am grateful to have fantastic working relationships with many people and organizations working in this space,” Millman said. “By stepping up to the plate on really tough issues affecting farmers, concerned citizens, and of course, the animals themselves, I have truly grown into this position and I continue to learn. If I’m doing my job well, I can sit down and have a cup of coffee with all parties and work with both sides on an issue.

“It’s particularly refreshing to have earned the trust of veterinarians and stakeholders willing to share delicate information with the goal of improving and sustaining industry rather than just deflecting criticism.”

Millman’s efforts have been recently recognized. First, she was named the Scott and Nancy Armbrust Professorship in Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State. A few days later, she learned that she was the 2022 recipient of the AVMA Humane Award, given annually to a nonveterinarian to recognize achievement in advancing the welfare of animals through leadership, public service, education, research and product development, or advocacy.

Millman was quick to point out that while she is the award’s recipient, she received the honor due to the efforts of numerous colleagues, students, and animal caretakers.

“They have helped me understand animal welfare and opportunities to strengthen it,” she said. “Animal welfare is interdisciplinary. I knew when I took this position that it was too much for one person to do but we’ve been able to achieve so much because of the assistance of so many people - particular nods to Becky Parsons, who runs the animal welfare lab with me, and to my colleague Professor Anna Johnson in the Department of Animal Science whose program dovetails closely with mine.”

In the end, Millman says her job ultimately comes down to making animals her top priority.

“Animals matter,” Millman said. “I’m interested in animals for their own sake and acutely aware of that animals have wants and needs.

“I try to get inside an animal’s mind to make sure we are giving them a life worth living.” gd

Millman’s work has been influential in shaping scientific understanding of how agriculture animals’ express pain and distress, how we recognize it, and the importance of finding practical, affordable, and effective ways of mitigating it.

HONORING THE Best of the Best

For almost 150 years, the College of Veterinary Medicine has educated and graduated veterinarians who have gone onto stellar professional careers.

Many of those alumni have been honored by one veterinary organization or another with an award for their achievements. These awards usually highlight “distinguished service” or are tied to a specific discipline.

At least four of these national awards are named after distinguished CVM alumni.

Photo: Tom Bauer, Missoulian

Senator John Melcher, DVM

Leadership in Public Policy Award

This award is named after former Montana U.S. Senator and CVM graduate Dr. John Melcher (’50). The national public policy award is awarded annually by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).

Melcher served two terms in the U.S. Senate and was the first veterinarian to serve in that body. He also served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Melcher established the Yellowstone Veterinary Clinic and treated horses, cattle, pigs, and sheep until his election to Congress in 1969. The award is given for leadership in public policy which advances veterinary medical education and for advocating for veterinary medical education on a national and international scale.

Melcher was actually the first recipient of the award that would later be named in his honor. Since then, two CVM graduates have received the award including Dr. John U. Thomsen (’67), dean emeritus, in 2011.

“Dr. Thomson’s vision has always been that the veterinary profession speaks with a single voice,” said then AAVMC executive director Dr. Marguerite Pappaioanou. “For more than four decades, he has worked tirelessly to bring industry, practitioners, and veterinary educators together in a powerful, unified coalition to press for legislation vital to the health of the veterinary profession.”

Dr. James Roth, Clarence Hartley Covault Distinguished Professor and director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH), was the recipient of the Melcher Award in 2018.

“This award recognizes not just me, but the entire CFSPH team of professionals for their work to improve education on topics related to public policy and regulatory veterinary medicine,” Roth said in 2018.

E. P. Pope

E.P. Pope Memorial Award

The Pope Award is the highest award given by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). Dr. E.P. Pope was a 1949 graduate of Iowa State.

The award is presented annually to an individual who has made noteworthy and significant contributions to the association by implementing and advancing the recognition of the specialty of veterinary diagnostic laboratory medicine. A recent recipient of the Pope Award

is Dr. Pat Halbur, professor and chair of the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine and the executive director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

“I have been very fortunate to spend much of my career as a diagnostic pathologist or in a leadership role in the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory,” Halbur said in 2021 when he received the Pope Award. “Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to get to know, to stand on the shoulders of, and in some small way, carry on the work of some remarkable thought leaders in diagnostic medicine.”

T.J. Lafeber

Avian Practitioner of the Year

1949 was a good year for Iowa State graduates. In addition to Dr. Pope, that graduating class included Dr. T.J. Lafeber, a pioneer in companion bird medicine and the human-companion bird bond.

Lafeber’s concern for the health and welfare of his avian patients led him to develop medical treatments, diagnostic techniques, and nutritionally balanced foods. His lectures were infused with his caring demeanor and enthusiasm, inspiring students and veterinarians to advance the fledging field of companion bird medicine.

The T.J. Lafeber Avian Practitioner Award is given annually by the Association of Avian Veterinarians to an outstanding practitioner who has advanced the quality of health care for companion birds.

Each year, the recipient of the Lafeber Award is presented with a bronze cast statue of Dr. Lafeber’s hands and his most beloved avian patient – the budgerigar.

Howard Dunne

Memorial Award

The Dunne Award is presented annually by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV). Named for Dr. Howard Dunne, a 1941 CVM DVM graduate, the award is given to an AASV member who has made a significant contribution and rendered outstanding service to the AASV and the swine industry.

Over the years, countless Iowa State alumni and faculty have been named recipients of the Dunne Award. One of those individuals was Dr. Kent J. Schwartz (’78), then a veterinary diagnostician in the Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory.

“Dr. Schwartz has been an invaluable resource to swine veterinarians, the pork industry and the AASV,” said Dr. Tom Burkgren, executive director of the AASV in 2009 when Schwartz was named the Dunne Award recipient. “His willingness to share insights and knowledge in the area of diagnostics by providing continuing education to veterinarians and producers has greatly benefited the industry.” gd