Skip to main content Skip to navigation
College of Veterinary Medicine Advance Newsletter

Helping a cat family breathe easier

Dr. Janean Fidel, veterinary oncologist, and Margaret Wong, a fourth-year student, exam Abby prior to her undergoing a second round of chemotherapy.
Nina did not give it much thought when her cat made a short wheezing sound. Strange, but nothing to worry about, she thought. Just two days later, though, Abby was noticeably struggling to breathe, and by Friday, her owners, Nechyporuk and Richard Waugh, were unsure if their beloved cat would survive. » More ...

No more pennies for this lucky duck

Veterinary technician holding the duck
For ducks, pennies don’t bring much luck -- a one-cent coin could actually cost them their life. That was the case for Wazzu, an Indian Runner duck who showed up at Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital this spring struggling to walk, losing weight fast, and feeling ill. » More ...

They call her Lucy Sunshine

Portrait of Tami and Lucy. Lucy is wearing a Cancer Survivor scarf.
When Tami first found out Lucy had nasal cancer, she said she couldn’t even think about it.  But the doctors told her even though it is bad news, it is not the worst news because they could still treat her.  They told her that Lucy has a lot of happy days ahead of her with treatment. » More ...

WSU study aims to prevent adverse drug reactions in dogs

If not identified before surgery, a rare genetic mutation could result in your dog being exposed to dangerously high levels of anesthetic agents. Scientists at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine initially discovered the mutation in greyhounds and more recently in other common dog breeds. » More ...

Cancer Care Gives New Hope

Portrait of team in the WSU veterinary teaching hospital lobby
In the spring of 2019, Karen Kernaghan noticed that her dog’s nose was bleeding. “That was the start of it,” says Karen. She took “Kiki Blu,” a 6-year-old border collie mix, to her local veterinarian Dr. Jefferson Manens of Vancouver, British Columbia. He put Kiki under anesthesia and took a biopsy of tissue in her nose. The results came back benign. Dr. Manens still suspected something was wrong, so he phoned WSU veterinary oncologist Dr. Janean Fidel. Based on his description, Dr. Fidel agreed. He took another biopsy, this time with a special needle. Kiki had cancer. » More ...

The Longest Donors: Giving Back for 45 Years

In 1966 when Norm Rantanen (’67 DVM, ’71 M.S.) was in his third year of veterinary school, he signed up for the early commissioning program with the U.S. Air Force. When the time came for him and his wife Marlene to be stationed for his first assignment with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology at the Walter Reed Army post in Washington, D.C., the young couple found they needed a little financial help to make the move. They applied for the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine student loan fund and received $300. “It meant a lot to us at the time to get that money,” says Marlene. “We paid it back at $10 a month and just never quit.” » More ...