Camels and baby Pandas!

Posted August 2, 2016

On Saturday July 23rd I was lucky to attend the CORE programs Zoo trip to the Toronto Zoo. The trip began with a behind the scenes tour, during which the students were split into groups of 4-6, each group experiencing a different aspect of Zoo care. My group went to visit the Camels and there keeper. The keeper was extremely knowledge and had been working with the camels at the Toronto Zoo for upwards of 20 years! He discussed the differences and similarities to horses with us. Then took us over to meet one of the older girls that is currently pregnant.

An Uplifting Day at the Toronto Zoo

Posted July 27, 2016

On Saturday July 23rd we boarded the bus outside OVC for a day trip to the Toronto Zoo, and what an experience it was! We arrived at the zoo and were led to the animal care facilities for a behind the scenes tour. The tour started with a brief presentation on the experiences of one of the full time veterinarians and one of the residents on their journey to becoming certified zoo medicine veterinarians. This was very enlightening and showed that many different paths can be taken to accomplish this one goal.

Touring the New Elora Dairy

Posted July 26, 2016

On July 13th, I was able to go on a tour of the Dairy Livestock Research and Innovation Centre in Elora through my participation in OVC’s Summer CORE Program. This facility was a joint collaboration between the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario, the University of Guelph, and the Ontario dairy industry. This was not the first time I had been there – I have been working on a research project at Elora since the end of June; however, this was the first time that I’ve had an official tour of the new facility.

Veterinary Care at the Zoo: The Differences and Similarities as Compared to Regular Practice

Posted July 26, 2016

                         I generally visit the Toronto Zoo once every summer. Their research and conservation efforts are amazing and I really love getting a chance to watch and photograph animals that I don't normally get the chance to see. This summer however, I got to take part in another type of unique experience. I was lucky enough to be able to go behind the scenes at the zoo and learn more about what it means to be a veterinarian working with these spectacular animals.

My Trip to the Toronto Zoo: and how I spent my day hanging with a Rhino...

Posted July 25, 2016

Behind the Scenes at the Toronto Zoo

Posted July 24, 2016

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Toronto Zoo again. I have been to the zoo a few times before and really enjoyed my time there, but this time is special, we got to see it from behind the scenes!  I have been excited about the trip ever since seeing it on our Summer CORE activities list and it turned out to be an amazing experience.

Inspiration from the ICCI Cancer Research Symposium

Posted July 21, 2016

I am always inspired by my colleagues who dedicate their time to research. Research is so essential to continually advance and improve various medical techniques and treatments. I was priviledged to learn from people who have dedicated their time to ending the fight against cancer at the 2016 ICCI Cancer Research Symposium.

A Tour of the Elora Dairy Research Centre

Posted July 20, 2016

Last week I was invited to tour the newly-built Elora Dairy Research Centre. As someone who has spent very little time around cattle, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The facility consisted of a mix of free stalls, tie-in stalls and pens, all equipped with high-tech digital monitoring tools. One of the things that surprised me the most was the degree of automation throughout the facility.

Elora Dairy

Posted July 20, 2016

July 13, myself and several other summer students at OVC had the pleasure of touring the new Elora Dairy Research Center. As expected it is top of the line in many aspects and equipped with lots of “extra toys” since it is a research facility. As someone who spent countless hours in dairy barns, most of the tour was a standard dairy operation. However, the one thing that boggled my mind was the stall bedding for the milk cows- pasture mats and shavings. I had expected that a brand-new research facility that is top of line in so many aspects to have sand bedding.

Cows and Robots and Research, Oh My! - The Elora Dairy Research Centre

Posted July 19, 2016

Last week I had the privilege of seeing the Elora Dairy Research Centre, a relatively new addition to the University of Guelph research scene. It is coming up on its first birthday, and was developed as a joint project between the University of Guelph, the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario and the Ontario dairy industry. I have been wanting to see this facility since before it was even open; I remember learning about it in a course I took a few years ago, when the facility was still being built.