Veterinary medicine students experience higher depression levels than peers, research finds
Veterinary surgeons perform first-known brain surgery to treat hydrocephalus in fur seal
A neurosurgical team at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University has successfully performed what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind brain surgery on a Northern fur seal named Ziggy Star in an attempt to address her worsening neurologic condition. Ziggy, an adult female, is recovering well at her permanent home at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut.
"The ability to successfully complete this procedure with many unknown factors is due in large part to the collaboration among colleagues at Cummings and Mystic," said lead neurosurgeon Ane Uriarte, Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology. "The combined expertise and skills from all our areas of specialty -- from neurosurgery to anesthesia and zoological medicine -- was critical to this success."
Ziggy was first seen at the Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University in September for a condition that had progressed over several years and was causing severe neurologic episodes, difficulty moving, reduced training response. An MRI revealed an accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid in the brain, a condition known as hydrocephalus.
Mystic Aquarium took in Ziggy approximately four years ago after she was found stranded on the California coast and deemed non-releasable by the federal government. At the time, she had an MRI that showed some neurologic abnormalities. She received treatment, but her symptoms continued to progress at a concerning rate, with the seizures emerging more recently.
"The MRI taken recently by our team showed that the brain was disappearing due to the excess fluid, and it was significantly worse than the last study four years ago," said Uriarte. "After discussion with Mystic's veterinary team, we determined the best option to prevent further deterioration of the brain and to improve Ziggy's symptoms was to surgically place a shunt to drain the excess fluid, relieving some of the pressure on the brain."
While this surgical procedure could not reverse damage caused to the brain by excess fluid, if successful, it could stop the progression of Ziggy's condition, improving her quality of life, level of responsiveness and mobility.
Though hydrocephalus is a fairly common condition in cats and dogs, veterinarians were unable to find documented cases of this particular disorder being surgically managed in pinnipeds -- seals, sea lions and walrus. With no published research or documentation on similar procedures in pinnipeds, they relied heavily on their experience treating the condition in other animals, combined with extensive review of the skeletal structure of the fur seal to determine where to enter the skull and place the shunt.
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The team present on the day of the surgery included veterinary anesthesiologists, neurosurgeons and zoological medicine specialists from Cummings Veterinary Medical Center, as well as zoological medicine specialists from Mystic Aquarium. Ziggy's trainers were also present, who helped to keep her calm and comfortable throughout transport and recovery. A boarded anesthesiologist who specializes in marine mammals was brought in by Mystic Aquarium as well.
The surgical procedure, which lasted a little over an hour, involved placing a shunt catheter -- a narrow tube -- through the skull and into the brain. The catheter was then positioned underneath the skin through the neck and passed down to Ziggy's abdomen. A valve controls the flow of excess cerebral spinal fluid from the brain to the abdomen, where it is absorbed by the body. Post-surgery, the veterinary team confirmed that the shunt was placed correctly via CT scan.
Ziggy had a slightly prolonged recovery after the procedure due to seizure activity that was successfully managed. She was transferred back to Mystic Aquarium once she was in stable condition.
Foster Hospital's Medical Director Virginia Rentko, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, added, "It's exciting to see our team translate their skills and experience in the treatment of such a unique patient."
Ziggy is currently living in an off-exhibit habitat at Mystic Aquarium, where she is being monitored through her recovery and rehabilitation.
"We continue to monitor Ziggy very closely," said Jen Flower, Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine, Chief Clinical Veterinarian at Mystic Aquarium. "She is showing marked progress daily; eating a full diet; moving well within her habitat. No additional seizures have been noted post-operatively."
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Veterinary medicine students experience higher depression levels than peers, research finds
Veterinary medicine students are more likely to struggle with depression than human medicine students, undergraduate students and the general population, according to several recent collaborative studies from Kansas State University researchers.
Mac Hafen, therapist and clinical instructor in K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, and researchers from K-State, the University of Nebraska and East Carolina University decided to take a closer look at depression and anxiety among veterinary medical students. Although the mental health of human medicine students has been extensively studied, the same extent of study has not been performed with veterinary medicine students. Additionally, most veterinary research related to depression involves pet owners, not veterinarians or students.
"We are hoping to predict what contributes to depression levels so that we can intervene and make things run a little bit more smoothly for students themselves," said Hafen, who has spent five years researching the well-being and mental health of veterinary students.
Once a semester, the researchers anonymously surveyed veterinary medicine students in various stages of academic study. The survey helped uncover a rate of depression occurrence and understand how it related to the amount of stress veterinary students experience during their four years of study.
During the first year of veterinary school, 32 percent of the veterinary medicine students surveyed showed symptoms of depression, compared to 23 percent of human medicine students who showed symptoms above the clinical cutoff, as evidenced by other studies.
The researchers also discovered that veterinary students experience higher depression rates as early as the first semester of their first year of study. Their depression rates appear to increase even more during the second and third year of school. During the fourth year, depression rates drop down to first-year levels.
Hafen said several factors might contribute to the higher rate of depression in veterinary medicine students. Veterinarians deal with stressors that human medicine doctors do not have to experience, such as frequently discussing euthanasia with clients. Although both programs of study are intense, veterinarians must understand a variety of animal species rather than focusing on the human body. Struggles with balancing work, school and life could also lead to higher depression rates.
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Hafen said gender differences could also play a role, although such claims are inconclusive so far. Whereas medical schools are nearly split evenly between male and female students, about 75 percent of veterinary medicine students are female. National studies indicate that women are two to three times more likely than men to suffer from mood disorders.
The researchers had students rate their own physical health to indicate how they felt about their overall health. Students who were happier with their physical health had lower depression rates.
The researchers offer interventions and ways that veterinary schools and their faculty and staff can help students struggling with depression and anxiety. Some of these ways include:
· Having clearer expectations of veterinary students, especially during the first year.
· Sponsoring events and organizations that help improve physical health.
· Empathizing with students and their concerns about their studies.
The researchers are optimistic that by helping veterinary medicine students care for their own mental health, these students become better prepared to help clients.
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