The American Museum of Veterinary Medicine Holds Veterinary Career and Family Fun Day

May 22, 2009 - PRLog -- Berks County, Pa… On Saturday, May 30, the American Museum of Veterinary Medicine (AMVM) will hold its first Veterinary Career and Family Fun Day at its 4-acre site in Gibraltar.  The event will take place from 10 AM to 3 PM.    

“Veterinary Career and Family Fun Day presents an opportunity for members in the community to learn about the field of veterinary medicine,” says Dr. Max Herman, AMVM President. “We are pleased to be able to bring together schools who offer the different disciplines of veterinary medicine that a student may pursue.”

Career Day partners include the University of Pennsylvania (veterinarians), Manor College (veterinary technicians) and Harcum College (veterinary technicians); and the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association and the Pennsylvania Veterinary Technicians Association.  

The University of Pennsylvania’s "MASH Unit" invites children 8 and older to be fitted in gowns and scrubs, and learn first hand how to suture and provide care for maimed stuffed animals; veterinarians and veterinary technicians will supervise.  Younger children will also be directed to the “Baby MASH Unit” where they will help to heal small toy animals by fitting them with splints.

“I can’t wait to see our young friends learning what it takes to be a veterinarian, says Dr. Richard Detwiler, AMVM Treasurer. “ The hands-on activities are always the most popular.”  

Throughout the day, veterinarians and veterinary technicians will demonstrate how to do root canals on a variety of animals. Other dental procedures will also be described.  Experts will also use actual x-rays to illustrate anatomy, broken bones, and emergency situations such as foreign body ingestion.  At the microscope station, visitors will be able to view prepared slides.  Guests can also peruse the museum's display of skulls from different animals, including rattlesnakes, sharks, beavers, capybaras, dogs, cats, sheep, bison, and horses.

At another station, veterinarian Jason Tome will show and explain how a pet ultrasound works using his own pet standard poodle as his patient.

Guided Museum tours often include stories such as that of veterinarian Otto Stader, who became frustrated when his Chow patient repeatedly chewed off his cast, thereby hindering the healing of a broken femur.  After the third episode of this, the resourceful Stader designed an external fixation device, now known as the Stader Splint.  

It worked so well, that the United States Military used an adaptation of the Stader Splint to doctor injured personnel during World War II. Today, both doctors and veterinarians use external fixation, as corroborated by Museum visitors who share their stories of family members or pets that have benefited.  

Robin Hivner, AMVM Board Member and Immediate Past President of Pennsylvania Veterinary Technicians Association, explains, “The Stader Splint Station exemplifies the motto, ‘One medicine, different species.’ The Museum has many other examples of how research by veterinarians has resulted in advances in human medicine, and vice versa.”  

“You’ll be amazed at the large collection of veterinary instruments the museum has.” continues Hivner.  “It covers the past 150 years.  The library includes rare books from the Dr. Robert Shomer collection that date to the 1550’s, plus the ASPCA Roger Caras Library which features Caras’s personal research library and 72 books that he authored.  Caras led an interesting life as an ABC and 20-20 television commentator, the announcer of the Westminster Dog Show, and the president of ASPCA.”

Also on display are such oddities as a two-headed calf and a two faced kitten, as well as heartworm-infected organs and other interesting pathology specimens.

Local organizations that are animal oriented have been invited to participate, and to bring along their animals. At a similar event, Jill Caras (Roger's widow and AMVM board member) was so taken by the Berks County Animal Rescue League's dog of the day, she set the wheels in motion to have him adopted by a good friend of hers.    

Children's games and fun activities such as face painting and tattoos are added attractions.  

Visitors are invited to take a chance at the Bucket raffle, with proceeds going to help operate the museum, which is housed at the historic 19th century Ridgewood Farm, located along Route 724 near Gibraltar.  

The entrance fee is $5 (children under 5 years of age are free). Food is available for purchase.

Easily accessible by major roads, the Museum is located along Route 724, 2/10 of a mile east of the intersection with I-176.  (I-176 leads to the Morgantown exit of the PA turnpike.)  It is near Route 422, about 5 miles from Reading.  For additional information or to arrange a tour, telephone the Museum at 610-898-0659 or refer to the web site: http://www.amvm.org

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About The American Museum of Veterinary Medicine
Since its inception in 1990, the American Museum of Veterinary Medicine (AMVM), formerly known as the Eastern Veterinary Historical Society (EVHS), has accumulated an impressive collection of instruments, equipment, medicine, textbooks, and literature from over 150 years of veterinary history. This fascinating collection is of interest not only to veterinarians, students, and others in the medical profession, but to historians, the agricultural community, pet owners, and the general public.

The AMVM mission is to show that veterinary medicine and human medicine are similar, just treating different species. We want to get the message out to the community that veterinary medicine is part of people medicine. Most people see veterinarians as taking care of dogs and cats and horses, but they do much more, including dealing with public health issues and conducting research.”
For more information visit our site at http://www.amvm.org