Comparative Medicine Tour
March 1st, 2013
Dr. Michael Talcott, DVM
-At WUSTL Med for 20 years
-1 of 7 vets
6 board certified lab animal vets
3 rodent
1 primate
1 administrative
1 pathologist
1 large animal (Dr. Talcott)
-Comparative Medicine both on Danforth Campus and Medical Campus
Jenny Kalishman, DVM on Danforth Campus
-135,000 animals
130,000 mice
-Advice to students:
Get broad experience other than just small animal
Consider debt accumulation
Be aware and realistic
Salaries in private practice have not increased with debt load
Lab Animal Medicine
-Diversity of species:
Guinea pigs- hearing loss similar to humans; cochlear ear
Ground hog- hepatitis virus similar to hep B in humans
Chickens- create hearing loss and regeneration of hair cells
Possum- similar esophagus, anus, and rectum
Wrap fundus of stomach around esophagus to treat heartburn
Ferrets- used for training at WashU; also used for viral treatments; good
animal model for vaccine developments
-Timer Rattlesnake Telemetry: study where rattlesnakes tracked for 6 years
-Number of animals used:
30 dogs, 9 cats at WashU
3-4 million animals are euthanized in shelters annually
80,000 dogs and cats used in animal research in all of US (2%)
-2 regulations:
1. Law: Animal Welfare Act (USDA)
2. Guide: The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NIH)
Need to follow for grant money
-Most of mice transgenic: insertion of DNA into pronucleus of embryo
-More instant gratification than other sciences: 4-5 years
-PALS: Pediatric Advanced Life Support
Live animal (cat) as a model for intubating real babies
PETA has challenged
Adopted out every 3 years
-Pigs: study CAD and arthrosclerosis (if on high fat diet)
-Xenotransplantation: species to species transplants
-Most animals euthanized for tissue collection
-Today, many institutions doing the actual animal studies in other countries to
bypass FDA
-Intuitive Surgical Da Vinci Surgical System: removes tremors from surgeon’s
hands; predominately used in prosthetics and coronary
-Interventional Cardiology
Use to diagnose and treat arrhythmias
Procedures on heart without opening up
Uses a magnetic field system, Niobe System