I felt kind of bad about the blog post I wrote last night. I tried at the time to keep myself upbeat, but as I just read back through it, it's pretty depressing. As such, I've decided to post about some fascinating facts relating to reproductive anatomy and physiology, which is coincidentally exactly what I am studying at the moment! Here goes:
1) As per this blog title, female kangaroos do in fact have paired lateral vaginae, which is kind of a fancy way of saying that they have two vaginas. Lucky them?
2) The fibroelastic penis of the boar (male pig) looks just like an earthworm.
3) Bighorn sheep rams actually spend much of the year in bachelor herds, where they practice almost exclusively homosexual behaviour. In fact, females frequently have to mimic the behaviours of rams just to get the males interested in copulation. Also, around 10% of animals are "gay". Take that, extreme right!
4) Female hyenas are masculinized in utero, and as such they develop an elongated clitoris known as a pseudopenis. They actually do have to give birth through it, and as a result, ten percent of first-time mothers die during labour, as do around 50% of cubs. All I can say is yikes.
5) The mammary glands of dairy cows can weigh up to 60 kg.
I think that will do for now. Fascinating stuff, isn't it? Obviously, I've tried to include some of the more entertaining bits and bobs while avoiding the drier material...not that I'm sure all of you aren't desperate to learn all about histological features of the seminiferous epithelium, or the role of non-clustered hox genes in limb and organ development.
You're welcome. ;-)
EDIT: Because I am totally neurotic, I was humiliated to note that I had typed "fibrocartilaginous" instead of "fibroelastic" as a descriptor for the boar's penis. I hope I can be forgiven in light of the frequency that the word "fibrocartilage" comes up when studying anatomy. I am, nonetheless, embarrassed. *shame spiral*
Monday, August 22, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Winter
Hello my lovely family (and friends? Does anyone else read this? Haha)- I'm sorry it's been ages since I've posted. There has been so much that's gone on that to be honest, I've avoided posting for that reason. Meanwhile, life marches on and things pile up even more (the story of my life, at the moment), so I may as well do a quick blog post about life over the past couple of months. I hope you don't mind the abridged version.
BALI
My trip to Bali is probably the most reasonable place to start, seeing as the remainder of my time in Perth after final exams was fairly uneventful. My fellow firstie Cat and I departed one balmy June evening for the airport, made the 3 or so hour flight to Denpasar, and stayed for that first night in Kuta. From Kuta, we headed for Ubud in the central highlands, about an hour and a half away. This was where we would spend the next week and a half for me, and two weeks for Cat. We had a phenomenal time there, and it felt so good to be involved with proper field medicine once again! We spent time working at the hospital/shelter facility outside of town, but also had (incredible!) opportunities to go out with the mobile spay/neuter team to different rural villages. We also spent one day out in the ambulance, which was an interesting experience. We met heaps of lovely people at BAWA, and one of the things that I really appreciate about the organization is that it is staffed entirely by Indonesian vets and vet nurses. Right from the start, we were thrust straight into the daily medical care of the animals at the shelter. The vets were all lovely and were so willing to have us do as much as we wanted, which provided for some great learning experiences.
The clinic itself was home to over 70 dogs and puppies, and probably around 10-15 cats and kittens. All animals are sterilized, vaccinated, and given parasite control before being adopted out- it's so nice to see a group so committed to humane population control as well as public health. Since 2008, over 100 people have died of rabies on the island, and (as is the case in most developing countries) the strain is dog rabies. BAWA provides free sterilization/vaccination to local people who are not able to afford it otherwise, and simply asks for a minimal donation for the services from everyone else. The mobile team is absolutely amazing- they work 5 days per week, traveling to different villages each day. They set up in a public area (often a temple!), and people either bring their own dogs in for surgery, or the team sets out with giant butterfly nets in tow to wrangle the local street dog population. The conditions are certainly different to what many of us spoiled by the privileges of the first world are used to, but the dogs (not to mention the people!) are a tougher breed altogether.
I promise I will try to post some pictures up here. My camera remains at large somewhere in the house, but I think I have a few good ones! Cat and I gave premedication and anaesthetic induction, and monitored surgeries. We also worked in recovery and administered vaccines, parasite control, antibiotic injections, and pain control. I can tell you there's nothing like the feeling of pushing the plunger on a syringe full of precious rabies vaccine in a place where you feel like that one small action genuinely COUNTS for something. One life saved, maybe more...
In our spare time (!!), we wandered the town of Ubud, visited Monkey Forest (a resplendent green jungly place filled to bursting with mossy stone carvings, ancient temples, and the titular long tailed macaques), purchased souvenirs for loved ones, and even climbed a volcano! The latter was accomplished after a 3 AM drive out even further into the countryside and a 2 hour uphill hike in the pitch dark. I think it would have gone better if I also hadn't been suffering from a touch of the (in)famous Bali Belly. Still, it was an incredible experience to watch the sun come up across Lake Batur with Lombok in the distance and Agung, another active volcano and the highest peak on Bali, casting an impressive shadow over the water.
Cat and I have excitedly discussed the idea of returning to BAWA each year to work with our new friends and continue to be a part of an organization that is clearly making a significant impact on the lives of people and animals in Indonesia.
VANCOUVER
Arriving in Vancouver after 35 + hours of traveling from Denpasar to Singapore to Hong Kong and then home was absolute bliss. I was greeted at the airport by mum, Fiona, Emma, Ken, and the most beautiful little nephews anyone could ever imagine, Will and Freddie. It was a little tearful, but so, so amazing. We went back to mum and Alan's and had a wonderful dinner together. I spent the next couple of days catching up frantically, and felt immediately like 3 weeks was just nowhere near enough time to be there. Then, on the Saturday night (I got back on Wednesday evening), we got some news that mum was sick. She was admitted to hospital and it was there that my family spent the next week or so, waiting for test results. I guess I don't feel like getting into all of the details here. All that I can say is that my mum is one of the most important people in my life (and in those of my sisters, and many, MANY other people). As such, I don't think I need to explain just how absolutely terrifying the whole experience was.
Amidst all of it though, I could appreciate the beauty of the timing, if this had to happen. I was and am still so very grateful that I could be there with my family during that time. It was very, very hard to come back to Perth. My mum is stable and will be undergoing some more testing, which is very stressful being that I cannot be there while it is happening. I'm still trying to find the best way to give over what ultimately I have no control over, and focus on my schooling, until I return again at the end of November. My trip home, with its unforeseen circumstances, certainly made me realize how very far away from home I am, going to school here in Perth.
Hmm...not sure what else to say about that. I made the decision not to accompany the CAAT team to the Yukon in July, for obvious reasons. That was disappointing, but still one of the easiest decisions ever to make (if that makes any sense!). I needed to be with my family, and I feel so lucky that I had that time with them. I am struggling quite a bit with homesickness right now, and the desire to be back home is so strong sometimes that it can be hard to cope. Still, I'm getting through with the help of Iain and the dogs, and some wonderful, wonderful friends. Please keep my mum and family in your thoughts this week while mum has a procedure done in hospital again. I have a physiology midterm on Thursday too, so I'm doing my best to concentrate on studying and keeping positive.
Still, with all this, I'm grateful to be here in vet school, with an amazing partner by my side, and a couple of great dogs. I will try to update more regularly! I hope everyone is well, no matter where in the world. xoxo
BALI
My trip to Bali is probably the most reasonable place to start, seeing as the remainder of my time in Perth after final exams was fairly uneventful. My fellow firstie Cat and I departed one balmy June evening for the airport, made the 3 or so hour flight to Denpasar, and stayed for that first night in Kuta. From Kuta, we headed for Ubud in the central highlands, about an hour and a half away. This was where we would spend the next week and a half for me, and two weeks for Cat. We had a phenomenal time there, and it felt so good to be involved with proper field medicine once again! We spent time working at the hospital/shelter facility outside of town, but also had (incredible!) opportunities to go out with the mobile spay/neuter team to different rural villages. We also spent one day out in the ambulance, which was an interesting experience. We met heaps of lovely people at BAWA, and one of the things that I really appreciate about the organization is that it is staffed entirely by Indonesian vets and vet nurses. Right from the start, we were thrust straight into the daily medical care of the animals at the shelter. The vets were all lovely and were so willing to have us do as much as we wanted, which provided for some great learning experiences.
The clinic itself was home to over 70 dogs and puppies, and probably around 10-15 cats and kittens. All animals are sterilized, vaccinated, and given parasite control before being adopted out- it's so nice to see a group so committed to humane population control as well as public health. Since 2008, over 100 people have died of rabies on the island, and (as is the case in most developing countries) the strain is dog rabies. BAWA provides free sterilization/vaccination to local people who are not able to afford it otherwise, and simply asks for a minimal donation for the services from everyone else. The mobile team is absolutely amazing- they work 5 days per week, traveling to different villages each day. They set up in a public area (often a temple!), and people either bring their own dogs in for surgery, or the team sets out with giant butterfly nets in tow to wrangle the local street dog population. The conditions are certainly different to what many of us spoiled by the privileges of the first world are used to, but the dogs (not to mention the people!) are a tougher breed altogether.
I promise I will try to post some pictures up here. My camera remains at large somewhere in the house, but I think I have a few good ones! Cat and I gave premedication and anaesthetic induction, and monitored surgeries. We also worked in recovery and administered vaccines, parasite control, antibiotic injections, and pain control. I can tell you there's nothing like the feeling of pushing the plunger on a syringe full of precious rabies vaccine in a place where you feel like that one small action genuinely COUNTS for something. One life saved, maybe more...
In our spare time (!!), we wandered the town of Ubud, visited Monkey Forest (a resplendent green jungly place filled to bursting with mossy stone carvings, ancient temples, and the titular long tailed macaques), purchased souvenirs for loved ones, and even climbed a volcano! The latter was accomplished after a 3 AM drive out even further into the countryside and a 2 hour uphill hike in the pitch dark. I think it would have gone better if I also hadn't been suffering from a touch of the (in)famous Bali Belly. Still, it was an incredible experience to watch the sun come up across Lake Batur with Lombok in the distance and Agung, another active volcano and the highest peak on Bali, casting an impressive shadow over the water.
Cat and I have excitedly discussed the idea of returning to BAWA each year to work with our new friends and continue to be a part of an organization that is clearly making a significant impact on the lives of people and animals in Indonesia.
VANCOUVER
Arriving in Vancouver after 35 + hours of traveling from Denpasar to Singapore to Hong Kong and then home was absolute bliss. I was greeted at the airport by mum, Fiona, Emma, Ken, and the most beautiful little nephews anyone could ever imagine, Will and Freddie. It was a little tearful, but so, so amazing. We went back to mum and Alan's and had a wonderful dinner together. I spent the next couple of days catching up frantically, and felt immediately like 3 weeks was just nowhere near enough time to be there. Then, on the Saturday night (I got back on Wednesday evening), we got some news that mum was sick. She was admitted to hospital and it was there that my family spent the next week or so, waiting for test results. I guess I don't feel like getting into all of the details here. All that I can say is that my mum is one of the most important people in my life (and in those of my sisters, and many, MANY other people). As such, I don't think I need to explain just how absolutely terrifying the whole experience was.
Amidst all of it though, I could appreciate the beauty of the timing, if this had to happen. I was and am still so very grateful that I could be there with my family during that time. It was very, very hard to come back to Perth. My mum is stable and will be undergoing some more testing, which is very stressful being that I cannot be there while it is happening. I'm still trying to find the best way to give over what ultimately I have no control over, and focus on my schooling, until I return again at the end of November. My trip home, with its unforeseen circumstances, certainly made me realize how very far away from home I am, going to school here in Perth.
Hmm...not sure what else to say about that. I made the decision not to accompany the CAAT team to the Yukon in July, for obvious reasons. That was disappointing, but still one of the easiest decisions ever to make (if that makes any sense!). I needed to be with my family, and I feel so lucky that I had that time with them. I am struggling quite a bit with homesickness right now, and the desire to be back home is so strong sometimes that it can be hard to cope. Still, I'm getting through with the help of Iain and the dogs, and some wonderful, wonderful friends. Please keep my mum and family in your thoughts this week while mum has a procedure done in hospital again. I have a physiology midterm on Thursday too, so I'm doing my best to concentrate on studying and keeping positive.
Still, with all this, I'm grateful to be here in vet school, with an amazing partner by my side, and a couple of great dogs. I will try to update more regularly! I hope everyone is well, no matter where in the world. xoxo
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