RESUMEN

Community-based veterinary medicine is a growing field, and veterinary students need to be able to work with clients facing complex barriers to receiving veterinary care for their pet. Many veterinary clients experience challenges accessing veterinary care due to financial limitations, transportation access, language comprehension, the ability to comply to the care plan (e.g., disabilities, physical, or mental health challenges, substance use), the ability to come to the clinic during the hours that it is open, and the ability to communicate outside of the appointment. The goal of this study was to assess student confidence levels working in accessible care before and after participating in a service-learning-based community veterinary rotation. Results show significantly higher student confidence levels for every barrier after completing the Tufts at Tech (TAT) Clinical Rotation at Cummings Veterinary School of Medicine. Additionally, 86% (n = 85) of students strongly agreed or agreed that TAT affected their thoughts about community medicine, and 77% (n = 76) strongly agreed or agreed that the rotation affected their feelings about underserved clients. Service-learning rotations in community-based veterinary medicine could be one pedagogical approach in training veterinary students to work with a diverse clientele.

RESUMEN

Ownership of backyard chickens (BYCs) is increasing in urban areas, and BYCs often have access to soil around the home. Exposure to lead-contaminated soil is a known health risk for people; however, the degree to which BYCs are exposed is unknown. We employed a cross-sectional convenience sample to assess blood lead levels (BLLs) in 57 BYCs from 30 flocks in a region with established environmental lead contamination. Over two-thirds (70.2%) had detectable levels of lead in their blood, which averaged 12.5 µg/dL (range: <3.3 µg/dL to ≥65.0 µg/dL). No chickens demonstrated clinical evidence of lead toxicosis. Almost all owners (96.2%) reported that their chickens had free access to soil, and almost three-quarters (69.2%) of the participants reported giving their chickens unrestricted access to the property. Our findings demonstrate that subclinical but elevated BLLs are common in BYCs that live in an environment where lead contamination may be present. Our data support the inclusion of blood lead testing in the routine veterinary care of BYCs, especially in areas where historic use of leaded paint and environmental lead contamination are reported.

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RESUMEN

The objective of this study was to assess if use of a community based veterinary medical program (the Tufts at Tech Community Veterinary Clinic) was related to indicators of canine health and well-being in a low-income community through the provision of low-cost preventative care. Participants were 177 low-income dog owners; 63 were repeat wellness/preventative care clients of the Tufts at Tech clinic, 46 were new or urgent care clients of the Tufts at Tech clinic, and 68 were a comparison sample of owners who had not used the clinic but did attend an outreach clinic in a community setting. Participants were asked to complete a survey that assessed owner demographic information, indicators of canine health and quality of life, pet attachment, and barriers that limit access to veterinary care. Results indicated that clients of the Tufts at Tech clinic were more likely to be White/Caucasian and female. In addition, there were significant positive differences on several indicators of canine health and preventative care for the Tufts at Tech wellness clients including monthly heartworm use (p < .001), use of veterinary services for both wellness (p < .001) and illness/injury (p = .001), and vaccination status (p = .003). There were no significant differences in spay/neuter status (p = .48), use of flea/tick preventative (p = .17), use of obedience training (p = .75), problem behaviors (p = .05), canine quality of health (p = .74) or attachment (p = .63). The Tufts at Tech clients reported lower rates of several barriers to accessing care, including cost. These findings provide important information regarding who is using low-cost clinics such as the Tufts at Tech model, the potential benefits of repeated preventative care on dog health, and suggestions for reducing barriers to accessing veterinary services.

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RESUMEN

Providing veterinary students with opportunities to develop clinical skills in a realistic, hands-on environment remains a challenge for veterinary education. We have developed a novel approach to teaching clinical medicine to fourth-year veterinary students and technical high school students via development of a primary care clinic embedded within a technical high school. The primary care clinic targets an underserved area of the community, which includes many of the participating high school students. Support from the veterinary community for the project has been strong as a result of communication, the opportunity for veterinarians to volunteer in the clinic, and the careful targeting of services. Benefits to veterinary students include the opportunity to build clinical competencies and confidence, as well as the exposure to a diverse client population. The financial model of the clinic is described and initial data on outcomes for case load, clinic income, veterinary student evaluations, and high school students' success in passing the veterinary assisting examination are reported. This clinical model, involving a partnership between a veterinary school and a technical high school, may be adoptable to other clinical teaching situations.

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