Do you ever marvel concerning the method sure wildlife veterinarians took to get to the place they’re at the moment? Effectively, I used to be lucky sufficient to speak with Dr. Jennifer Bloodgood over espresso not too long ago to just do that. In November 2022, Dr. Bloodgood was employed as an Assistant Professor of Observe within the Division of Public and Ecosystem Well being within the School of Veterinary Drugs, and as a wildlife veterinarian with the Cornell Wildlife Well being Lab, a part of the New York State Wildlife Well being Program. By means of these two positions, Dr. Bloodgood primarily will get to work on, “something and every thing wildlife well being oriented for the state of New York.” How cool! Since immersing herself within the CVM group virtually a yr in the past, she has had such a constructive impression, particularly for college kids who’ve goals of following in her footsteps. In scripting this submit, I hope to convey her inspirational nature as I share about her pathway to turning into a wildlife veterinarian.

Dr. Bloodgood pursued a profession in veterinary medication after acquiring each a Bachelor and Grasp of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology at Clemson College in South Carolina. After ending her grasp’s diploma, she labored on the College of Georgia as a analysis technician the place she acquired to check each dangerous algae administration and the illness of Avian Vacuolar Myelinopathy. Following her pursuits in wildlife well being and illness, Dr. Bloodgood additionally labored within the Aquatic Epidemiology Lab at North Carolina State College the place she studied endangered freshwater mussel species. By means of this job, she not solely acquired to snorkel in native creeks, however she additionally discovered how you can handle and propagate endangered species. Dr. Bloodgood then acquired recruited to work as a veterinary assistant on the North Carolina Museum of Pure Sciences the place she assisted within the medical administration, well being care, and husbandry of a whole bunch of assortment animals. Whereas on the museum, she additionally developed and delivered teaching programs for undergraduate college students, interns, and volunteers. It was right here that Dr. Bloodgood realized how a lot she loves veterinary medication, and that she actually enjoys educating.

Following her new-found ardour, Dr. Bloodgood attended the College of Georgia for 7 years to finish a twin DVM-PhD diploma. She completed her PhD throughout her first semester of vet college, which was accomplished in Integrative Conservation, a program centered on integrating pure and social sciences with conservation. For her dissertation, Dr. Bloodgood evaluated the dietary standing of rehabilitated inexperienced sea turtles on the Georgia Sea Turtle Middle and in contrast it to that of a wild inhabitants in Florida. By means of this analysis, she discovered that feeding squid and fish to captive inexperienced sea turtles, versus a vegetarian eating regimen, was related to weight problems and fatty liver illness, in addition to excessive ldl cholesterol and an inverted calcium/phosphorus ratio. She concluded that feeding a vegetarian eating regimen to rehabbed inexperienced sea turtles is healthier for his or her well being than feeding them seafood, which she phrases, “the mac and cheese of sea turtles.”

As soon as Dr. Bloodgood graduated from the College of Georgia, she acquired to mix her ardour for analysis and aquatic veterinary medication by securing a job as a analysis veterinarian at Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) in Alabama (the identical place I did my first dolphin necropsy)! Right here, Dr. Bloodgood served as a community veterinarian concerned in stay animal response and necropsy of cetaceans and manatees with the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Community and Manatee Sighting Community. Throughout her time at DISL, Dr. Bloodgood labored with the ALMMSN workforce to check the results of freshwater on bottlenose dolphins that entered Cell Bay, a close-by estuary. They found that it was a lower than superb setting for them, typically inciting pores and skin lesions, and even dying. The workforce additionally studied the results of chilly stress on manatees in response to local weather change. Of their pure habits, manatees ought to migrate from Alabama to Florida throughout chilly months, however because of growing temperatures, they’re sticking round longer than they need to, which has sadly elevated their morbidity and mortality. Regardless of there being lots of necropsy and pathology concerned in her first job, it’s the veterinary work that she is most pleased with. At DISL, she developed her abilities as each a veterinarian and scientist and set to work with a few of the world’s most magnificent marine mammals, together with a sperm whale, which to her was a life-changing expertise.

In reality, Dr. Bloodgood was not even trying to change jobs, however when she noticed that Cornell College was hiring, she thought, “it was me in a job description.” She actually appreciated on a regular basis she acquired to spend working with marine mammals, however she was excited for a possibility to as soon as once more follow as a generalist by working with birds, reptiles, and mammals, along with marine mammals. She was additionally actually excited concerning the schooling facet of the job, afterall she loves instructing college students who share her drive to facilitate conservation and illness administration by the lens of veterinary medication.

Dr. Bloodgood enjoys working in interdisciplinary groups to sort out real-world points, and he or she believes her present pos  ition permits her to just do that. Regardless that I solely met with Dr. Bloodgood for a short interval, I may inform that she is an ideal match for the roles she has acquired inside the CVM and the New York State Wildlife Well being Program. Her ardour for wildlife and conservation is contagious, and her journey in direction of turning into a wildlife veterinarian is actually inspiring.

In parting methods, I requested Dr. Bloodgood what recommendation she has for college kids thinking about pursuing an identical profession path, and he or she stated, “don’t be afraid to open the door.” Dr. Bloodgood encourages all her college students to community – she stresses the significance of assembly individuals within the discipline by attending conferences and in search of externships. And whereas doing so, she recommends following alternatives that one could have by no means considered earlier than. As an illustration, Dr. Bloodgood began her first job after vet college not realizing so much about marine mammals, however she was excited to attempt it, and he or she believes that her curiosity and open-mindedness is what acquired her to the place she is at the moment – and we’re lucky that that’s right here with us on the CVM!

Maison Scheuer is the 2022-2023 WildLIFE Weblog Editor and a proud member of Cornell ZAWS. Her passions lie on the intersection of veterinary medication and wildlife conservation. She likes to journey and has hung out in Canada, Thailand, Alabama, Belize, and Honduras the place she studied Columbian floor squirrels, elephant conservation, wildlife rehabilitation, and veterinary medication. Although significantly thinking about One Well being and international medicine, she has additionally found a love for small animal medication by her expertise working as a veterinary technician at a full-service exotics and small animal personal follow.