Robert Kulp and Mike Whiteside co-founded Black Dog Salvage, an architectural salvage company based in Roanoke, Va., 16 years ago. In 2012, their amazing work went public with the DIY Network series “Salvage Dawgs,” which has aired for six seasons and counting. The show chronicles the unique situations that Kulp and Whiteside encounter during their daily work, which include bidding on houses and buildings that are condemned to demolition, so that they can extract any architectural elements or historical properties they consider to be of value from the premises. The reclaimed pieces are then reused or repurposed before being sold to assorted clients. From old prisons to former hospitals to…
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Efforts continue to suppress antibiotic-resistant salmonella in Ethiopia
In the diverse sub-Saharan ecosystems of Ethiopia, interaction between humans and animals is part of daily life. This reality is likely a key player in the spread of infectious bacteria like salmonella, which is capable of interspecies transmission. And when frequent human-animal interaction is combined with mal/under-nutrition, subpar sanitation, an HIV/AIDS epidemic and the misuse of antibiotic drugs, the progression of salmonellosis (salmonella infection) in Ethiopia becomes an issue of global significance. Dr. Wondwossen Gebreyes, professor and director of Global Health Programs at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, has led a research initiative addressing infectious disease in Ethiopia since 2011. One of the initiative’s goals is to…
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Ingestible camera gives veterinarians 20/20
Dr. Adam Rudinsky joined The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine last summer as instructor-practice in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, specializing in small animal internal medicine. An alumnus of the college and former resident at the Veterinary Medical Center, Rudinsky is currently in the process of finishing his PhD, which focuses on gastrointestinal disorders and immunology. He recently completed a master’s in gastrointestinal endocrine disease. Much of Rudinsky’s latest research centers on various gastrointestinal topics in dogs and cats as well as a novel endoscopy tool that the VMC adopted in June 2015, thanks to a grateful client donation. By utilizing a 1 ½ cm pill that…
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Golf outing to fund veterinary care & resources for local poor/homeless population
Twice a month, fourth-year students at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine help provide care to pets owned by homeless and low-income individuals in the Columbus, Ohio, area, in partnership with non-profit organization Faithful Forgotten Best Friends. Faithful Forgotten Best Friends has supplied free pet food and veterinary care to these animals since the organization began five years ago. “Our alliance with OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine gives vet students a chance to interact with demographics that they perhaps wouldn’t typically see in their future practice, and they get a lot of hands-on experience,” said FFBF co-founder Constance Swackhammer. “Most of these animals would not be able to…
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Nearing vaccine for virus behind most foodborne-illness outbreaks in U.S.
Human norovirus is contracted by 21 million people per year in the U.S., and is responsible for more than 60 percent of annual foodborne-illness cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of norovirus infection include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and dehydration that can last up to several weeks. The virus is resistant to commonly used disinfectants and easily transmitted through food, water or close contact. Since its discovery in 1968, regular outbreaks have occurred in crowded spaces such as schools, restaurants and cruise ships. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for norovirus, and several factors prevent it from being extensively studied. Since the virus doesn’t…
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Veterinarian, engineer team up to design contraceptive approach for wild horses
While we’re often concerned with the population decline of certain species, there are some animals that thrive a little too well, such as the wild horse and burro (a small donkey). Wild horses and burros (WH&B) can be found roaming free in many western states. The animals have been federally protected since 1971 as part of the Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which declares the animals “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the west.” In 1971, there were 25,000 WH&B on U.S. lands. But over the past few decades, the WH&B population has surged to an unprecedented 67,000, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of the…
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Working toward a cure for HIV
There are 36.9 million people worldwide living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, more than ever, a cure for HIV is in sight, thanks to researchers like Dr. Sanggu Kim, assistant professor of veterinary biosciences at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Kim obtained a PhD in biomedical engineering in 2007, and became an Ohio State faculty member in January. He has been studying HIV infection for 14 years, and was recently awarded a three-year, $747,000 grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institution to continue his research on the virus. Today, the standard treatment for HIV is antiretroviral…
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Deceased therapy dog passes on genes, 16 years later
Losing a beloved pet is never easy. We oftentimes ponder how lovely it would be to see our pet again, and reminisce on photos and videos that remind us of our love for them. But some pet owners, such as Jennifer and Steve Trotta, take it one step further by cryopreserving the animal’s eggs or semen while they’re still alive. Quincy, the Trottas’ Golden retriever, had some of his semen frozen 16 years ago at The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center before he passed away, as the Trottas knew they would want to pass on his genes in the future to preserve his legacy. Quincy -a field golden- was…