Girls Scout merits of veterinary medicine
VSDS gives troop hands-on tour to explain animal care
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer
Many young girls dream of growing up to be veterinarians. On Jan. 28, seven Girl Scouts from Troop 207 in Jackson got a taste of what veterinary medicine is all about, and met some women whose childhood dreams became reality.

JEFF GRANIT staff Girl Scout Troop 207 tour the Veterinary Surgical and Diagnostic Specialists in Millstone Jan. 28. Casey Poretti (l-r) and Becky and Sarah Widawsky wear caps and masks while in the operating room with Technical Supervisor Stephen Wancea.

The troop had a tour of the Veterinary Surgical and Diagnostic Specialists (VSDS), given by front office managers Laura Riley of East Windsor and Beverly Davidson of Allentown.

Girl Scouts have been an important part of Riley's life. She was a Girl Scout until age 18, and is now considered a lifetime Girl Scout. She told the youths that scouting gave her many opportunities, including traveling to Australia and New Zealand.

Most of the girls said they have pets of their own. During the tour, they met Robby, the VSDS cat. Davidson said that Robby came to VSDS as a stray that had been hit by a truck. The cat required a great deal of surgery and lost an eye, she said. Since the animal had no home, VSDS took him in, and now Robby spends most of his time sleeping near the front desk while other patients check in.

JEFF GRANIT staff Technical Supervisor Stephen Wancea shows members of Girl Scout Troop 207 how an X-ray machine works at the Veterinary Surgical and Diagnostic Specialists in Millstone Jan. 28.

Ophthalmologist Kristina Vygantas showed the girls how she gives an eye exam to patients by performing one on a 2-yearold chihuahua mix named Bogie. When Vygantas explained that Bogie recently had the lens of his eye removed, a Scout said her dog had to have a cataract removed.

Bogie was an excellent patient, as the doctor demonstrated a tear test to check for moisture in his eye. Vygantas said she works primarily on dogs and cats, but has also treated birds, rabbits and guinea pigs, as well as horses at nearby farms. She said many eye diseases that animals contract are the same as those that people contract, such as glaucoma and retinal detachment.

JEFF GRANIT staff Veterinarian Rosalie LoScrudato shows the Girl Scouts an X-ray of a dog's stomach.

Veterinary technician Stephen Wancea, Sayreville, showed the Scouts the radioactive room, where cats with thyroid problems are treated. Since there were no feline patients in the room at the time, he could open the lead-lined door to give the girls a quick glimpse inside.

Wancea explained that cats with hyperthyroidism produce too many hormones and are treated with radioactive iodine, which kills part of the thyroid so it will produce the right amount of hormones. He also told the Scouts that cats undergoing the treatment must stay in the radioactive room for three days, since the isotope is excreted through their saliva, urine, feces and vomit.

Dr. Rosalie LoScrudato was treating Pete, a Maine coon cat, with acupuncture for his arthritis. She told the girls that acupuncture is 2,000 years old and began in China, where originally acupuncturists used sharpened stones instead of the thin needles used in treatments today. LoScrudato stuck a needle into her own hand to show the Scouts that acupuncture does not hurt. She said the needles stimulate the body to produce its own pain killers.

The girls also got to see radiographs of a cat with a broken leg, and how plates and screws were used to pin the leg back together. They also saw radiographs of an elderly, bloated Afghan hound, which had a stomach double its original size. Lo- Scrudato said the dog had to have a tube placed down his esophagus to empty out excess gas. Although the condition could be fatal, the dog survived, she said.

All seven Scouts donned surgical masks and caps when shown around the surgery room. After seeing the surgical equipment, Dr. Kimberly Hammer, a veterinary internist, demonstrated an ultrasound for the girls.

Riley said VSDS provides group tours about once a month as part of its community outreach program. The facility will move to Robbinsville in May 2010.

For more information about VSDS and its guided tours, call 609-259-8300.