Rolling Dog Farm Blog

When our equine vet, Dr. Erin Taylor, came back today for the second round of dentals — this time on the middle-aged set — she brought with her Amy P., a fourth-year vet student from Oklahoma State University.  Typically in their fourth year, vet students are expected to do an "externship" … working outside the university setting at a vet clinic to get some real world experience.  Erin’s practice, Blue Mountain Veterinary Hospital, is one of those clinics that routinely hosts these vet students. (Not every clinic does.)

Amy, who will graduate from OSU’s vet school next January, hasn’t decided for sure which "track" — small or large animal medicine — she will pursue when she graduates, but she grew up with horses and was really enjoying her four weeks at Blue Mountain.  She also likes doing equine dental work, so she did most of our horses today under Erin’s supervision. 

In the photo above, Amy is working on blind Lena.  Erin had already informed Amy of my strongly held and often expressed view that Lena is the prettiest horse in the universe.  Amy was quick to point out how beautiful Lena is, how gorgeous her coloring is, and how she is the perfect size for a horse.  And when she finished with Lena’s dental, Amy stepped back, admired her work, and said, "That’s the most beautiful job I’ve ever done!"

Here’s a shot from the other side of Amy working on Lena:

And finally, here’s a close-up after Amy got done (yes, there are teeth in there, but Lena’s pulled her cheeks in):

Right after I took that shot, Lena stuck her tongue all the way out and smeared the camera lens.  I think she was trying to kiss me.  Erin suggested that wasn’t likely because she was still sedated.  I’m not so sure.