LSU Vet Med News

The Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine proudly celebrated its 49th annual Veterinary Medicine Commencement on Friday, May 16, conferring 120 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees. The ceremony, presided over by Oliver A. Garden, BvetMed, PhD, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA, dean of the school, included a commencement address by special guest Jose Arce, DVM (LSU 1997), past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine has a Dog Daycare that is open to the public, welcoming not only dogs belonging to staff, students and faculty at LSU but also extending its services to all dog owners in the Greater Baton Rouge area. The center is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays.

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is asking artists from around the world to enter its 31st Annual International Exhibition on Animals in Art, which will run from October 3-31, 2024. The exhibition is free and open to the public. The deadline to receive entries is June 30, 2025. To enter, please go to lsu.edu/vetmed/events/animals_in_art.php.

On Monday, May 12, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine honored faculty and staff with service and teaching awards. Also honored is the LSU Vet Med House Officers of the Year.

On April 25, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine hosted its annual Phi Zeta Research Emphasis Day--a day established to promote research in schools of veterinary medicine, to recognize research conducted by veterinary students, House Officers (residents and interns), graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and faculty, and to encourage veterinary students to pursue research careers.

On Saturday, April 5, Mike VII, LSU's live tiger mascot, received a routine dental cleaning and exam by a team from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. The team was overseen by Rhett Stout, DVM, PhD (LSU 1994, 2003), DACLAM, professor and director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine and LSU's attending veterinarian. The exam and dental cleaning took place in Mike's night house on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

On April 6, 2025, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine's Wellness Committee and Hill's Pet Nutrition will host the Hill's Great Rover Road Run, an annual 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk. The 5K race begins at 8 a.m. and the one-mile fun run/walk begins at the conclusion of the 5K at approximately 9:30 a.m. Both race courses begin on the levee at the corner of Skip Bertman and River Road in Baton Rouge near the veterinary school, and both courses will use the track on the levee.

The Westminster Kennel Club (WKC) has named Sara K. Lyle, DVM, MS, PhD, DACT, associate professor of theriogenology at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, the recipient of its fourth annual Veterinarian of the Year Award (VOTY).

If you've seen students strolling LSU's campus with puppies in yellow and blue vests emblazoned with "future service dog," then you've seen LSU's Service Dog Training Education Program (STEP) Club at work.

In an exciting interdisciplinary collaboration, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine (LSU Vet Med) and the LSU Museum of Art (LSU MOA) have teamed up to bring fresh and engaging experiences to each other. This partnership aims to offer unique activities for both the LSU Vet Med community and visitors to the LSU MOA.

LSU Vet Med club wetlabs provide students with the opportunity to get hands-on experience to learn a variety of techniques and work with a variety of species.

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine will host its 42nd Open House on Saturday, February 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at LSU Vet Med on Skip Bertman Dr. This event is free and open to the public.