Vet, Teacher and almost a Musician!

Marge Chandler qualified as a doctor of veterinary medicine from Colorado State University in 1984. She is currently a senior lecturer in internal medicine and clinical nutrition at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh. She holds a masters degree in animal nutrition and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Companion Animal) and the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, and a member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.

1. You qualified as a vet in the US, and now work within the UK university system. Are the educational programmes for vets very different in the two countries? Is there anything that one country could learn from the other?
The USA system requires specific university courses be taken prior to entering the professional veterinary programme, and this does provide a more uniform back ground for the students. The US students are also usually more mature than most students entering a UK program and I think this might also help. UK schools do provide more practical classes in handling and husbandry of animals than most US schools. The University of Edinburgh now exchanges students during the summer with Colorado State University, which I believe is an excellent programme both for the exchange of ideas in veterinary medicine and the exposure to different cultures. Our medicine residents are also encouraged to do externships at other Universities for similar reasons.

2. Did you always aim to work in academia? What determined your career direction?
I am from a family with a strong orientation towards academia and always have had an interest in working in this environment, which I think can be very stimulating. My original interest was in equine nutrition and physiology, so I have moved a long ways from there! I did work in mixed practice for nearly five years and in emergency practice for about half a year before coming back to academia, and what I learned during this time has been very helpful both in working with patients and clients and for teaching.

3. Good teachers are born not made – true or false? How much of your time is taken up by teaching?
Partly true and partly false! I think it helps to be somewhat extroverted by nature if you are going to do classroom teaching, but many skills can be taught. I think there is also an inherent desire to impart knowledge as well as a love of their topic in the best teachers. Probably about a third of my time is taken up by formal teaching and more than that when we are working on clinical rotations with students.

4. Much has been said about the emotional wellbeing of vets in the UK. Do you think stress is a global issue for vets? Is there anything we can do to prepare students better for life in practice?
I think stress is a global issue for veterinary surgeons. We are dealing with pets who may be considered a family member or livestock which are involved with a farmer’s livelihood, so there is a lot of pressure. One of the things we can do to prepare students is to make sure they are as competent as we can possibly make them – knowledge and skills are invaluable tools! They must also know their own limits, both professionally and personally and when to seek help. Finally, we all need to have a life outside of the profession so that we are able to keep it in perspective.

5. What led you to specialise in nutrition?
Nutrition has always been fascinating for me. My mum had books on nutrition in the house that I read as a young child. When I was in high school a friend mentioned that he was going to go to Colorado State University to become an animal nutritionist – he didn’t but I thought it was such an interesting idea that I did! I also had a great veterinary nutrition teacher in veterinary school, Dr Lon Lewis, one of the first veterinary nutritionists, who was an inspiration to me.

6. What’s exciting your interest in the area of nutritional research at the moment?
There are quite a few areas of research that are very promising. The work in nutrigenomics, where nutrition may be tailored to an individual’s genetic make up holds great hope for help in treatment of disorders as disparate as arthritis and obesity. I also have an interest in use of partial parenteral nutrition in hospitalized cats and dogs; long preferred in many hospitalized human patients, this technique potentially will allow practitioners who might not attempt total central parenteral nutrition to provide nutritional support. Finally, the ongoing work with nutriceuticals for many disorders such as liver disease holds promise as adjunct therapies.

7. What do you think of recommendations made about pet nutrition at practice level? A recent Hills survey suggested that some vets delegate all nutritional decisions to their nurses – what do you think of this strategy?
Like any aspect of medicine, there is a wide range of knowledge about nutrition at practice level. I believe veterinary surgeons should be having an input into nutritional decisions, and should have the training to feel confident to do so. Veterinary nurses are also a valuable resource as many have an interest in nutrition, and they are sometimes better able to discuss compliance with the owners, so the vets and the nurses should be working as a team.

8. Do you think vets and nurses place enough emphasis on the role of nutrition in diseased animals? Is the system of dedicated clinics for weight loss and seniors working or should nutrition be more integrated into each consultation?
Nutrition should be incorporated into each consultation in a manner similar to that of medications and other therapy or health management. Potential nutrient deficiencies and excesses have been well studied and we are now on to nutrition that optimizes health and well being, such as diets that help alleviate signs of osteoarthritis and those that improve cognition in older pets.

Dedicated clinics for groups of pets with similar problems, such as obesity clinics can work well as the owners can be given additional time and attention, and also have support of owners dealing with similar problems.

9. What do you think is the biggest nutritional challenge in pets, going forwards? How should it be dealt with?
The biggest challenge in nutrition is education of owners, because that underlies all nutrition, either for lifestage or for clinical therapy. If the veterinary profession does not take on this challenge, owners are likely to take their advice from well meaning but often inaccurate websites.

10. We hear on the grapevine that you are a member of the Really Terrible Orchestra – tell us more!
The famous/infamous RTO is an orchestra where the main goal is enjoyment of the players, regardless of their skill. We have a wonderful conductor in “Sir” Richard Neville-Towell, and worldwide fame due in part (probably a large part!) to our most famous member and bassoon player, Alexander McCall-Smith (author of The Lady’s Number One Detective Agency series and others). We have toured as far as London, New York City, and Pittenweem, and inspired the formation of similar orchestras all over the world!

11. Most vets and nurses accumulate a collection of pets, often the waifs and strays that no one else wants. Have you ever fallen ‘victim’ to this trait?
Happily, yes! I had a lovely Border collie when I was in the States, who was brought in at the age of 13 yr to undergo euthanasia simply because she was “old”. She lived a very happy life for another two years on the farm that I lived on then. I have also had several wonderful cats, including two wonderful Burmese feline brothers, who were homeless when they came into my life. My current two Burmese cats are distantly related to those two, as I then became addicted to Burmese cats!

12. Sum up the veterinary profession in three words.
Compassionate, responsible, fascinating!