College news

By Malinda Osborne
Published on
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25 years: School of Veterinary Medicine celebrates its anniversary

UW-Madison sculpture

The University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The school is not only the youngest on campus, established in 1983, but also is the second-youngest veterinary school in the nation.

Wisconsin confers approximately 80 DVM degrees each year. Annually, more than 20,000 cases are referred to the school's veterinary teaching hospital with board-certified veterinarians in 18 specialties.

At the same time, the school's faculty continues to work on a wide variety of projects that embody the one-health concept. For example, they have:

  • improved organ storage solution so transplant organs can be kept alive longer
  • developed new total joint replacement surgery techniques that enhance long-term success
  • researched vaccines, leading to revision of national pet vaccination standards (avoiding overvaccination of pets)

Ongoing work addresses infectious diseases, cancer, spinal cord injury and restoration of breathing, ophthalmology, and food safety, emphasizing on-farm food safety.

To thank donors and in celebration of its anniversary, the school dedicated its Walk of Honor entryway to the teaching hospital Sept. 11. The dedication featured the unveiling of a new sculpture commissioned from Alexa King, the same local artist who was chosen to create the Barbaro memorial sculpture that will be placed at the famed racehorse's burial site at Churchill Downs in Kentucky.