Apex College of Veterinary Technology

10/06/2026

Dozer lay down on the trail at 11,000 feet and wouldn't get up again.

Gabe and Darlene Ruiz had started up a peak in Colorado at 8 that morning. Dozer, their 125-pound Newfoundland, had been on every hike for six years. Three miles in, on sharp broken rock above the tree line, Dozer started limping. A mile later all four paws were cut raw.

The couple turned around. Dozer made it about 200 yards.

Gabe tried a fireman's carry and got 10 steps. Darlene tried a sling made of two jackets. It was 2 in the afternoon with a storm building over the next ridge, and their dog weighed as much as Darlene did.

A hiker coming down told the couple what most people would have. Mountain rescue teams are set up for people.

Darlene called the county's volunteer team anyway, from a ridge with one bar of signal. The dispatcher asked for the dog's weight and the coordinates.

Kenji Watanabe took the page at his job in a hardware store. One text went out to the roster, and it said somebody's family member was down on the mountain and couldn't walk.

Nine volunteers left work. They hiked almost 4 miles up in two hours with a wheeled stretcher, the same one they use for people with broken ankles.

Dozer was lying with Darlene's boots for a pillow when the team came over the rise. A paramedic on the team cleaned and wrapped all four paws before anyone lifted anything. Then six people rolled 125 pounds of dog onto the stretcher and strapped Dozer in like any patient.

The storm caught the team at tree line. For an hour the carry went through rain, six on the stretcher and three rotating in, across boulders where the wheel was no use.

Dozer never fought the straps. The dog lay flat and watched whoever had the front left handle, and that volunteer changed every 10 minutes.

At 7:40, in the dark, the team reached the trailhead, five and a half hours after the page. Gabe tried to hand Kenji a credit card in the parking lot. Kenji told him the team doesn't bill family.

Dozer went home that night in four blue bandages.

Two weeks later Dozer walked into the team's monthly meeting on four healed paws and leaned on all nine volunteers, one at a time.

Who would come up a mountain for your dog?

10/06/2026

That fake spider web stretched across the porch may look spooky. To wildlife, it can become a trap.

The fine synthetic strands can catch birds, bats, and other small animals. Wildlife rehabilitators have treated birds ranging from tiny hummingbirds to owls after they became tangled in decorative webbing. Strands wrapped tightly around feet, wings, or toes can restrict circulation, injure skin and feathers, and sometimes cause lasting damage.

Halloween also arrives during fall migration for many birds across North America. The exact timing varies, but September and October bring heavy migration in many regions. Many species travel at night and stop in unfamiliar places to rest and search for food, adding another reason to keep yards free of unnecessary entanglement hazards.

And the problem does not necessarily end when Halloween is over. Artificial webbing is usually made from synthetic plastic fibers. Once loose outdoors, those fibers can persist, blow into surrounding habitat, and gradually fragment into smaller plastic pieces or microfibers.

The safer choice is simple: skip outdoor fake webs, loose netting, dangling string, and decorations with small loops. Use solid props, untreated pumpkins, paper decorations, or carefully placed lighting instead. Keep outdoor lights dim and directed downward when possible, especially during migration season.

Keep Halloween spooky for people—not dangerous for wildlife.

10/06/2026

Prepping for something fun and a little different! 😊

Can you guess what I’ll be talking about at TEDxCSU?

10/06/2026

10/05/2026

The VTNE may feel daunting, but VSPN is here to help with a FREE interactive Q&A session with VTNE experts just for you! Come with your questions and leave with a solid overview of exam topics, test-taking tips, and best practices for success.
Sunday, Nov. 8, 8-9:30PM (ET/NY) | Enroll for free here: https://www.vin.com/course/13357649
Not a VSPN member? VSPN is FREE for veterinary support staff! Join today: https://www.vin.com/vspn

10/05/2026

Cat breeds can have noticeably different skull and facial structures, making anatomy an interesting part of learning about cat breeds and cat care.

Which breed caught your eye?

10/05/2026

THE PATRON SAINT OF ANIMALS

When it comes to animals and creation, one saint is especially remembered for his deep love and care for God’s creatures: St. Francis of Assisi.

Born in Assisi, Italy, around 1181–1182, St. Francis gave up a life of wealth and privilege to follow Christ in poverty, humility, and simplicity. His profound reverence for creation led him to see animals not merely as possessions, but as fellow creatures of God.

Francis famously preached to birds and is often depicted surrounded by animals. Tradition also associates him with the story of the Wolf of Gubbio, a fierce wolf that he is said to have approached peacefully and reconciled with the people of the town.

Because of his extraordinary love for creation, St. Francis of Assisi is widely recognized as the patron saint of animals, ecology, and the environment.

His example reminds Christians that care for creation is also an expression of gratitude to the Creator. As Pope Francis wrote in Laudato Si’, St. Francis “was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself.”

On his feast day, October 4, many communities celebrate the Blessing of Animals, entrusting pets and other creatures to God’s loving care.