Career Achievement in Feline Research

Saving the red wolf from extinction is a team effort in the United States, with more than 40 partner agencies, including #NCStateVetMed, working together to care for, breed and then potentially release the world`s most endangered canid. This week, those American Red Wolf SAFE Program partners convened at the @nczoo to share information on the latest research and lessons learned from other species.

Dr. Tara Harrison, professor of zoo and exotic animal medicine, leads the red wolf effort at NC State, where more than 10 wolves, including five new puppies, are cared for. She and members of the @carnivoreconservationcrew — student volunteers who provide husbandry for the wolves — are attending the event, which continues today with the partners finding out which of the nearly 250 wolves in their care will be reassigned to a different facility based on genetic considerations for breeding.

Fewer than 20 red wolves live in the wild, all within five counties on the coast of North Carolina. Learn more at the link in our profile. #redwolf #SAFE ...

From the Field: Abigale. 🩺

Fourth-year #NCStateVetMed student Abigale is back in Raleigh for her third block of clinical rotations. In her latest update, she reflects on the two weeks she spent with our cardiology department sitting in on rounds, observing cardiology procedures and directly working with clients.

Read more using the 🔗 in our bio. ...

Snakes don’t have to be scary — especially when you’re equipped with the knowledge you need! 🐍

It’s #WorldSnakeDay and #NCStateVetMed aquatic animal professor and snake expert Dr. Greg Lewbart is sharing tips to help you better understand snakes and their behaviors:

🐍 Snakes are more active during early morning hours and dusk / evening hours while seeking heat or hunting prey.
🐍 The only venomous snake in the NC Triangle is the copperhead, which can be identified by its diamond brown pattern and triangular head.
🐍 Want to avoid snakes? Be extra aware of your surroundings during “active snake hours.” Keep dogs and children on trails and in yards and away from bushes and undergrowth.
🐍 The best thing you can do if you see a snake? Leave it alone! Snakes usually bite only when they feel threatened or afraid.
🐍 If you or your pet is bitten by a snake, seek medical care immediately.

Check out (and save!) snake identification resources using the 🔗 in our @ncstatevetmed bio. ...

Dr. Ronald Li, an associate professor of emergency and critical care at #NCStateVetMed, has been named the recipient of the 2025 American Veterinary Medical Foundation’s Career Achievement in Feline Research Award. Dr. Li studies blood disorders in cats, emphasizing the importance of progressing bench-top research into clinical studies so that patients get the highest level of care.
“I’m very humbled by this award,” Li says. “There’s still so much work left to do, but I deeply appreciate being recognized for my work in platelets and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats." Read more at the link in our profile. @avmavets #felinehealth #felineresearch ...

From the Field: Katie. 🐂

Rising third-year #NCStateVetMed student, Katie, had a whirlwind of a second week in South Dakota! Under her mentor, Dr. April Schilder, she`s deepening her food animal medicine skills, from placing bull trackers to working on cow-calf pairs.

Read her latest update from the Midwest using the 🔗 in our bio. ...

From the Field: Aniya. 🇿🇦

What does conservation really mean? During her second week in South Africa, Aniya is having surprising realizations while traveling through the wilds of Kruger and to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. She`s learning how conservation is more than just protecting animals - it`s a complex web of social, economic and environmental issues.

Read her latest update at the 🔗 in our bio. ...

DOORS TO DISCOVERY. Innovative research is a pillar of the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, and the #NCStateVetMed Veterinary Scholars Program is one of the strongest summer research programs in the nation. More than 50 students are spending 10 weeks this summer immersed in meaningful mentorship and diving deeply into the wide range of innovative research projects that our faculty lead. More than halfway through, veterinary students Brooke Stonemetz and Katherine Stalford say the VSP program has been life-changing. Read more at the link in our profile. #VSP #innovators #lifechangers #veterinaryresearch #onehealth

PHOTOS BY JOHN JOYNER/ NC State Veterinary Medicine ...