Posts Tagged ‘Dr. Mozzachio’

by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
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A Veterinary Visit

March 3rd, 2013

This past Thursday our Farmyard veterinarians were here to check on the critters. Dr. Cannedy and Dr. Mozzachio arrived early on the chilly Thursday morning.  Full physicals will occur in April, but Lightning needed some blood taken to see how his Cushing’s disease is progressing. While here, our old goat Chummix got checked out and so were the pigs. Miss Piggy looks great according to Dr. Mozzachio, but she took photos so she could compare body condition in a month or so. Chummix had blood drawn as well as he continues to lose weight and his eating habits have become pickier and picker.

Dr. Cannedy, dressed for the chilly weather

 

 

Dr. Mozzachio photographing the pigs

 

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , ,

Rest in Peace Pig

October 22nd, 2009

Last night Pig was not improved and still not standing. Calls and emails were made to veterinarians, keepers, staff, and volunteers letting them know. Dr. Mozzachio came early this morning and euthanized Pig.

Days like this are hard, and hardest on the keepers, so send them your best wishes.

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  1. This is my favorite memory of Pig. So glad I had a camera that day. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8250597@N06/3370570285/

    Posted by Troy
    1:31 pm on October 22, 2009

  2. We'll miss you, pig. You became the standard increment of swine for our household. Just last week my 6-year-old commented (on a farm tour), "that giant pig over there is like two museum pigs put together."

    Posted by Chris
    2:17 pm on October 22, 2009

  4. Aww! Rest in peace. Sending you good vibes from DC, keepers!

    Posted by Anonymous
    4:56 pm on October 23, 2009

  5. We'll miss her! What a sweet pig. You guys do such a great job taking care of all the animals at the museum, and it makes us feel better knowing what a great life she had! Your animal care staff is in our thoughts and prayers.

    Posted by Julie
    8:04 pm on October 23, 2009

  6. My favorite memory of Pig was from just after Halloween a few years ago. He was eating a pumpkin. I've never seen any creature eat with so much pure, simple joy.

    Posted by Alice
    12:12 pm on October 24, 2009

  7. I will miss Pig. I loved opening his stall in the mornings and trying to find him under his blankets and his indigent squeal when you made him go out side so we could clean.Pig, you will be missed.Mike

    Posted by Anonymous
    4:48 pm on October 29, 2009

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Spotlight: Kristie Mozzachio, DVM

May 6th, 2009

To the right is our pig, Squealer, and Dr. Kristie Mozzachio. She is a pot bellied pig specialist, operating a mobile veterinary service that caters exclusively to pot-bellied pigs. This is a part-time gig for her.

Currently, she works as a toxicologic pathologist. This means she spends most of her time looking through a microscope. She looks at slides of tissues from animals, trying to identify any abnormalities.

Pigs are her passion though. She is the veterinary advisor for NAPPA (North American Potbellied Pig Association) and has lectured on the species at the yearly Potbellied Pig Symposium as well as the Special Species Symposium and the SCAVMA (Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association) Symposium. She is also on the board of directors for the Duchess Fund, a privately funded and publicly accessible collection of miniature pig medical data.

She’s helped out the Museum (our pigs and other Farmyard animals too) for many years now. She was here on April 4th for our farmyard physicals: giving Pig his annual vaccines and checking him out. That’s how we know he is healthy and swine-flu free.

I can always count on Dr. Mozzachio to have a smile on her face and be ecstatic to see pig. She also always shares some interesting facts about pigs: Did you know that pigs are the only domestic species of animal that can get sunburned (just like humans). And, pigs have true hair and not fur (so might be a good choice for those allergic to animal dander). Pigs do not have very many sweat glands so who knows where the term “sweat like a pig” came from! But – “eat like a pig” is a very true saying because pigs are extremely food-motivated and always hungry.

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  1. I have recently gotten a 4 month old PBP and she is very sweet and mindful… he is not aggressive in any way at all but when I scratch her back by her hips she raises her hackles and then flops over for a belly rub…. She isn’t showing signs of aggression just wanting a belly rub… What would be the reasoning for the hackles being raised?

    Posted by Kathy
    12:59 pm on January 20, 2013
  2. Director Comment :

    excitement

    Posted by Sherry Samuels
    9:28 pm on January 20, 2013

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by , Director
I've been at the Museum sooooo long - longer than many of our interns have been alive. I do a little bit of everything as part of my job: care for the animals, work with the keepers and other staff, spend time with guests. Lucky me!
I spend a lot of time behind-the-scenes, or here after hours, but if you really want to see me, you'll have to sign-up for a behind-the-scenes program.
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Farmyard Physicals

April 7th, 2009

On Saturday Dr. Mozzachio and Dr. Cannedy came to the Museum for what we call the “farmyard physicals”. This happens every April and October. All the large mammals in the farmyard were checked out, given vaccines, had their hooves trimmed if needed, and their diets and enrichment were reviewed. Pig is hanging in a specially made pig-sling. Dr. Mozzachio, a pot-bellied pig specialist, took great care of him, cleaning around his eyes and giving him treats to keep him content while she worked. He delicately ate a piece of cereal from one of her hands while her other hand used “Q-tips” to clean around his eyes.

Below, Katy is holding one of our ewes while Dr. Cannedy and one of his veterinary students trim her hooves. Holding a sheep this way is an easy way to get them to hold still for a variety of procedures. The next photo shows Dr. Cannedy giving the sheep some dewormer using a piller. The pill goes in the long tube and then that goes into the sheep’s mouth, keeping human fingers safe from sheep teeth!


Somewhere under Erin and Katy is Lightning, our donkey. Dr. Cannedy is getting blood and giving vaccines. Lightning needed a bit of holding at first to calm down, but he eventually did.
Fecal samples were taken from every animal. Looking at poop through a microscope can tell us if an animal has certain parasites or mites. I think we have some photos of what we have some on the slides: look for a future post with those photos- it’s really cool what you can see through a microscope.

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  1. Kristen said she would go into a sling for some peanut butter captain crunch, too!

    Posted by Marilyn
    11:47 am on April 7, 2009

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