Smoke from wildfires may have long-term health effects, according to research on juvenile monkeys. The results were presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Seattle by the school's Professor Lisa Miller.
As Californians have fled ferocious wildfires in recent years, UC Davis scientists, veterinarians, physicians and teachers have also been responding to that trauma: treating people and animals, investigating the effects on mental and physical health, and trying to discover what the future might hold as wildfires burn into towns and suburbs.
In the aftermath of California's deadliest wildfire in November, the UC Davis veterinary hospital as well as the Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT) launched into action. Nearly 70 animals were brought to UC Davis for treatment while hundreds of others were evaluated and treated in the field by VERT. This was a comprehensive team effort, comprised of faculty, veterinary technicians, students and staff.
A young black bear whose paws were burned raw in the Carr Fire is recuperating with special care from a wildlife veterinary team.
On Monday, an eight-member team including Dr. Deana Clifford and Dr. Jamie Peyton of the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital spent nearly six hours preparing for the operation and sewing tilapia skin onto the bear's four paws. One benefit of the fish skin — which doesn't smell fishy — is that it contains collagen that aids in healing.
