Surgery

Woodford and Samantha Colson celebrate success at the 2025 Arizona National Livestock Show.

March 30, 2026
Words by Jens Odegaard.
Photos courtesy of Samantha Colson.

TS Woodford Reserve is a beautiful two-year-old Charolais bull. Hair shining like ripe white wheat over rolling hills of muscle and healthy fat. Woodford — named after the bourbon — stands shoulder high to Samantha Colson, his owner. He’s just taken Champion Charolais and Reserve Supreme Champion Bull at the 2025 Arizona National Livestock Show held in late December.

Dr. Shantibhushan "Shanti" Jha, BVSc & AH (Hons), M.S., DACVS (Small Animal), joins the Gary R. Carlson, MD, College of Veterinary Medicine as an associate professor of small animal orthopedic surgery. A board-certified surgeon since 2013, Dr. Jha earned his BVSc with honors from Nagpur Veterinary College and his master's of science from Oregon State University, followed by advanced surgical residency training at Tufts University.

We sat down with Dr. Jha for a Q&A.

Dr. Andrea Erickson joins the Gary R. Carlson, MD, College of Veterinary Medicine as an assistant professor in soft tissue surgery and surgical oncology.

Originally from Kailua, Hawaii, her family’s golden retrievers sparked her lifelong love of veterinary medicine. She earned her DVM from Colorado State University and completed advanced training including internships at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital and the University of Florida, a surgical residency at The Ohio State University and a surgical oncology fellowship at CSU. She also holds a master’s in biomedical education.

Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital's Dr. Brea Sandness and Dr. Bianca Reyes work together to help a kitten with a distorted ribcage in danger of puncturing their heart.

A decade ago, Dr. Brea Sandness was gowning up to take a hands-on role in her first surgeries in veterinary school. Today, Sandness spends her time performing surgeries with her one-time mentors and teaching new classes of students at her alma mater, Oregon State University's Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine.

After diagnostic testing at Oregon State University’s veterinary hospital, 6-year-old Amur tiger Bernadette from the Oregon Zoo is back to her healthy, playful self, zoo staff say.

Following her operation on Dec. 19, 3-year-old Vietnamese potbelly pig Ella is doing well and is currently recuperating from the procedure at the Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital in OSU’s Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine

Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine's students work together on a CPR training activity.

Oregon State University's Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital's Dr. Lacy Kamm and team work to help a foal with his limp.

Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine students, faculty veterinarians and veterinary support staff loaded into Oregon State University passenger vans to volunteer their Saturday at Warm Springs and provide aid to the herd.