December 10, 2025
Contact: Brian Consiglio, consigliob@missouri.edu
You know Rudolph, but Noella is the reindeer who brings the holiday spirit across Mizzou. As part of the Show-Me Reindeer organization, Noella and her fellow reindeer spread Christmas cheer all over the state during the holiday season, appearing at tree lighting ceremonies, parades and other festivities.
But when Noella’s right back leg got severely infected last winter, the five-year-old received the best gift an injured reindeer can ask for: expert care at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine — a national leader in veterinary care.
Noella’s Mizzou story began in November 2024. When she started limping, her owner, Kari Scull, noticed swelling in her back leg. Scull immediately took Noella from her reindeer farm in Moberly, Missouri, to the College of Veterinary Medicine, where X-rays revealed an infection and fracture in one of her leg bones.
Further complicating matters was the fact that Noella was pregnant.
Luis Rivero, an assistant teaching professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, oversaw Noella’s care alongside resident Miranda Vega, anesthesiologist Jessica Taylor and others. Rivero specializes in food animal medicine and surgery, and reindeer have similar physiology to the two-toed hoof stock — cattle, goats, sheep and pigs — that he regularly treats.
“Here at Mizzou, we have so many different specialists working together,” Rivero said. “The collaboration among the food animal, equine surgery and anesthesiology specialists was ultimately what made Noella’s outcome a success. It was truly a team effort.”
Over the next few months, Noella underwent several successful surgeries at Mizzou so that her infection could be cleaned and treated with antibiotics. She made frequent visits to Mizzou for ongoing care, including sedation as the casts and splints on her leg needed to be changed regularly.
“The entire team at Mizzou was phenomenal, especially Dr. Taylor, who went above and beyond to help with sedations to make sure Noella was comfortable,” Scull said.
Scull remembers not just the collaboration and dedication the Mizzou veterinarians showed during Noella’s long road to recovery, but their kindness and compassion as well.
“Dr. Taylor loved Noella, and she treated her like she was her own,” Scull said. “She would talk to her in a soothing voice, which made Noella feel more comfortable over time because she knew her familiar voice. This helped reduce Noella’s stress levels, which was particularly important during her pregnancy.”
By mid-March, Noella’s bone fracture had slowly healed, and the antibiotics had helped heal the infection. On March 20 — the first day of spring — a healthy Noella gave birth to a healthy calf.
“We spent so much time with Noella’s owners that they became part of our family,” Vega said. “It’s a very rewarding feeling when there is a positive outcome. It feels good to work at a land-grant university and serve those who may lack access to large animal veterinarians in their communities.”
Reindeer owners are a tight-knit community, and they’re spreading the word about Mizzou.
“Last spring, I heard from a reindeer owner in Illinois who had a calf in distress and drove nearly four hours to come to Mizzou because he heard the quality of care at the College of Veterinary Medicine is first class,” Scull said.
With the holiday season in full swing, Noella is once again spreading Christmas cheer all across Missouri at Show-Me Reindeer events.
“We have a lot to be thankful for,” Scull said.
