Editor in Chief
Simon R. Platt, BVM&S, FRCVS, DACVIM (Neurology), DECVN
Web-Vet Neurology Specialists, Athens, Georgia
Dr. Platt runs a veterinary neurology consultancy service in addition to co-directing the teleneurology service of Vetoracle, a telemedicine company, and serving as medical director for Hallmarq Advanced Imaging.
Dr. Platt was a professor of neurology and neurosurgery at University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine until June 2022. His ongoing research interests include ischemic disease of the central nervous system, canine brain tumors, and epilepsy.
Dr. Platt is a member of the International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force and a founding member and president of the Southeastern Veterinary Neurology Group. He is past president of the ACVIM (Neurology) and was a chief examiner for the ECVN. He has authored or coauthored more than 220 journal articles and 60 book chapters and is the co-editor of 3 textbooks: BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Neurology, Manual of Small Animal Neurological Emergencies, and Canine and Feline Epilepsy: Diagnosis and Management.
Dr. Platt received his veterinary degree from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Ontario Veterinary College (University of Guelph), and completed a residency in neurology and neurosurgery at the University of Florida. He was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of veterinary Surgery based upon meritorious contributions to the profession.
Editorial Advisory Board
Jordan Gagne, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline Practice), DABVP (Feline Practice)
Salem Animal Rescue League, Salem, New Hampshire
General Practice Member
Dr. Gagne received her veterinary degree from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. She then went on to complete an American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) residency in canine and feline practice at Weare Animal Hospital in New Hampshire. She became an ABVP diplomate in canine and feline practice in 2021 and followed it up by becoming an ABVP diplomate in feline practice in 2023. She is a member of AAFP, ASV, AVMA, and IVAPM with special interests in cardiology, respiratory disease, and shelter medicine. Dr. Gagne enjoys serving on the advisory council and board of directors for the ABVP. She is the current managing DVM of Hopkinton Animal Hospital and Weare Animal Hospital in New Hampshire where she coordinates their feline radioactive iodine treatment program. She is also the veterinarian of record for the Salem Animal Rescue League and enjoys her shelter days immensely. Dr. Gagne is currently working on a master’s degree in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia through the University of Edinburgh. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her backyard chicken flock; snuggling cats; and hiking, camping, and fishing with her husband, their new baby girl, and their dogs.
Donita McCants, DVM
Veterinary Concierge Services, Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida
General Practice Member
Dr. Donita received her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Georgia in 2011 and then went on to Tuskegee University to complete veterinary training in 2015. She was raised in Georgia but state hopped coming from a military family background. She was a general practitioner in private and corporate practice for years and has some internship training at Blue Pearl in Maitland, Florida. She has strong interests in surgery, internal medicine, and dermatology, which comes in handy with Florida allergies! She enjoys learning new and innovative techniques to treat patients and is also Fear Free certified.
Dr. Donita loves to spend time with her son Stephen, her husband Joe, and their bernedoodle Axel Rose! She likes to go to events near and far with her husband and loves all things fitness and wellness. She competed in her first bodybuilding competition in June 2021.
Dr. Donita enjoys giving back to the community by participating in various speaking engagements to inspire the youth. She also participates in events around Orlando, and is very active on her social media pages “Ask Dr. Donita” where she gives beyond first-class veterinary advice and speaks with others in the pet community to raise awareness about pet health and care. She helped found her mobile clinic in August 2021 through a private investor which helped the business grow from an SUV to a Mercedes Benz Sprinter van in March 2022. She is excited to service the pet community of Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida.
Michael Schaer, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVECC
University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida
Board Member Emeritus
Dr. Schaer received his DVM degree from the University of Illinois in 1970. He then went to the Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York City where he served as an intern and then as a medicine resident between 1970-73. After the residency, he remained at the AMC as a staff member in the department of medicine until 1977. He then joined a private small animal practice in New Jersey until late 1978 at which time he joined the faculty at the University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine where he has remained until the present time.
He has published several papers and book chapters and has lectured nationally and internationally. Dr. Schaer is also the author of 5 textbooks: Clinical Medicine of the Dog and Cat, 1st-4th editions and Clinical Signs in Small Animal Medicine, 1st and 2nd editions. At UF, Dr. Schaer functions mainly as a clinician and a teacher. His previous UF professional duties included professor and associate chairman in the department of small animal clinical sciences, associate chief of staff of the small animal hospital, and service chief of small animal medicine. Dr. Schaer also served as interim chair of the department of comparative, diagnostic, and population medicine from February 2017 to September 2018.
He is currently professor emeritus and adjunct professor in emergency and critical care medicine, while still doing active teaching in the classroom and in the critical care unit. Dr. Schaer is board certified in internal medicine (ACVIM) and emergency and critical care (ACVECC). He is on the board of directors of the North American Society of Toxicology and an associate member of the American College of Physicians.
Sarah M. Schmid, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)
University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee
Specialist Board Member – Internal Medicine
Dr. Schmid earned her DVM degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, after which she completed a rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania. She went on to complete a small animal internal medicine residency at the University of Tennessee. She is currently on faculty as an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Schmid enjoys teaching and applying physiology to the clinical practice of veterinary medicine. Her clinical interests include gastroenterology, nephrology, and protein-losing diseases.
Sarah Shippy, DVM, MPH, MS, DACVAA
University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, Florida
Specialist Board Member – Anesthesia/Analgesia
Dr. Shippy graduated from the University of Missouri in 2017 where she also completed a master’s of public health degree. She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Louisiana State University. Continuing to pursue her interest in anesthesia, she completed an anesthesiology and pain management residency at the University of Florida where she also completed a master’s degree in veterinary sciences in 2022. She has continued to work at the University of Florida as a clinical assistant professor. Her clinical interests include pain management techniques and exotic animal anesthesia.
Lindsay A. Starkey, DVM, PhD, DACVM (Parasitology)
Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Stillwater, Oklahoma
Specialist Board Member – Parasitology
Dr. Starkey earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Arkansas and her DVM and PhD degrees at Oklahoma State University, where her graduate research focused on vector-borne infections. She completed her residency training through the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology at Oklahoma State University. Dr. Starkey recently rejoined Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine as an associate professor after several years at Auburn University. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Microbiology with a subspecialty in parasitology. She is involved in various research projects involving vectors, vector-borne pathogens, and diagnostic parasitology. She also teaches parasitology to veterinary students and has received 2 teaching awards, most recently the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award. She currently serves as a board member for the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology and the American Heartworm Society.
Wailani Sung, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVB
Joybound People and Pets, Walnut Creek, California
Specialist Board Member – Behavior
Dr. Sung obtained her master’s degree, doctorate in psychology with a special interest in animal behavior, and doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine and is board certified in veterinary behavioral medicine. She is currently the senior director of animal admissions and wellbeing at Joybound People and Pets. She also provides behavior consultations for privately owned pets and assessments for shelter pets as well as consultations to animal shelters. Dr. Sung is a regular speaker and author and is a coauthor of the book From Fearful to Fear Free.
Heng L. Tham, DVM, DACVD, Fellow MCVS
Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
Specialist Board Member – Dermatology
Dr. Tham is a clinical associate professor and dermatology service chief of the Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. He earned his DVM degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia, and worked as a small animal veterinarian in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for 8 years before pursuing specialty training in veterinary dermatology, completing a specialty dermatology internship and a 3-year dermatology residency training program at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Tham is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology and a fellow of the Malaysian College of Veterinary Specialists.
Camille Torres-Henderson, DVM, DABVP (Canine & Feline Practice), DACVIM (Nutrition)
Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Fort Collins, Colorado
Specialist Board Member – Nutrition
Dr. Torres attended Colorado State University (CSU) for her undergraduate and veterinary education. After she earned her DVM degree in 2001, she went into small animal private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She joined community practice at CSU’s James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital in 2008, and earned her feline and canine DABVP certification in 2011. As a general practitioner, she has observed the power of preventive medicine. Seeing how preventing disease can be so much easier for a pet than treatment led her to explore the effects of obesity on companion animals and nutrition’s role in obesity management. Her enthusiasm for nutrition in multiple areas inspired her to seek additional training in the field of nutrition at CSU, and she completed a residency in nutrition and became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Nutrition) in 2021. Her furry family consists of 2 cats, a yorkiepoo, and a French bulldog. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their 2 boys, taking every opportunity to participate in the wonderful outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer.