Profiles
Oncologist targets cancer challenges
July 17th, 2023
-
Growing up around dogs, cats, turtles and chickens at his family’s home in Japan, Dr. Arata Matsuyama (DVM, PhD) knew from a very early age that he wanted to work with animals in veterinary medicine. But what wasn’t part of Matsuyama’s initial plan was devoting himself to studying cancer in companion animals — a decision that eventually brought him to …
-
Beloved cat inspires teen’s gift
Percy Jackson was an affectionate, snuggly kitten who immediately bonded with his new owner Charlie Hoffman. The ragdoll cat was an important support for Hoffman, a 14-year-old high school student, who needed support to deal with anxiety and symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “I wasn’t having the greatest time in school, and so I got Percy to help me …
February 18th, 2023 Full story »
-
A passion for pets
Growing up in the French countryside, Dr. Mathieu Paulin was always surrounded by pets of all kinds including dogs, a goat and many ducks. While a love for animals was a constant in his life, it wasn’t until Paulin reached adulthood that he considered a career as a veterinarian — a job that would allow him to combine his interest …
February 14th, 2023 Full story »
-
Stray cat gets new outlook on life
Two years ago, a stray grey tabby cat showed up in a neighbourhood in south Regina, Sask. Since then, “George” has stolen the hearts of many people there — including Christine Holzer. “I feed birds and squirrels, so there’s a lot of food and fresh water out all the time. I’m sure the birds probably attracted him to my yard,” …
November 15th, 2022 Full story »
-
Dr. Duke’s 30-year legacy
In 1999, Dr. Tanya Duke-Novakovski travelled to Leipzig, Germany, for a one-year sabbatical leave from her role at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). The veterinary anesthesiologist’s goal during her stay in the former east German city was to help curb the number of horses that died after surgery in the Universität Leipzig’s large animal clinic. The problem was …
April 07th, 2022 Full story »
-
Saving Ooma Girl
When Allan and Maureen Zaleski arrived at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at 2 a.m. one morning in July 2021, they were ready to do whatever it took to save their dog. The couple, both in their late 70s, had driven all night from Winnipeg, Man., to seek surgery for Ooma Girl, their three-year-old French bulldog. During the …
April 07th, 2022 Full story »
-
The donation of a lifetime
Jacqueline (Jacqui) Shumiatcher, a dedicated supporter of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) Companion Animal Health Fund (CAHF) and long-time member of its advisory board, passed away on February 1, 2021, at the age of 97. Jacqui and her husband, Dr. Morris Shumiatcher, were well known throughout Saskatchewan for their generous philanthropy initiatives. “Jacqui and her husband Morris had …
July 20th, 2021 Full story »
-
Surgical sage
Veterinary surgeon Dr. Cindy Shmon hopes to help her students see grey in a world that isn’t just black and white. Shmon is the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) 2019-20 recipient of the Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching. The University of Saskatchewan (USask) Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness presents this annual award to one professor from each college …
June 20th, 2020 Full story »
-
A homegrown success
Dr. Joe Rubin has made a mark with his research focusing on antimicrobial resistance. The CAHF funded most of his PhD research, which focused on establishing a baseline set of data to understand how common resistance is in Staphylococci bacteria in dogs, giving a better understanding of the emergence of resistance. He has continued to investigate antimicrobial resistance, including a …
June 01st, 2019 Full story »
-
Vital support for oncology research
In 1985 a group of WCVM clinicians formed the Clinical Oncology Group in response to the increased number of cancer diagnoses in companion animals. From the beginning of this work, researchers realized the value of collaboration with human cancer scientists. While research into many aspects of pet cancer continued at the WCVM over the next two decades, the college’s addition …
May 31st, 2019 Full story »
