Authors Bios

Ernest E. Ward, Jr. DVM
Dr. Ernest Ward is the owner of E³ Management, a North Carolina-based consulting firm and owner of Seaside Animal Care, a National Practice of Excellence Award Winner.  Dr. Ward is an Editorial Advisory Board Member for Veterinary Economics and has authored and been featured in over fifty practice management and medical journal articles. Dr. Ward is a regular guest on the Rachael Ray Show and has appeared on Animal Planet, NBC Nightly News, and CNN, to name a few. He was awarded the North American Veterinary Conference "Speaker of the Year" award, founded the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention in 2005 and is a certified personal trainer, USA Triathlon accredited coach and an Ironman triathlete.

Gary Landsberg, DVM, Dip ACVB, Dip ECVBM-CA
Gary is a veterinary behaviorist at the North Toronto Animal Clinic in Thornhill and has achieved both North American (DACVB) and European (ECVBM-CA) board certification and a 1976 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College.  He is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences for veterinarians, technicians, students and the public.  He is on the advisory board of VIN, CANCOG, PetTV, Veterinary Forum and Veterinary Therapeutics and has authored or edited numerous veterinary behavior articles and book chapters and is co-author of the Handbook of Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat by Elsevier.  In 2000 he received the AAHA Companion Animal Behavior Award.  

Debra Horwitz, DVM, Dip ACVB
Debra received her DVM from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and practices behavioral medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.  She lectures frequently in North America and abroad on behavioral topics and is a behavioral consultant for the Veterinary Information Network.  Her books include: Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion: Canine and Feline Behavior co-authored with Jacqui Neilson, BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine (editor and contributor), behavior section editor for the The 5-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline, Third Edition, and Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult: Canine and Feline, Fourth Edition.

Robin Downing, DVM, CVPP, DAAPM
Dr. Downing graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois in 1986. In 1991, she purchased Windsor Veterinary Clinic and turned it into a Practice of Excellence, an Idexx Model Clinic, and a 4-year accredited American Animal Hospital Association hospital. She passionately shares her vision for the bright future of veterinary medicine and the Family-Pet Bond through her daily work, her writing, and speaking nationally and internationally at veterinary meetings. She serves as a Trustee for the Morris Animal Foundation and is an affiliate faculty member at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine.  Dr. Downing is one of a handful of veterinarians in the world to hold the Diplomate credential in the American Academy of Pain Management.  She is also credentialed as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, having trained at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

Steve Marsden, DVM ND MSOM LAc DiplCH AHG
Steve is one of the chief educators of veterinarians worldwide in the use of complementary and alternative therapies. He regularly lectures for the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Veterinary Medical Association. He has been a guest speaker for veterinary courses, colleges, and associations spanning five continents, and is co-founder of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies, an Australia-based institution offering distance learning programs in integrative medicine. He is also a director of the National College of Natural Medicine, a fully accredited and leading educational institution in the United States offering comprehensive training in a diversity of alternative therapies for physicians. His textbook, Manual of Natural Veterinary Medicine, published by Elsevier in 2003, has been translated into multiple languages, and is a leading resource worldwide. Dr. Marsden is extensively trained in alternative medicine, receiving one of the first Master's of Science degrees in Oriental Medicine ever to be awarded in North America, as well as board certifications in Chinese herbology, acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. When not teaching, he divides his time equally between veterinary and naturopathic medical practice in Edmonton, Alberta.

Cheryl Yuill, DVM, MSc, CVH
Dr. Cheryl Yuill obtained her DVM and MSc (Clinical Studies) degrees from the Ontario Veterinary College. She is the sole owner of a multi-veterinarian companion animal practice in Ontario, where she has been practicing since 1990. In the late-1990's she pursued her interest in homeopathy, completing several courses in veterinary homeopathy and becoming a Certified Veterinary Homeopath with the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. Professionally, Dr. Yuill has retained active ties with the Ontario Veterinary College and is currently one of the communication coaches for the Art of Veterinary Medicine course. She has served on numerous professional committees, including chairing the CVO (Ontario's provincial regulatory body) Complaints Committee and Executive Committee, chairing the Board of the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy, serving two terms on the executive of the Golden Triangle Veterinary Academy (a 100-member regional veterinary continuing education organization), and currently serving as chair of Health Canada's Expert Advisory Committee on Veterinary Natural Health Products.

Shawn Messonnier, DVM
Dr. Shawn Messonnier practices integrative medicine at Paws & Claws Animal Hospital in Plano, Tx. He writes regularly for Dog Fancy, Dog World, Body+ Soul, and Animal Wellness. He is the author of several books on integrative pet care including The Arthritis Solution for Dogs, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, The Natural Vets Guide to Preventing and Treating Cancer, and 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog. He was recently voted Best Veterinarian in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex by D and is spokesman for Pet Togethers, a pet supplement company. He recently released his own line of USDA certified organic pet shampoos called Dr. Shawns Pet Organics. Dr. Shawn can be heard each Tuesday night on Sirius and XM radio on his award winning show, Dr. Shawn-The Natural Vet, on Martha Stewart Living Radio.

Margo S. Tant, BSc, DVM, DVSc
Dr. Tant received her veterinary training at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph Ontario and completed her DVM in 1983. She spent the next 10 years in small animal practice in southern Ontario before returning to OVC to take up graduate studies. She completed a doctorate in Clinical Pathology in 1998, meeting the eligibility requirements for Board Certification for the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. After graduation, Dr. Tant joined Vita-tech Laboratory (now Idexx Canada Laboratories) and since then has held a full time position as a diagnostic clinical pathologist. Her work focuses on diagnostic hematology and cytology, and she consults extensively with clients on the interpretation of laboratory data.

Kristiina Ruotsalo, DVM, DVSc, ACVP
Kristiina graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1990. Following a number of years in mixed animal practice, she returned to the University of Guelph, Department of Pathobiology, to complete her Doctor of Veterinary Science in Clinical Pathology. Following the completion of this degree, she consulted for several privately owned veterinary laboratories as well as practiced small animal medicine on a part-time basis.  Kris became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (Clinical Pathology) in 2004. Currently she is a clinical pathologist with the Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph. She resides on a small farm just outside of Guelph where, along with her husband and son, she raises purebred Scottish Highland Cattle.

Joan R Rest, BVSc, PhD, DiplECVP, MRCVS
RCVS Recognized Specialist in Veterinary Pathology. Joan qualified from the University of Bristol in 1966 and then obtained a PhD in animal pathology from University of Cambridge. Subsequently awarded membership of the Royal College of Pathologists (by examination in diagnostic pathology) and foundation diplomate status of the European College of Veterinary Pathology. She became an RCVS Specialist in Pathology when the specialist register started in 1991. She has been a diagnostic and research pathologist as well as a clinician. After three years as Editor in Chief of the Journal "Veterinary Dermatology" she has returned to diagnostic histopathology with a particular interest in dermatopathology. 

Rick Axelson, DVM
Rick graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1987. He practiced with his father, Dr. R. Dean Axelson, a pioneer of exotic animal and avian medicine in Canada and founder of The Links Road Animal & Bird Clinic (1973) until he purchased the hospital in January 1996. The Links Rd. Animal & Bird Clinic is a referral center for exotic animals in the Greater Toronto area and Southern Ontario. Its client base is 85% birds and exotic animals plus 15% dogs and cats. He is a member of the College of Ontario Veterinarians (CVO), Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), Association of Reptile, Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) and the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV). Rick has lectured extensively to local and regional veterinarians and veterinary technicians, as well as students at the Ontario Veterinary College. He has appeared on local and national television and radio shows and He is a contributing author for Pets Quarterly Magazine.

Justine Lee, DVM, Dip ACVECC 

Dr. Justine Lee is the Associate Director of Veterinary Services at Pet Poison Helpline, an animal poison control based out of Minneapolis. Dr. Lee obtained her veterinary degree from Cornell University, and completed her emergency fellowship and residency at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (DACVECC). Dr. Lee is the author of two humorous pet reference books entitled It's a Dog's Life... but It's Your Carpet and It's a Cat's World... You Just Live In It. Dr. Lee lectures throughout the world on emergency and critical care.

Sidney W Ricketts, LVO, BSc, BVSc, Dip ECEIM, FRCPath, FRCVS RCVS, Recognized Specialist in Equine Stud Medicine
Sidney qualified at the University of Bristol Veterinary School in 1971. He then interned in Equine Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania on a Thouron Fellowship before joining Rossdale & Partners in Newmarket, where he is currently senior partner.  He has been specifically interested in equine stud medicine and clinical pathology and is a Fellow of both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the Royal College of Pathologists.

Deidre M Carson, BVSc(Syd), MRCVS
Deidre qualified at the University of Sydney Faculty of Veterinary Science in 1982.  She has been working for Rossdale and Partners, Newmarket, since 1983 except for a brief period spent in mixed practice.  She is currently a member of BEVA council with responsibility for nursing issues.

Dr. Jan Bellows
Dr. Jan Bellows has devoted his career to veterinary dental education.  He is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Dentistry and American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and is a fellow of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry.  Hs is the incoming president of the American College of Veterinary Dentistry (2012-2014).  He has authored three veterinary dental textbooks and is a frequent contributor to DVM Newsmagazine.  He is a charter editor of veterinary information Network’s dental board and has served in that role for the past 15 years.  Dr. Bellows was one of the dental experts who formulated AAHA’s Small Animal Dental Guidelines.  He practices at All Pets Dental in Weston, FLA.