As the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) celebrates its 60th year in 2025, the regional veterinary college looks ahead to meet the changing needs of its provincial partners and stakeholders across Western Canada and the North.
Dr. Kenneth Mould (DVM), alumnus of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) and a retired Manitoba veterinarian, has been appointed a member of the Order of Canada.
USask alumnus Dr. Tyson Buyer (BSA’12, DVM’16) started his business to help bring breeders together.
A unique scholarship at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) highlights the value of veterinary students enjoying other passions outside of veterinary medicine.
Boden Marley has his mom to thank for helping him to realize his dream of getting accepted into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).
Jen Svilik’s interest in human medicine led her to the Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences degree program at the University of Ottawa, but as she went on to pursue public health studies in France, her viewpoint expanded to encompass human health as well as the well-being of animals.
A recent graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) has established a new veterinary scholarship that pays tribute to her parents’ selflessness in immigrating with their family to Canada.
Growing up in England, Christopher Keane had often considered a veterinary career. But that idea was shot down when he was told as a teenager that he didn’t have the capability to become a veterinarian.
More than 50 years after launching their veterinary careers at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), members of the college’s Class of 1973 gave a special gift to their alma mater that will support the hands-on education of future veterinarians.
What was it like to be a veterinary student in the 1960s compared to students today at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM)?
Rheana Gilbert, a first-year veterinary student at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), was a young girl when she began helping with everyday chores on her family’s cow-calf operation in Rose Prairie — a small rural community located north of Fort St. John, B.C.
A familiar and endearing face was among those welcoming University of Saskatchewan student Rory Langelier to the veterinary profession on Sept. 23 during the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) annual white coat ceremony.
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have identified some unique characteristics that most dogs show when they’re critically ill due to Addison’s disease — insights that may help veterinarians identify severe cases more quickly.
Dr. Allan Preston, a graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) during the cattle organization’s annual general meeting in February 2024.
A recipient of the 2023 University of Saskatchewan (USask) Provost’s Outstanding New Teaching Award, Dr. Al Chicoine says students need to know that their professors care about their success.
Dr. Lorne Hepworth, a 1971 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan, was named a member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to agriculture and research.
A new equine scholarship for veterinary graduates had a flying start at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) spring awards program in early June.
Dr. Alyssa Vickers (DVM), who graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) this spring, is one of the 2023 recipients of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Award for Proficiency in Primary Care.
Three veterinary graduates of the University of Saskatchewan (USask) never thought they would find themselves living “Down Under” and working in wildlife pathology.
Even after retiring from the classroom, Dr. Ted Clark continues to provide support for the success of graduate students studying veterinary pathology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).
It’s World Book Day on April 23, 2023, and if you’re on the hunt for a good book, here are some options that have been written by Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) alumni and faculty.
A lifetime of working to enhance the health and welfare of horses across Canada has earned a place of honour in the Saskatchewan Horse Federation’s (SHF) Hall of Fame for University of Saskatchewan (USask) alumnus and professor emeritus Dr. Hugh Townsend.
Dr. Calvin Booker of Okotoks, Alta., a Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) graduate, is the 2023 recipient of the Veterinarian of the Year Award — an honour supported by the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners (WCABP) and Boehringer Ingelheim Canada.
Dr. David Waltner-Toews, a graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), was appointed as an officer of the Order of Canada – one of the country’s highest civilian honours.
The 78 veterinarians graduating from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) this year are facing an unprecedented number of career choices and graduating ready to fill a range of needs in the veterinary profession.
Dr. Melanie Gibbons (DVM) — a 2009 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine — will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in statistics during the University of Saskatchewan (USask) Spring Convocation.
Saskatchewan veterinarian Dr. Andrew (Andy) Acton, a 1992 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), is the 2022 recipient of Western Canada’s top award for bovine practitioners.
Dr. Frederick (Ted) Leighton, a professor emeritus and graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), was appointed officer of the Order of Canada — one of the country’s highest civilian honours.
Dr. Emma Read (DVM), a 1998 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan, is the new president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) for a one-year term.
Dr. Lorne Hepworth, a Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) alumnus, has received Saskatchewan’s highest honour.
A series of annual surveys helps the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) take regular inventory of how well the college’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program is serving veterinary students and graduates of the program.
A pair of Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) alumni learned they had been named to the Alberta Order of Excellence, the province’s highest award, while celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.
Nearly a year ago, Dr. Reina Fennell (DVM) recalls looking down at a discharge sheet—her first patient, the first case of her first clinical rotation in her final year at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) on the University of Saskatchewan (USask) campus.
Dr. Hayley Down worked as a registered veterinary technologist (RVT) in southeast Saskatchewan, and after six years of schooling, she’s now returning to rural mixed animal practice as a veterinarian.
Dr. Colton McAleer always wanted to follow in his family’s footsteps and have a career in the cattle industry. But after helping pull a calf during calving season one spring, he changed his mind and went to veterinary school.
Jumping into ownership wasn’t the original plan that Dr. Zachary (Zach) Johnson had in mind when he was initially accepted into the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).
Dr. Frederick (Ted) Leighton, a professor emeritus at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), received a lifetime honour during the American College of Veterinary Pathologists’ (ACVP) virtual annual meeting on Nov. 1.
After 25 years, Dr. Gillian Muir is ready and well prepared for her newest role — acting dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).
Kiri Ashley is a child of the North. Born and raised in Yellowknife, N.W.T., and surrounded by a family of biologists, she grew up spending time in the outdoors — camping, fishing, hunting and boating or canoeing.
Dr. Stacy (Thacker) Anderson, an alumna of the University of Saskatchewan (USask), is the new dean of Lincoln Memorial University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) in Harrogate, Tenn.
Manitoba veterinarian Dr. Keri Hudson-Reykdal highlights Western Canada's regional veterinary college and her alma mater in the May 1 episode of her veterinary reality television show.
USask alumnus Dr. Arinjay Banerjee, who completed his PhD degree in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Veterinary Microbiology, works to understand human immunology amid crisis
Growing up in North Battleford, Dr. Charlotte Williams (DVM) always had animals.
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) honoured outstanding students and faculty at its annual fall awards banquet on Sept. 20.
Dr. Robin (Rob) Stevens had been a practicing physiotherapist for several years when he decided to adopt Cola, a rescue dog from Taiwan. Although Stevens knew he could provide a better life for Cola, he had no idea that his new pet would ultimately lead him to a new path in life as well.
Drs. Ernie Olfert and Peter Rempel were working at a fishing camp at Dore Lake, Sask., in 1965 when they received the letters that would change their lives.
Dr. Arinjay Banerjee (PhD) has always been a gifted student. However, as happens with many graduate students, the way Banerjee thought about his research was flawed at its core. It wasn’t until 2014, when he came to the University of Saskatchewan, that he realized it and changed.
The Companion Animal Health Fund (CAHF), a veterinary research fund at the University of Saskatchewan, has received a significant legacy gift from the estate of Dr. Michael Powell, a beloved small animal veterinarian who served the Saskatoon community for 35 years.
Manitoba veterinarian Dr. Jonas Watson has made philanthropy a priority throughout his veterinary career, and these acts of service have earned him a major international award.
One WCVM-trained veterinarian is at the forefront of caring for caribou and other wildlife as the official wildlife veterinarian for British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests.
Becoming a veterinarian was never a question for Dr. Jennifer Loewen, who had her career planned out since she was attending elementary school in her hometown of Winnipeg, Man.
Dr. Julie de Moissac couldn’t be happier with her lifestyle and work environment as the sole veterinarian at her practice near Outlook, Sask.
Horses have always been a big deal for Dr. Katherine Ball, who was seven when she got her first horse. After that she spent every possible moment riding or working in the barn.
Victor Kernaleguen first started working at a veterinary clinic when he was just 12 years old. His boss was his aunt, Dr. Anne Kernaleguen — a 1978 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) — who owned and operated a mixed animal practice in Stoughton, Sask.
A love of horses drew Dr. Megan Jurasek into a veterinary career. But a love of learning and an eye for opportunity are taking the recent graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) on a track to public service and regulatory medicine.
Relationships and trust — these two words sum up the core values that have guided Dr. Tom Schmidt throughout his veterinary career. Since his graduation from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in 1989, Schmidt has been a trusted clinician, adviser and friend to his clients in the North Battleford area.
Most people know Dr. Andrew (Andy) Acton first and foremost as the owner-operator of Deep South Animal Clinic in Ogema, Sask., a mixed-animal practice where he spends his days working to make both small and large animals alike live happy, healthy lives.
At the first job she ever held as a veterinarian, Dr. Leigh Rosengren remembers her boss telling her that he was going to keep piling things onto her plate until she cried — only then would he take one item off.
There’s a certain mystery to working in veterinary medicine, where each new patient can come as a kind of puzzle to solve — discovering the ins and outs of what makes them tick, unlocking whatever issue is at hand and sending them out the door happy and healthy once again.
One of the biggest lessons Dr. Alex Muzzin has learned as a small animal veterinarian is to pay almost as much attention to the people walking through her doors as she does to the pets they bring with them.
A leader in beef cattle production and medicine and an alumnus of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) has been awarded the 2018 Canadian Beef Industry Award for Outstanding Research and Innovation. Dr. Eugene Janzen was recently honoured for his work at the 2018 Canadian Beef Industry Conference, held in London, Ont.
For many people, poultry is simply another option in a long line of dinner ideas. But for Dr. Stewart J. Ritchie, president of Canadian Poultry Consultants Ltd. and S.J. Ritchie Research Farms Ltd., chickens (feathers) are a way of life.
If you’re looking to feed a lot of people, and feed them well, it only seems sensible to look for the largest beast on four legs you can find. Cows, pigs or even goats should fit the bill, right?
For 15 years of her life, Dr. Maia Aspé has ridden horses. Six of those years were spent chasing a career as a professional hunter-jumper before she found her calling in equine veterinary medicine.
When most people think of veterinarians, it’s likely that their first thoughts include a dog or cat — maybe even a horse — being nursed back to health and returned to its relieved owner.
Dr. Terri Chotowetz, a 1990 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and the University of Saskatchewan, is the new president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) during its 70th year of existence.
Two graduates of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) were among a group of award recipients honoured on July 6 during the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s (CVMA) annual convention in Vancouver, B.C.
Dr. Candace Lowe, a member of the Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba, is a role model on many fronts: she’s female, Indigenous and an example of what’s possible when a person finds her passion.
When Dr. Meagan Peats describes her average workday, her portrayal includes climbing behind the wheel of an equine ambulatory vehicle and hauling down dusty roads, past wide-open fields and into makeshift driveways to help treat horses of all shapes and sizes.
There’s never been a time in Dr. Chris Bell’s life that he wasn’t surrounded by horses.
When Dr. Blaine Tully graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), it was a given that he would return to his home province of Manitoba. Home and family beckoned.
Dr. Allan Preston believes in giving back to society – that guiding principle prompted him to get involved in student politics during high school, and it has continued to inspire him throughout a veterinary career that’s spanned four decades.
When Dr. Jenn Nyhof finished her veterinary degree at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) in 2016, she was offered the chance to conduct graduate studies in global health at Duke University which would send her travelling between North Carolina and Mongolia.
When people picture a career as a veterinarian, most probably think of the traditional veterinary clinic where practitioners care for a mix of large and small animal patients.
Much like a trek across the prairie, the career of Saskatchewan’s chief veterinary officer Dr. Betty Althouse has been a journey from one horizon to the next. Beyond each horizon, she has arrived at a new experience and a chance to gain knowledge.
Last November, Saskatchewan’s chief veterinary officer Dr. Betty Althouse was recognized for her outstanding contributions with the Saskatchewan Premier’s Award for Excellence in Public Service.
Dr. Oliver Schunicht, a 1994 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), was recently selected as the 2018 Boehringer Ingelheim-Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners (WCABP) Veterinarian of the Year.
It’s not uncommon for veterinarians to have visits from students, young and old, looking to soak up some of their carefully-accrued experience through on-site, experiential learning.
Ask any horse owner or equine veterinarian about the PowerFloat, and they’ll tell you that the rotary dental instrument is synonymous with equine dental care — an essential tool that’s well known in the horse community.
At The Link Conference on September 21, 2017, the Saskatchewan SPCA presented the Phil and Muriel Baines Humanitarian Award to Dr. Ernest Olfert. He was recognized for his contributions to animal welfare in Saskatchewan and across Canada.
They call it “The Ride” – a horseback adventure across Western Canada that began with David Nahachewsky’s bucket list, written after his run-in with cancer in 2001.
The Dawson Creek Veterinary Clinic is a busy mixed animal practice in British Columbia’s northeast Peace River region, just across the provincial boundary from Alberta.
Dr. Kathleen Anderson, a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan, will serve as the president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) in 2016.
A chance conversation with Dr. Hugh Townsend outside the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) led Dr. Joe Bracamonte to focus his career on equine health.
When Hugh Townsend showed up to work his shift at Vetavision one chilly day in November 1970, the second-year veterinary student had no way of knowing that his life was about to change forever.
Two western Canadian veterinarians recently earned their places in the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame, and their portraits now hang with other members of the country's "agricultural royalty."
From veterinarians and award-winning entrepreneurs to land developers and corporate practitioners, Drs. Zenon and Lorraine Forster of Humboldt, Sask., have travelled distinctive career paths since earning their veterinary degrees.
To mark the Western College of Veterinary Medicine's 50-year anniversary, some of the college's best and brightest graduates are returning to Saskatoon and sharing their expertise during the 2015 WCVM June Conference, June 11-13.
The man standing in front of Dr. Jane Vermeulen was well groomed, neatly dressed and articulate. When he asked her for a specific flea treatment for his two cats, she assumed he was a staff member from Our Place — an inner-city transition shelter in Victoria, B.C.
Dr. Wayne Burwash, a 1969 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), is the 2015 recipient of the Horse Industry Association of Alberta's (HIAA) Distinguished Service Award.
"Since I was eight years old, surrounded by barn cats, being a vet was all I wanted to be."
It started with an online friendship between two cattle veterinarians, and blossomed into a worldwide, viral campaign.
Dr. Brian Gibbs' decision to become a veterinarian was greatly influenced by one person: his grandmother.
Dr. Sarah Boston, a graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), is returning to her former hometown of Saskatoon and her alma mater to talk about her new book — Lucky Dog: How Being a Veterinarian Saved My Life.
Here's a roundup of news covering recent activities and achievements of student, faculty, staff, alumni and others who are linked to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).
Here's a roundup of news covering recent activities and achievements of student, faculty, staff, alumni and others who are linked to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).
The American Association of Equine Practitioners has named Kathleen Anderson, DVM, owner of Equine Veterinary Care PC in Elkton, Md., as its 2014 vice president.
