Posted: April 6, 2012

Darren is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology. He started on faculty in 2002. Prior to that he was a Clinical Instructor at the university of Wisconsin. His DVM is from the University of PEI (1994) and he completed a one year rotating internship in small animal medicine/surgery at Washington State University. Darren’s specialities are Clinical Pathology and he is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. “He is an amazingly well-rounded faculty members [and is] recognized for his talents in clinical pathology, teaching and research” wrote Dr. Robert Jacobs, chair of the Department of Pathobiology.

Posted: April 6, 2012

While in private practice in Saskatchewan, Gavin saw the need for trained staff to assist veterinarians. Although an unpopular concept at the time, he persisted in this belief and pursued the notion that animal health technicians should have standardized training with emphasis on practical, hands on components. He developed policies and procedures for accreditation and the Animal Health Technologist/Veterinary Technician Program Accreditation Committee (AHTVPAC) was accepted as a permanent committee of the CVMA. He went on to negotiate an agreement between the CVMA and the AVMA to accept “mutual recognition equivalency” of graduates accredited programs in the USA and Canada.

Gavin also saw the need to establish a veterinary college in Western Canada. The site chosen was the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon and his private practice was absorbed by the University.He made major contributions to his profession. He lectured at undergraduate and graduate levels: the list of lectures and seminars given at meetings and conferences, national and global, fill several pages of his extensive curriculum vitae. He published scientific papers, contributed to chapters in books and reviewed articles for veterinary journals as well as was invited to lecture at conferences at home and abroad including Gambia, Indonesia, Guyana, Jamaica, The Netherlands, and the US.

Gavin has also participated in the University of Guelph Alumni-in-Action oral history initiative.  If you would like to listen to his interview or read a transcript of it, please visit the Alumni-in-Action page.

Posted: April 6, 2012

Conrad was the Exective Director and one of the founding members of Christian Veterinary Missions of Canada (CVMC). As a poultry specialist, beginning in 2002, Conrad poured his life into the Sierra Leone poultry project with the goal of helping impoverished people in a war torn country earn an income to nourish, educate, and have access to healthcare. He worked to set up poultry flocks in a sustainable and profitable manner for those living in Sierra Leone. This project is still in the works. Currently Conrad continues his service in Sierra Leone.

Posted: February 16, 2012

The OVC Alumni Association (OVCAA) is seeking nominations for its annual awards recognizing the outstanding contributions and accomplishments of Ontario Veterinary College graduates.

If you have a friend, colleague or classmate from OVC, or if you are a member of the public and you know a veterinarian who graduated from OVC who deserves to be recognized for the things he or she has done, consider nominating that person for one of the OVC AA’s three annual awards.

The current nomination deadline is March 1, 2012.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes OVC graduates who have brought honour to their alma mater and fellow alumni by contributing to one or more of the follow areas: alumni affairs; education; community; profession; country, and the sciences. Last year’s winner was Dr. Bernard McSherry.

The Young Alumnus Award recognizes those who have made a significant contribution in their field within fifteen years of completing their DVM or graduate degree from a department within the OVC.  Last year’s winner was Dr. Pat Turner.

The Alumni Volunteer award celebrates OVC graduates who have brought honour and recognition to OVC by volunteering their time within the college, community, a veterinary organization, nationally and/or internationally. Recent winners include Drs. Brian Ausman and Mary DeCaire.

For more information, contact OVC alumni manager Tara Collins at tcolli02@uoguelph.ca or Ext. 54454 or visit our Award Nominations page to download a nomination form.

Posted: October 5, 2011

Looking back, Dr. Carin Wittnich never would have guessed that a degree in veterinary medicine would have led to a career focused on human cardiovascular health.

Nor could Wittnich, who because of her veterinary background has often felt like “sort of an oddball” among her medical colleagues, have predicted she would be considered a role model for future generations of vets. But she is.

Wittnich, OVC ‘76, was named the OVC Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumna in 2005. Currently a professor in the University of Toronto’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Wittnich was also a professor in U of T’s surgery and physiology departments and director of the university’s collaborative cardiovascular sciences program.

Her research efforts are in two major areas: marine mammals and cardiovascular health. marine mammal research program explores various aspects of the interaction between the ecology and environment of many different aquatic mammal species both in Canada and abroad. Wittnich’s cardiovascular program explores the role of maturation in the heart’s metabolic and functional responses to stressors such as reductions in blood flow or abnormally high or low oxygen levels.

Wittnich’s professional enthusiasm for research and teaching has spilled over into her community involvement in promoting environmental awareness, women’s and children’s health, as well as innovative programs to help Alzheimer’s patients and autistic children. She helped found the Oceanographic Environmental Research Society (OERS). Her work with the Heart and Stroke Foundation on gender differences and heart disease resulted in her being awarded the Order of Ontario in 2001 and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002.

Wittnich also created several new graduate and undergraduate courses at U of T. In 1991, she established the first cardiovascular sciences collaborative program in Canada and this led to her being named the inaugural Northrop Frye Scholar for her ability to combine science and education.

Posted: October 4, 2011

Donal McKeown, OVC ’58, built a career in both the United States and Canada as a small-animal practitioner, orthopedic surgeon, educator and specialist in animal behaviour.

He taught at OVC for many years and founded four business ventures focused on small-animal health and nutrition. In 2004, he was named the University of Guelph Alumni Association’s Alumnus of Honour for his leadership in the veterinary profession, his contributions to education and his community involvement.

After graduating from OVC, McKeown was a partner at a prestigious small animal clinic, Friendship Animal Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he had the distinction of caring for the pets of two U.S. presidents (Johnson and Nixon). He returned to Canada in 1974 to become a professor at OVC, first as a surgeon in the Department of Clinical Studies.

Later, his interests evolved to include animal behaviour, and he spent his last years at OVC in the Department of Population Medicine. He is considered a pioneer in animal behaviour work and was a popular speaker at national and international conferences.

Through his work in animal behaviour, McKeown became involved in educating police and customs officials about how to train canine rescue and police dogs.

He also became involved in industry during his time and OVC and following his retirement. He was one of the founders of Veterinary Medical Diets, a pet food company based in Guelph, and also founded three other companies including PABA, the Canadian distributors of the “Gentle Leader” line of products.

McKeown is well known for his leadership as an early president of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA), and was named Ontario Veterinarian of the Year in 1989 by the OVMA.

Posted: October 4, 2011

Widely recognized as a dedicated teacher, researcher and administrator, Dr. Ted Valli OVC ’62 was named OVC’s Distinguished Alumnus in 2004.

After completing his DVM, Valli continued his studies at Guelph where he earned MSc and PhD degrees in 1967 and 1969. He then became a faculty member in the OVC’s Department of Pathology. In addition to the more than 200 refereed papers Valli authored during his career, he also supervised the work of over 30 graduate students, including five who became faculty members at OVC. He once said working with graduate students was what he enjoyed most. “They were a marvellous part of being a professor,” he said in 2004. “They ate my food, borrowed my clothes, drove my car - we were like a family.”

He became chair of OVC’s Department of Pathology in 1979, and later served as Associate Dean of Research at OVC from 1985 to 1990. He left the College to act as Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, a position he held for two terms.

Valli’s friends and colleagues speak of his strong work ethic and his enthusiasm for clinical pathology. He was known to sleep at his laboratory when necessary, in order to conduct blood tests on animals every few hours. “We had a lab timer that made a devastating noise when it went off, and we relied on it to keep us awake,” he remembers.

Posted: October 3, 2011

Dr. Clifford Ian Chappel, and OVC ’50 graduate who went on to become a world-renowned medical researcher and entrepreneur, was honoured in 2003 as the OVC AA’s Distinguished Alumnus and the University of Guelph Alumni Association’s Alumnus of Honour.

After graduating from OVC, Chappel pursued graduate studies in the Department of Medicine at McGill University, earning a Ph.D. in Investigative Medicine.

Chappel’s distinguished career in medical research and business as the Director of Biological Research at Ayerst Laboratories Ltd. in Montreal, where he made a significant contribution to medical science through his discovery of acepromazine, a widely-used tranquilizer in veterinary medicine.

Later, he founded several research consulting companies, including Bio-Research Laboratories Ltd., Eco-Research Ltd. and CanTox Inc. He also formed Bio-Breeding Laboratories Ltd., a laboratory animal breeding facility in Ottawa.

Among his scientific accomplishments is the discovery of the BB rat, the first animal model for juvenile diabetes. These rats are now raised in colonies worldwide, allowing pathologists to examine progressive changes in the pancreas before the onset of diabetes.

A past-president of the Pharmacological Society of Canada and a founding member and first president of the Society of Toxicology of Canada, Chappel authored more than 60 scientific papers and reviews in investigative medicine, pharmacology and toxicology.

In 1987, Chappel established OVC’s annual Chappel Memorial Lecture in memory of his father. The lecture series allows University of Guelph faculty and students to learn from world-renowned biomedical scientists through an annual lecture and informal meetings.

“I grew up within a stone’s throw of OVC,” he says. “On my way home from school, along with my chums, we would stop by the vet school the large animal surgery at that time had large ground-floor windows where little boys could watch surgeries. That’s what convinced me of what I wanted to do.”

Posted: October 2, 2011

Dr. Tom Hulland OVC ’54 joined the faculty of the College during a period of remarkable growth that saw OVC become one of the best veterinary schools in the world.

In 2002, his many contributions to the veterinary profession were celebrated with the OVC AA Distinguished Alumnus Award.

After graduating from OVC in 1954, Hulland worked as a large animal practitioner before pursuing his PhD at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Edinburgh. When he returned to OVC in 1958 as an Assistant Professor, he brought with him something only two other faculty members had — an advanced research degree.

At the time OVC was not considered a research institution and the DVM was considered the highest qualification for faculty. Professors who had graduate degrees brought a new level of sophistication to the College.

Hulland chaired the Department of Pathology from 1967 to 1969 and served as associate dean of academic affairs from 1969 to 1981. He also chaired many University committees and played a key role in the design of the classrooms in the Lifetime Learning Centre.

In addition to his dedication to his many administrative positions, Hulland excelled at research and teaching. He returned to a full research program after his 12-year term as associate dean and was twice chosen for the Award for Teaching Excellence by the senior graduating class of OVC. He also received U of G’s Medal of Merit.

Hulland was the second Canadian to attain diplomate status with the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, an organization he later served as president. He was also president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, London, England.

Over the years, Hulland remained an active alumnus and community volunteer and made numerous gifts of art to the Tom Thompson Gallery in Owen Sound and to the University collection at the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre.

Posted: October 1, 2011

Dr. James Archibald is regarded as a pioneer in the development of veterinary surgery whose work influenced both animal and human surgical techniques. Named the OVC AA’s Distinguished Alumnus in 2001, the College’s Small Animal Clinic also bears his name in honour of his legacy. Archibald died in December 2004 in his 86th year.

After graduating from OVC in 1949, Archibald immediately accepted a faculty position at the College. During his 37-year career, some of the most extraordinary advances in veterinary medicine took place, and many of them were the direct result of his foresight and talent as a surgeon.

Archibald insisted on using sterile surgery practices and demanded that a proper operating suite be constructed at OVC. The young professor won the support of deans Andrew McNabb and Trevor Lloyd Jones, and the result was better patient care and expanded services in both small- and large-animal surgery. With OVC colleague Harry Downie, Archibald pioneered work in animal heart and kidney transplants that led to techniques later used in human medicine. During his career, Archibald served as chair of the Department of Clinical Studies, director of Animal-Care Services, acting associate dean of research at OVC and a member of Board of Governors.

He was published extensively in veterinary journals, edited two editions of the textbook Canine Surgery and co-authored a text titled Experimental Surgery. He was one of the founders of the American College of Veterinary Surgery, and one of the first editors of the Canadian Veterinary Journal.

Archibald’s many honours include election to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in England, being named University professor emeritus at U of G and receiving the Order of Ontario in 1990.