Newsletter

Cupcake came to the UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego in need of care from the center’s cardiology specialty team. Thanks to compassionate care funds made available through philanthropic support, Cupcake received critical treatment at the time she needed it most.

Here is Cupcake's inspiring story. 

With heartfelt appreciation and love, we want to thank you for your generous support of Cupcake’s Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) surgery. 

In March, 2024, the school announced that with the assistance of donor Janice K. Hobbs it purchased a building in San Diego to expand its veterinary services in Southern California.

As the new UC Davis Hobbs Veterinary Center buildout continues, the construction team has been laying the foundation and groundwork for the center to start being framed out. The floor has been placed, along with most major utilities.

Dennice Wilson and Choon Neo Siow grew up in very different environments, yet both found deep connection with the animals around them. Dennice sought out pets and animals everywhere she could as a child growing up in Southern California. Choon Neo lived in an urban Singaporean jungle where monkeys and wild boars lived hidden in rainforest that the city island still preserved, wild animals would encounter from time to time.

For Ashley Lahti, caring for animals of every kind is at the heart of everything she does. She is one of the Animal Health Technicians at the UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego, with a focus on the center’s cardiology specialty. Her care for each patient is central to her day to day work at the clinic. Ashley’s vision also extends beyond the clinic, as her long-term career goal is to eventually work in conservation medicine (wildlife medicine) as a veterinarian. 

Margaret Wilson (Maggie) has worked with the UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego for almost nine years, and loves that every day is a little different. As one of the clinic’s Client Services Representatives, she enjoys meeting pets and their owners and helping them navigate questions with the care team. “Visiting the clinic can be stressful for the pets and their owners, too. I enjoy working with them to make sure their experience is as smooth as possible.”

When Sarge, a Belgian Malinois, first joined Sydney and her husband Dahlton Seel's family, he was still young – under a year old. Dahlton trains dogs for families, and he bonded with Sarge immediately. Sarge was a happy puppy, and got along well with their other two dogs.

“Our work has so much variety to it. In one day, I could put it in a jug cap, place a catheter, I could draw blood, collect urine. I could be in the pharmacy coordinating medications. And I'm also calling clients to see how their pet is doing, checking in to see if they have any other questions about their recent visit.”

Time spent on his grandfather’s farm as a boy in Brazil led Andre Le Sueur to become a veterinarian. But that wasn’t enough – veterinary school sparked an interest in nephrology, which studies and treats diseases and conditions of the kidneys, and it took additional years to develop that specialty. Le Sueur served two years as a small animal internal medicine resident at São Paulo State University and then earned his master’s degree specializing in the field. 

A typical day for a veterinary cardiologist is usually not “typical” due to the variety of cases, says Dr. Timothy Hodge, DVM, DACVM, veterinary cardiologist at the UC Veterinary Medical Center, Southern California. This specialty is essential for diagnosing and managing different types of heart-related issues in companion animals, and sometimes in larger animals such as horses, and those at the San Diego Zoo. 

Thanks to the visionary philanthropy of Janice K. Hobbs, the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California will consolidate and expand UC Davis’ veterinary presence in Southern California. With Hobbs’  generous contribution. the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine was able to purchase 5040 Shoreham Place in San Diego. Following renovation, the 23,000-square-foot facility will become the center’s new home.