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.
Dr. Cedric Dufayet can’t recall a time when he didn’t want to be a veterinarian. Now a nephrologist at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center – San Diego (UCVMC-SD), he leads a specialized hemodialysis and urinary disease program, one of about 15 in the country, and one of just a few in the state.
When UC Davis opened the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center San Diego in the early 2000s, the school had the foresight to bring on a pharmacist on site. Even to this day, having an on-site pharmacist is not common at most veterinary hospitals, mainly due to the cost to operate a pharmacy at a veterinary hospital and the small number of pharmacists with veterinary training.
Dr. Joao S. Orvalho is a veterinary cardiologist with 20 years of experience at UC Davis, including 17 years at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center in San Diego.
