Meet Veterinary Specialist Andre Le Sueur
Andre Le Sueur, a fellow with the UC Davis clinic, knew early on that he wanted to choose the veterinary profession.
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.
Ever curious, he then studied kidney biomarkers in dogs with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis and spent an four additional years researching urinary biomarkers in dogs with infectious diseases for his Ph.D. Still intrigued, he subsequently spent two years as a fellow at North Carolina State University, where he gained further knowledge about focused extracorporeal therapies for animals requiring support for their kidney issues and was recognized as an ambassador from Brazil to the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS).
But Dr. Andre Le Sueur wasn’t done.
His journey of specialized study has led Le Sueur to San Diego, where he is currently a fellow in the Advanced Extracorporeal (Hemodialysis) and Urinary Disease Service at the UC Veterinary Medical Center, while also a resident of the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology (ACVNU). “UC Davis was a pioneer in this field – before anyone else in the world was doing lifesaving treatments like dialysis,” Le Sueur said. “It is a privilege to be a fellow and resident with this specialty at the center.”
The fellowship training, offered in both the San Diego center and at UC Davis’ hospital in Davis, is one of the few available in the world. This two-year program is designed to provide advanced specialty training in clinical nephrology. Fellowship training provides intensive coverage of all aspects of managing dialysis patients, including assessment, vascular access placement, and acute and chronic dialysis prescription and delivery, as well as advanced urinary endourology and minimally invasive procedures. Fellows like Le Sueur also manage a broad and active outpatient nephrology and urology caseload.
“Being here makes me become a better doctor – I am aligning with the highest standards of our practice at UC Davis, and we can deliver our best to patients, along with doing research and evidence-based medicine for the specialty.”
“Having this kind of specialized veterinary care for Southern California is really exciting,” said Le Sueur. “It is a privilege to learn and support the practice here, for our Southern California patients.”
The fellowship that Le Sueur holds is supported in part by many donors and grateful owners who believe in the importance of the specialized care provided at the UC Veterinary Medical Center in San Diego. “I am so grateful to the philanthropy that the center has received, both in support of the program that I am part of, but also in support of the new Janice K. Hobbs Veterinary Center Southern California,” said Le Sueur. “Just as much as we receive these donations, we give them back by improving these animals’ quality of life and our community. We continuously enhance our animal care with the latest equipment and practices in nephrology and veterinary medicine.”
Looking ahead, Le Sueur is eager to be a part of the opening of the UC Davis Hobbs Veterinary Center in 2026. “We will be able to help even more in the Southern California community, and having this specialty available to change the lives of more animals is fascinating.”