Dr. Juli White earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of California Santa Barbara in 1992. She graduated from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California Davis in 1997. After graduation she completed a one year formal internship at Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver, Colorado. This internship included additional training in Internal Medicine, Surgery and Radiology with a special emphasis on Emergency Medicine and Critical Care.

For two years after her internship, Dr. White practiced Emergency Medicine full time at Veterinary Specialists of Kansas City in Overland Park, Kansas. These two years of practice allowed her to continue her training in an informal setting by working side by side with board-certified specialists in Internal Medicine. Surgery, Dermatology, Opthalmology, and Radiology.

Since July of 2000, Dr. White has been a full time associate with the Animal Emergency Centre. In 2004, she expanded her involvement in the practice by becoming Staff Manager. She loves the excitement of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine and the pets and people that she gets to interact with on a nightly basis.

Article: Xylitol Toxicity in Dogs - Juli White (pdf)

Article: Beta 2 Agonist Inhaler Toxicoses in Dogs - Juli White (pdf)

Article: Zing Toxicity in Pets - Juli White (pdf)

Charisse Davidson, DVM, MS, graduated from the University of California at Davis in 1996, Cum Laude. Thereafter, she completed an internship in avian and exotic medicine in 1997, and earned a Master's Degree in Ecology in 1998.

In 2001, Dr. Davidson completed a Surgical Internship at the California Animal Hospital and, thereafter, an American College of Veterinary Surgeons approved residency program at VetSurg in 2004. Dr. Davidson successfully completed her certification examinations and is Board Certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Dr. Davidson's professional interests include orthopedics, surgical oncology, neurology, arthroscopy, pain management including stem cell therapy for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis and tendon/ligament injuries. She has been TPLO certified since 2002 and is also certified in Penn HIP evaluation. She has authored publications in both pain management and orthopedics as well as authored textbook chapters in small animal orthopedics and avian medicine.

Dr. Davidson has a son, Micah, a daughter, Kiele, and Annie, a 9-year-old Labrador Retriever.

Dr. Bausman received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University. 

Following veterinary school he completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine, surgery and critical care at Southwest Veterinary Hospital in Tucson, Arizona.  Thereafter he successfully completed a small animal surgical internship and residency at Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles, CA where he remained as a staff surgeon until becoming a partner at VSV.

Dr. Bausman has lectured nationally and internationally on topics relating to adult stem cell therapy for the treatment of arthritis, ligament repair in the canine stifle, total hip replacement in canines and ion currents in cardiac muscle.  He appeared on ABC’s Night Line News regarding his use of adult derived stem cells for treating arthritis.

He is currently active in clinical trials using adult derived stem cell therapy. Other areas of professional interest include limb alignment and joint replacement surgeries, management of severe and chronic wounds, the use of vacuum assisted closure in veterinary patients and post-operative physical therapy.

You can usually find him with his constant companion/shadow, Chino, a lovable pit bull that has saved numerous lives through blood donations. When not at work, he enjoys working out, trail running, snowboarding and skiing, golfing, and is trying his hand at surfing.

Article: Stem Cell Therapy in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis - Jerrold Bausman (pdf)

Article: Total Hip Arthroplasty in the Veterinary Patient - Jerrold Bausman (pdf)

A native Californian, Dr. Morgan Thomas Cavanaugh graduated with honors from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1993 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. He was accepted into the Ivy League Veterinary program at University of Pennsylvania and graduated cum laude in 1998. After graduation he returned to California to complete a one year Surgery internship at California Animal Hospital with emphasis on Emergency Medicine and Critical Care.

In 1999, Dr. Cavanaugh began working as a fulltime associate with the Animal Emergency Centre. After falling in love with the patients and practice, he became an owner of the rapidly growing emergency hospital in 2001. Under his leadership the Animal Emergency Centre has continued to expand and grow. In 2005, the hospital was relocated to a brand new modern facility which offers the latest in cutting edge technology for emergency and critical care.

His hobbies include surfing, scuba diving and travel.

Article: Feline Urolithiasis - Morgan Cavanaugh (pdf)

Dr. Debra Rackear received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida.  After graduation, she was selected for a one year small animal internship at the prestigious Animal Medical Center in New York City.  Following her internship, she completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California at Davis.

Dr. Rackear has been board certified in internal medicine since 1989. She has published multiple research papers, including studying the effects of aspirin on blood clotting, and publishing the first research paper demonstrating the toxic effects of onions on red blood cell function.

Dr. Rackear’s professional interests include ultrasonography, endoscopy, endocrine disorders including Cushing’s disease and diabetes mellitus, hepatic and renal disorders, and cancer diagnostics and chemotherapy.

Dr. Rackear is also on the medical advisory board of the Los Angeles Zoo. She has given her internal medicine expertise on a wide variety of patients there, including performing a spinal tap on a koala bear and liver biopsy for a monkey.

When not at work, Dr. Rackear enjoys hiking in her Topanga Canyon neighborhood, tending to her orchids, singing and playing guitar, and getting bossed around by her two German Shepherd dogs, Bandit and Ranger.

Article: Use of Antioxidants in Chronic Liver Disease - Debra Rackear (pdf)

Article: Immune Mediated Anemia - Debra Rackear (pdf)

Dr. Luce received a B.S. in Zoology from Duke University in 1989, and went on to graduate from the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994.  Her primary focus has always been on emergency and critical care medicine.

By practicing almost exclusively in Specialty and Referral hospitals, Dr. Luce has obtained a broad base of knowledge and experience in other fields including internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, and ophthalmology, in addition to general practice and preventative health care.  Her special interests are emergency and critical care, with an emphasis on pain management.

In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Luce has been providing RACE approved continuing education lectures and labs on pain management on behalf of Pfizer as part of their pain management educational team since 1999.  She works as a veterinary informational resource on several prominent websites, including VIN- the Veterinary Information Network- which provides support for veterinarians all over the world.

She has published articles and practice tips in Veterinary Technician magazine and Veterinary Forum magazine, as well as Pulse magazine.

Outside of work, she enjoys riding and training in the equine discipline of hunters/jumpers.  She is also a 500 hour certified yoga instructor.

Article: Prophylactic Gastropexy in Dogs - Kimberly Luce (pdf)

David Hager, DVM, MD
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology

Dr. Hager is a board certified veterinary radiologist, and has a unique background in medical and radiologic training in that he is both a veterinarian and a physician. He received his veterinary degree in 1980 from Purdue University, completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Louisiana State University and then underwent a three year veterinary radiology residency at the University of California, Davis, that culminated in board certification as a veterinary radiologist in 1984. He joined the faculty at the University of Florida as an Assistant Professor for four years before establishing a radiology practice in San Diego in 1988.

Due to an intense interest in comparative medicine and advanced imaging procedures, Dr. Hager attended medical school at the University of California, Davis and graduated in 1994, while maintaining a radiology practice in San Diego. As part of his human medical training, he completed a transitional internship at Mercy Hospital in San Diego and two years of radiology residency at the University of California, San Diego.

In San Diego, he established and later sold, a stand alone veterinary diagnostic imaging center. The center provided nuclear medicine, ultrasound, CT and MR imaging along with hyperthyroid cat treatment. Recently, Dr. Hager's practice has evolved into emphasizing teleradiology consultations with a special interest in MR and CT imaging. Dr. Hager has over forty articles on veterinary radiology topics published in various veterinary journals and has spoken both nationally and internationally on veterinary radiology subjects.

Dr. Hager continues his interest in comparative human and veterinary radiology while striving to obtain the highest quality of diagnostic imaging for his veterinary patients and practice. Having been a cat lover his entire career, Dr. Hager continues to own and manage the Animal Imaging & Treatment Center (www.animalimaging.org) in Las Vegas, NV, a hyperthyroid cat treatment center.

Dr. da Silva Curiel graduated from the University of Calgary in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree (in Animal Biology).  In 1986, she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (with distinction) from the University of Saskatchewan.  After completing a one year post-graduate internship in general veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri, Dr. da Silva Curiel then completed a three year residency program in comparative veterinary ophthalmology at the University of California, Davis, and the University of Missouri. 

Dr. da Silva Curiel has been in continuous private practice since 1990. She became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists in 1990 and served as a member of the Board-Certification Examination Committee for the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists from 2001-2004. 

Dr. da Silva Curiel works at our hosptial one day a week - and spends the rest of her time at her own clinic.

Dr. Jeannette da Silva Curiel is a proud member of the following organizations:

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO)
The Canadian Association of Veterinary Ophthalmology (CAVO)
The California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)
The Southern California Veterinary Medical Association (SCVMA)
The Santa Barbara and Ventura Veterinary Medical Association (SBVVMA)
The Veterinary Information Network (VIN)
The Phi Zeta Society, Pi Chapter (Veterinary Honor Society)

Dr. Shannon Carley graduated from Oregon State University in 2004.  Following graduation, Dr. Carley completed a 12 month rotating internship followed by her Internal Medicine Residency at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists in the San Francisco Bay Area which she completed in 2007. 

Dr. Carley’s primary research area is canine pancreatitis, and currently she is publishing her research on the Spec cPL, a blood test to diagnose pancreatitis.  She also presented her research at a national conference, and has lectured on various other topics. 

In addition to pancreatitis, Dr. Carley’s clinical interests include gastrointestinal diseases and endoscopy, hepatic disease, renal disease, endocrine conditions, and immune-mediated diseases.

Dr. Carley resides with her husband, baby boy Joshua and a 3-legged cat.  She enjoys running, going to the beach, hiking, music and reading.

Article: Canine Leptospirosis - Shannon Carly (pdf)

Dr. Renee Fenty attended Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and was awarded a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. She completed a rotating small animal internship at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston in 2006, and worked as an emergency clinician for one year at Roberts Animal Hospital in Hanover, Massachusetts before returning to Tufts University for a 3-year residency in emergency and critical care in 2007.

Dr. Fenty completed her residency in July 2010. Her clinical research involving clotting abnormalities in dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia was recently accepted for publication by the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Professional interests: Trauma, coagulopathies, transfusion medicine, immune-mediated disease, sepsis. In her free time, Dr. Fenty enjoys biking, hiking, yoga, and horseback riding.

Dr. Bianco received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1998 and a Ph.D in 2002 in Small Animal Physiology from the University of Torino, School of Veterinary Medicine in Italy.  In 2008, Dr. Bianco completed a Residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota in 2008.  He has been in private practice since completion of his residency and is proud to be the newest full time member of our Internal Medicine team.