Vetting the Experts 2023

COASTAL VETERINARY ONCOLOGY

Andrew T. Daters MS, DVM, ACVIM Brittany Feldhaeusser DVM, ACVIM

335 Stephenson Ave., Savannah 70 Pennington Drive, Suite 10 Bluffton, South Carolina 912.355.5791 coastalveterinaryoncology.com

Education: Dr. Daters obtained his DVM and residency training at Louisiana State University; Dr. Feldhaeusser obtained her DVM and residency training at the University of Georgia

Specialty Certi cation for both: Oncology, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

I wish more of my patients’ owners knew … that as an oncologist my goal is to provide them with the information they need to make the decision that is right for them. I will support you and never pressure you into a speci c treatment, and I will be honest about my opinions and recommendations.

You owe it to your pet to ... stay with them when it is time to say goodbye. I know it’s hard to see them like that, but it is much less scary for them if they have their favorite person holding them and saying “I love you” during their nal moments.

A common and preventable pet ailment is ... mammary (breast) cancer. This cancer is hormonally dependent, so spaying a female dog or cat before they go through a heat cycle reduces her risk of developing mammary tumors to less than 1%.

One recent innovation in animal medicine is … genetic sequencing of canine tumors to identify mutations that can be treated with targeted therapies. This is bringing us one step closer to a more personalized medicine approach to treating cancer in animals.

My new favorite pet product is ... transdermal medications for cats. Cats are very dif cult to medicate orally, so being able to apply an ointment to their skin is much easier for most people and results in a better relationship with the cat.

If I were an animal, I would be … a manatee because they are calm, peaceful, trusting and always seem happy. They know the importance of slowing down and enjoying life.

–Answers provided by Brittany Feldhaeusser

BluePearl savannah

Education: Shealy: BS, Clemson University; MS and DVM, Louisiana State University; Intern, Animal Medical Center; MS Residency, Auburn University; Bradbury: BS, University of the Cumberlands; DVM, Auburn University; Intern, Georgia Veterinary Specialist; Residency, Hope Veterinary Specialist

Specialty Certi cation: Shealy: Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons; Bradbury: American College of Veterinary Surgeons – Small Animal

We’re proud to … be a member of the BluePearl family of specialty and emergency hospitals. BluePearl is a well-known, respected team of more than 95 specialty and emergency hospitals with similar values and a mission to enrich lives through remarkable care for pets. Over the last two years, we have slowly transitioned to a new name, BluePearl Savannah. Although our name changed, our commitment to excellent medical care remains the same.

The most commonly referred orthopedic condition is … ACL tearing.

A common and preventable pet ailment is … obesity. One of the best things an owner can do for his or her animal is keep them slim and trim.

We are excited to utilize … our new 128-Slice CT Scan. With 3D reconstruction of CT images, we can create 3D prints of bones and organs for presurgical planning and produce intraoperative implants.

We love practicing in Savannah because … pets are family here, and the pet-owning community appreciates the level of veterinary care available.

Dr. Shealy’s pet family includes … a German Shorthaired Pointer, ve barn cats, two miniature donkeys, several horses and many chickens.

Dr. Bradbury’s pet family includes … three French Bulldogs and gold sh.

We give back to the community by … assisting animal care groups and pet owners with costs for care when appropriate.

Atlas Animal HospitaL

Education: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana; Rotating Small Animal Internship, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Atlanta

I love practicing in Savannah because … it’s where I ful lled my dream of starting my own veterinary hospital.

I keep my own pets healthy by … running annual bloodwork. Detecting disease early allows us to provide better treatment options.

You owe it to your pet to … speak to your veterinarian if you notice signs such as overgrooming, licking paws or scratching. These are signs of itch and can lead to hair loss and infection. Dermatology is my favorite area of veterinary medicine.

My pets … include three French Bulldogs. I love brachycephalic breeds and have tailored our hospital protocols to meet many of their unique needs.

I am grateful for … the warm welcome we received from other veterinary hospitals in the area and for my amazing support staff. Many have been with us since we opened and are very dedicated to the veterinary profession.

It is important to me that … my clients fully understand and are comfortable with the treatment plan for their pet. We need to be a cohesive team.

You owe it to your pet to ... socialize them as much as possible. For nervous puppies or new rescue pups, we recommend stopping by the of ce for treats and to say “hello.” This helps us build a bond with our patients and limit fear.

You’d never guess I ... would have wanted to become a orist if I couldn’t be a veterinarian!

Emily

Live Oak Veterinary Specialists

Jason King DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), cVMA, cVPP

Carrie Santare DVM, DACVIM (Neurology)

Michael Cocchiaro DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)

335 Stephenson Ave. 912.662.7544

liveoakvetneuro.com

Education: King: DVM at University of Georgia and Residency at University of California-Davis; Santare: DVM at Cornell University and Residency at University of Florida; Cocchiaro: DVM at Texas A&M University and Residency at University of California-Davis

Specialty Certi cations: Veterinary Neurology, Neurosurgery, Acupuncture, Pain Management and Cardiology

What’s new with Live Oak Veterinary Specialists?

King: We brought Dr. Cocchiaro on last year to offer cardiology services, and Dr. Carrie Santare joined us this spring as our second neurologist.

Have you had any interesting cases in the past year?

King: We had a little Springer Spaniel with a spinal column birth defect. She had a severe humpback that was compressing her spinal cord to the point that she couldn’t walk.

Santare: We made a 3D print of her spine so we could plan the surgery. This was great because we had a much better idea of what we were getting into before we even went into the operating room. We had a little model in the operating room that we could look at while we were doing her procedure. She did really well after surgery, and she’s running and swimming at home now.

King: I don’t know that we could have helped her if there hadn’t been two of us in that operating room together! We’ve also had several cases present for neurologic conditions that turned out to be due to cardiac disease.

Cocchiaro: There was one little dog that came in for seizures but we gured out it was actually his heart that was the problem. He’s doing great on medications now. He was in pretty bad shape before we get that sorted out! Thankfully, we’ve got an incredible team of support staff that allows us the exibility to get the pet where they need to go between the three of us!