Daniela Bedenice, Dr. med. vet., Diplomate ACVIM
Assistant Professor
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
Daniela Bedenice graduated from the Free University of Berlin University (Germany) in 1997 and subsequently completed a Dorothy Havemeyer neonatal research fellowship and large animal medicine residency at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University (TCSVM). During this time she actively pursued her interests in camelid medicine and critical care, with a growing clientele of llamas and alpacas. Dr. Bedenice became board certified in the specialty of large animal internal medicine in 2002, followed by large animal emergency and critical care in 2005. She continues to work as an assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts, which combines teaching, research and a clinical referral service in the field of camelid as well as equine health care. Her special interests lie in comparative respiratory medicine, emerging infectious diseases in llamas and alpacas (emphasis on BVDV and EEE), as well as newborn and adult intensive care. In addition, she operates a small farm with fourteen alpacas.
Robert J. Callan, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM
Dr. Callan is an associate professor at Colorado State University in the Department of Clinical Sciences and is section chief of the Livestock Veterinary Services at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. He obtained his DVM degree at Oregon State University and then obtained
a MS in reproductive physiology at Utah State University. Dr. Callan completed a residency in large animal internal medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he also obtained a PhD in virology. He has been a faculty member at CSU since 1996 and provides clinical care for ruminant and camelid livestock at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Dr. Callan is a member of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. His research interests focus on infectious diseases and immunity in livestock.
Steve Purdy, DVM
Steve Purdy received his DVM degree in 1981 from the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. Dr. Purdy is Associate Professor of Veterinary Education, Director of Camelid Studies, and Director of the Fund for Education and Research in Large Animal Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is also the director of the Camelid Reproduction Center at UMass Amherst. Dr. Purdy is very interested in the preventive medicine aspect of the management of camelids. His special interests include reproduction, neonatal care, nutrition, and infectious diseases. He emphasizes a hands on practical approach to caring for livestock, while keeping their environment as stress free and natural as possible. Dr. Purdy is committed to teaching practical large animal subjects to undergraduate and graduate students, and to helping undergraduate students gain admittance to veterinary school for a career as a large animal vet. He is involved in practical research and educational projects which promote improvement of camelid health.
Claire E. Whitehead, BVM&S MS DA CVIM MRCVS
Claire Whitehead was born in Reading in the UK. She had her first experience with camelids in 1989 when her family bought five alpacas. She graduated from the Edinburgh Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 1999. Thereaft er she worked in mixed and small animal practice while developing an interest in camelid work. In 2002 she moved to the US to work with David Anderson at The Ohio State University, and completed a Residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine in July 2005. Llamas and alpacas formed approximately 95% of her caseload there. She stayed on at Ohio State for another year as a clinical instructor in Camelid Medicine and Reproduction. In February 2007, she took up a position at the Royal Veterinary College near Hatfield where she establishing a Camelid Medicine and Reproduction referral service. This is the first specialist referral service catering specifically to the camelid community in the UK. Her main research interests include vitamin D metabolism, neonatology, immunology, and neurological diseases.
Jeffery Lakritz, DVM, PhD, ACVIM
Ohio State University
College of Veterinary Medicine, ICI Director