Our Medical Team

Dr. Caulkett is a veterinary anaesthesiologist at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. He graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine with his DVM degree in 1989 and became board certified in anaesthesiology in 1994. He has taught anaesthesiology at the college for many years (including many of the doctors at Alpine) until recently joining the University of Calgary faculty. Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre had the privilege of having Dr. Caulkett join us to review anaesthesia techniques and protocols and to implement new procedures in pain control. Dr. Caulkett has played a big role in developing the anaesthetic protocols at Alpine to some of the highest standards in private practice.

Dr. Faber is a veterinary dentist at Woodlands Veterinary Hospital and Animal Dental Centre in Calgary, Alberta. Our clinic has often referred dental cases to Dr. Faber and in 2008 we had the opportunity to bring her and a certified veterinary dental technician to the Yukon to do continuing education in veterinary dentistry with our veterinary team. Veterinary dentistry is an area of veterinary medicine that has seen a dramatic increase in research and implementation with subsequent dramatic improvements in the quality of life of our pets (see Dentistry section under Veterinary Services). Having a veterinary dentist visit Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre allowed the clinic to expand even further on our dental commitment to our patients.

Dr. Macdonald is a veterinary oncologist (cancer specialist) who teaches at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. She obtained her DVM degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College and finished her residency at the University of Wisconsin in Medical Oncology. Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre had a chance to have her visit the Yukon to perform a chemotherapy treatment for one of our patients. We were able to discuss oncology cases and learn chemotherapy techniques from her during her visit. It was a pleasure having her up to increase our knowledge base in the expanding field of veterinary oncology.

Dr. Vaden has been providing equine expertise to the Yukon for over 10 years and has been visiting Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre annually since the opening of the clinic. Each summer he travels north from his home town of Uvalde, Texas to do intensive specialty equine clinics with the veterinarians and staff of Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre and provide cutting edge medicine to the horse owners of the territory. The work Dr. Vaden does in the territory raises the bar on the standard of horse care and allows for improved treatment protocols and diagnostic abilities. It is a great pleasure to have Dr. Vaden with us each year. If you would like to enquire about the timing of clinics put on by Dr. Vaden, please feel free to contact our office..

Dr. Defalque is a veterinary dermatologist who is currently head of the Dermatology Service at Canada West Veterinary Specialists & Critical Care Hospital in Vancouver. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology and attended the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Liege, Liege, Belgium. After doing an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the National Veterinary School of Lyon, Lyon, France, Dr. Defalque completed a Dermatology Residency at Michigan State University and a Dermatology Lectureship at the University of Pennsylvania.

Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre was very pleased to host Dr. Defalque in July, 2009 for an evening in continuing education in the complex field of veterinary dermatology. Dermatology is a significant part of veterinary practice at our clinic and any chance to gain knowledge from specialists in this field is a great asset for our veterinarians and our patients.

In the summer of 2011, Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre brought Dr. Mike Higgins to the Yukon to give local veterinarians a two part presentation on veterinary neurology. Dr. Higgins is a neurologist with Canada West Veterinary Specialists & Critical Care Hospital in Vancouver. His insightful and practical presentations on common neurological conditions was a great asset to the Yukon veterinary community and we were very happy to have him make his way to the north.

Alpine Veterinary Medical Centre was very privileged to have Shawn McVey come up from his hometown of Chicago in the fall of 2011 to instruct an intensive weekend seminar with the Alpine Team. We will continue to work with Shawn over the years to come to create a veterinary centre that exemplifies excellence in the field of veterinary medicine.

Mr. McVey completed his graduate studies in Political Social Work and Behavioural Science and pursued a career as a Psychotherapist and Program Director in human psychiatric facilities in 1991. Shawn is the owner of McVey Management Solutions (formerly IVMS), a boutique consulting business that specializes in improving health care delivery systems and correcting workplace culture. Shawn is the former CEO of Eye Care for Animals, a Phoenix, AZ based veterinary ophthalmology company that holds 32 practices throughout the United States. Shawn is also the founder and co-owner of Veterinary Specialists in Private Practice (VSIPP), an annual conference that provides continuing education for Specialists and Administrators who deliver specialty medicine to the public. He is a graduate of VMI (Purdue’s Veterinary Management Institute), a former member of the Board of Directors of Pets Dx, a national veterinary imaging company, and is the first non-veterinarian to be named to the Board of Directors of the American Animal Hospital Association. Shawn is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Veterinary Economics and FirstLine magazine and has been named Speaker of the Year at both NAVC and the WVC. Shawn lectures to international audiences in and out of veterinary medicine approximately 50 times per year and holds quarterly retreats around the country for those interested in learning how to better manage their employees, their practices and their lives.