Wellness Exams & Vaccines
Veterinarians
Dr. Heather Steele
One of Dr. Steele's earliest memories of veterinary medicine is going on farm visits with her veterinarian father as a young girl, acting as his secretary, helping to fill in paperwork and label samples he collected. The Steele family had many pets growing up. From their Irish Setter Mickey (who had a litter of pups when Heather was only a few years old), to her rabbit Zipper, her hamster TJ, and her budgies Bluebell and Buttercup, Heather was always surrounded by animals. At 12 years of age, Heather finally convinced her parents to let her have her very own pet – a guinea pig named Patches. Since Patches, Heather has lived with many guinea pigs and these tiny friends now hold a very special place in her heart. Heather was always concerned for wildlife and was often found rehabilitating robins, sparrows, frogs and other injured creatures until they could be released back to nature (or performing funerals for the poor ones that didn’t make it). Her desire to help animals led her to volunteer at various small animal and emergency clinics prior to entering veterinary school. Heather grew up in Camrose, Alberta and after high school completed three years of a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Biology at Augustana University College and the University of Alberta. She was then accepted into the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and graduated in 2000. During her veterinary years she pursued her interest in exotic animals, volunteering with the Wild and Exotic Animal Medicine team at the WCVM and taking rotations in exotic pet medicine, game farming, and external classes at the Calgary Zoo as well as a chicken medicine rotation in Ontario. During the summer following her third year, Heather did her preceptorship at South Side Animal Hospital with Dr. Ed Neufeld and became interested in cat and dog medicine and surgery, also developing a strong love for this clinic and its amazing clients. After graduating from veterinary school, Heather worked in Wetaskiwin doing a mix of large and small animal practice including cats, dogs, horses, cattle, birds, alpacas, bison, goats, sheep, and elk. She then moved to a small animal practice in Sherwood Park for 2 years. When an opportunity arose for Heather to return to work at South Side Animal Hospital, she was excited to come back as a part time veterinarian in 2003. During this time, Heather also worked as a locum veterinarian filling in shifts at many different small animal and emergency clinics in Edmonton. In 2006, Heather increased to full time at South Side Animal Hospital, taking over as clinic owner when Dr. Neufeld retired. Heather loves her job as a veterinarian and enjoys being able to interact on a daily basis with both pets and owners. She enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine and has a special interest in surgery (soft tissue, orthopedics and dentistry), exotic companion mammal medicine and surgery, and cancer treatment including chemotherapy. Heather also enjoys being a manager and clinic owner and is extremely proud of her amazing team at South Side Animal Hospital and how dedicated they are to all animals and the people who love them. She believes strongly in promoting the veterinary profession and mentors students that are thinking of entering the veterinary field, as well as taking on placement students from animal health technologist, veterinary assistant, and veterinary schools. In her spare time, Heather enjoys working with wildlife patients and has volunteered with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Edmonton (WRSE) since 2003. Heather has served on the needs committee for the Animal Cancer Therapy Subsidization Society and as a board member for WRSE. Heather and her dog Bella go on classroom visits to teach elementary school students about veterinary medicine and participate in science fairs as requested. Heather and her husband Dean also share their home with their 14 year old Pug mix Bella, their cat Jack, and their foster dog Little Bella. Dean has become a great help at medicating and treating all of these senior pets! Heather is also an avid curler and enjoys competitive curling and assisting with junior programs for kids. She also teaches Sunday School at her local church. |
Dr. Elizabeth Hodges
Dr. Elizabeth Hodges joined our team at South Side Animal Hospital in the fall of 2017. Elizabeth graduated from the University of Calgary's Veterinary Medicine program in 2016 and has been working in small animal practice since this time. She shares her home with her husband Keith, their cat Earl, and their Great Dane Macy. |
Dr. Meryam Shillingford
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Dr. Luning Zhou
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Dr. Maria Sung
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Lauren Sherwood
Dr. Lauren Sherwood joined our team in January 2024. In 2019, Lauren graduated from the Veterinary Medicine Program at the University of Calgary. She worked in small animal practice in Calgary for a couple of years before moving home to Edmonton. She lives with her cat Louie, partner Justin, and daughter Amelia. |