The Can-Am Crown Veterinary Staff for 2012

	Nick Pesut VMD		Dr. Nick Pesut graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. He has practiced at the Presque Isle Animal Hospital in Presque Isle, Maine since 1984, and he and his wife Andrea have owned the practice since 1991. Nick has worked at every Can-Am Crown as a trail vet, and this will be his eighth year as chief veterinarian. He has also worked the Eagle Lake 100 since its inception. Nick's greatest enjoyment at these sled dog races has been meeting and working with some wonderful people from the volunteers to the mushers and the veterinary staff. Nick is a member of the AVMA, MVMA, and ISDVMA. Veterinary medicine has been a great profession for Nick, and the Can-Am Crown races have been among his most enjoyable veterinary experiences.
	Laurie Brewer DVM		Dr. Brewer received her PhD in Molecular Virology from the University of Minnesota in 2004 and her DVM in 2006. While in veterinary school she volunteered for several years at the John Beargrease in Duluth, where she enjoyed working with the close-knit community of mushers, dogs, and volunteers who made the race happen. After moving to Maine to work in small animal medicine, she became involved with the Can-Am Crown, working as a trail veterinarian in 2008, 2009, and 2010. This is her fifth year with the event, and she looks forward to coming back to Maine to see old friends and enjoy the camaraderie of the race. Dr. Brewer currently works as an Emergency Veterinarian in Ellicott City, Maryland. She is a member of the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
	Cindy Fuhs DVM		Dr. Cindy Fuhs graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003, and has owned and run Still River Veterinary Services since that time. Cindy sees her equine, bovine, small ruminant and camelid patients on an ambulatory basis, and also provides wellness services to her clients with dogs and cats on the farm. Cindy began volunteering for the Can-Am Crown races in 2002 and 2003 while still a veterinary student, and has since served as a Can-Am Trail Veterinarian in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Cindy has a keen interest in endurance sports and in Alaskan Malamutes, is an avid sailor and loves just about anything that involves being outside. What she finds most enjoyable about the Can-Am are the people associated with this special event and the incredible athleticism of the dogs. Cindy is a member of the AVMA, AAEP, AASRP, the ISDVMA, and is also currently serving as Secretary for the MVMA. She resides year-round in Bolton, MA with her family (both two- and four-footed).
	Tracy Garza DVM		Dr. Garza graduated with her B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State in 1999. She went on to earn her D.V.M. in 2004 also from Michigan State. Before joining Hillchester Animal Clinic in 2008 she worked as a Emergency Room Relief veterinarian in the Chicago area. She is a member of AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association), ISVMA (Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association), AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), IAAM (International Aquatic Animal Medicine Association), ISDVMA (International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association), and the CVMA (Chicago Veterinary Medical Association). In her free time she loves to travel the world, studying foreign languages, reading, yoga, swimming, and weight-lifting. Also in 2007 she was a race veterinarian for sled dogs in the Iditarod.
	Kirsten Graham DVM		Kirsten M. Graham skipped class to volunteer as a Vet Assistant at the Can-Am for 3 of her 4 years as a vet student. She graduated in 2005 from the Ontario Veterinary College and served as a Can-Am Crown Trail Veterinarian in 2006 and 2007. Dr. Graham is one of the few members of the veterinary crew who is bilingual and she looks forward to brushing up her French-speaking skills with the Quebecois mushers. Kirsten is currently working as a mixed animal practitioner in Ontario, Canada, where the chilly late-night farm calls have conditioned her for working the Can-Am.
	Melissa Holahan DVM		Dr. Holahan graduated from Michigan State University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. Upon graduation, Dr. Holahan completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. In July 2010 she completed a residency in emergency and critical care medicine at the Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. She is board certified in emergency and critical care. See VCAspecialvets.
	Kathy Jackson VMD		Kathy Jackson is a 1991 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Initially, she worked several years as a mixed animal veterinarian in rural New Hampshire. She and her husband then moved to Connecticut. After working almost ten years as a traveling vet and gaining many years of experience in emergency medicine, Dr. Jackson became the owner of a small animal practice. Kathy has been a trail veterinarian for the Can-Am Crown, John Beargrease and Eagle Cap. She has also been the chief veterinarian for the Can-Am Crown 250. She is looking forward to coming back to Fort Kent again.
	Earladeen MacGregor DVM		Dr. MacGregor earned her veterinary degree from Ontario Veterinary College. She travels to Fort Kent all the way from her home province of British Columbia to serve as a Can-Am Crown trail veterinarian. Earladeen is also a marathon runner who has competed strongly in marathon races in Hawaii, British Columbia, and Ontario. Dr. MacGregor began volunteering at the Can-Am as a veterinary student in 2003. Hooked ever since, she has continued to volunteer at the Can-Am as a trail veterinarian after graduating from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2005. She has also worked the John Beargrease. Currently, she works as a small animal relief veterinarian throughout British Columbia. If you can catch her in her spare time, you’ll find her running, hiking, snowboarding, cycling, cooking and traveling.
	Sheila Morrissey DVM		"I grew up with an Alaskan Malamute and adopted my first Siberian through the Univ. of Minnesota Veterinary School before I graduated in 1983. My love of the breed has grown from there. I then became interested in all aspects of dog sledding, from driving my dogs recreationally to working on race vet teams. I am a member of the ISDVMA and the American Canine Sports Medicine Assoc. as well as being the Genetics Chairman for the Siberian Husky Club of America(SHCA) and the Eastern Representative of the SHCA's Working Pack Dog program. I am married and have two sons and own my own veterinary practice in Greenfield, Mass. In my spare time and for fun I compete with my Siberians in obedience."
	Jackie Piepkorn DVM		Dr Jackie is a 1990 graduate of Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine and a 1983 graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. She has been practicing veterinary medicine for more than ten years at Westonka Animal Hospital. Her areas of interests are in ophthalmology, endocrinology, and sports medicine for dogs. She is very involved with the canine athletes, the sled dogs and the hunting dogs. She was the 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and Year 2002 Chief Veterinarian for the John Beargrease marathon sled dog race in Minnesota. Dr. Piepkorn has also served as a Can-Am Crown trail veterinarian in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Being an active member of the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medicine Association(ISDVMA) and the American Canine Sports Medicine Association(ACSMA) has allowed her additional insight into the special nutritional and conditioning needs of these athletes.
	Kim Rozinka DVM		Dr. Rozinka has volunteered as a trail veterinarian since 2003 and has worked at 5 Beargrease races, the last Grand Portage Passage race in 2003, and the UP200 race in 2007. She graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Veterinary Medicine in 1994 and is currently a relief veterinarian in the St. Paul, Minnesota area. Her professional goal is to pursue training in canine physical therapy. When not playing with her children, her dog, or working, she enjoys skiing, yoga, camping/hiking, Guinness and gardening. Photo by Denny Warner.