WSAVA Academy

Speaker

Biography

Dr. Robertson grew up in Scotland and graduated from Glasgow University. Her career in veterinary medicine spans more than three decades and encompasses numerous roles including a general practitioner, surgery intern, anesthesia trainee, PhD student, clinician and teacher in university veterinary schools in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Dr. Robertson has experience with high volume, high quality spay and neuter clinics and with community cat management. In 1999, she started a program to train first responders and K9 handlers to provide emergency care to working dogs. Nearly 20 years later, she is still active in this area. Dr. Robertson has held many prestigious positions. She served as a staff member of the animal welfare division at the AVMA. She was part of the AAFP and International Society of Feline Medicine Feline Friendly Nursing Guidelines committee. She has been a two-time member of the American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Pain Management Taskforce. Dr. Robertson also has served as the president of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Dr. Robertson has published numerous peer reviewed papers related to anesthesia and analgesia in dogs, cats, horses and even iguanas. Additionally, she has edited two books on anesthesia and analgesia and written numerous book chapters. She has a special interest in sedation, anesthesia and analgesia of older pets and in helping them enjoy life to the fullest. Dr. Robertson joined Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice as the Senior Medical Director in 2017. In this role, she supports over 100 veterinarians by providing the latest information on pain management, geriatric and end of life care and presenting continuing education at national conferences and local veterinary medical association meetings.

Speaker

Biography

Dr. Gruen completed her veterinary degree at the University of Illinois. She came to North Carolina State University for an internship followed by a residency in veterinary behavior. She completed a Masters in Veterinary Public Health and became a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. After a few years on the faculty at NCSU, she decided to pursue a PhD with a focus on understanding the behaviors associated with pain in cats with naturally-occurring arthritis. She then spent two years at Duke University, where she co-directed the Canine Cognition Center, and has now returned to North Carolina State University as an Assistant Professor of Behavioral Medicine.