Dr. Elysia Schaefer, DVM, ACVS
Dr. Eylsia Schaefer is our ACVS Board Certified Surgeon and lameness specialist. She started at WCEC in January 2011 and has helped get the surgery suite up and running. Dr. Schaefer has always held an interest in the equine field, from riding when she was younger to working on the racetrack during summers in college. Before entering veterinary school, she received a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture and Animal Sciences. She then continued her studies with veterinary school at the University of Illinois' College of Veterinary Medicine.
Following graduation, Dr. Schaefer entered a large animal intership rotating between the medical, surgical and ambulatory services at the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine. Then she went on to complete a 3-year intensive equine surgical residency at the University of Illinois. During her residency, her caseload focused not only on soft tissue and orthopedic surgical cases, but also on numerous lameness work-ups, both simple and complicated. These complex cases often required extensive diagnostic evaluation including nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), all of which she is familiar with. Dr. Schaefer's Masters in Veterinary Science research was in the area of equine osteoarthritis. She has spoken at several national and international veterinary meetings. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS).
After completing her residency, Dr. Schaefer sat for and passed the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) board exam in February 2010. This makes her the only Board Certified Equine Surgeon in our area. Before coming to WCEC, Dr. Schaefer held a locum position as an equine surgeon at the University of Pretoria's Veterinary School in South Africa. There she was in charge of the surgical caseload and teaching the final year students in the clinics. While it was an exciting adventure, she is happy to be back in the United States and reunited with her two dogs, Bailey and Maddie. Dr. Schaefer's specialty is colic surgery, although she also is well versed in orthopedic and other soft tissue procedures. We are happy to add her to the family and cannot wait for you to meet her!
