VCA Bay Area Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Hospital

Cecile Siedlecki

Dr. Siedlecki received her B.S. in Chemistry and worked as a classically trained chemist in the aerospace industry before returning to school to pursue her life long dream of becoming a veterinarian, combining both science with the human-animal bond. Dr. Siedlecki understands the worry and concerns that her pet owners have and spends the time necessary to explain their pet's disease and treatment options. She is passionate about treating lymphoma, as it is a disease responsive to chemotherapy. She takes great joy in providing all of her chemotherapy patients with a high quality of life. Dr. Siedlecki finds oncology, the study of cancer, extremely rewarding because of the rapport that develops between her clients and herself over a course of treatment.

Carlo Vitale

Clinical Interests: histocytic diseases, immune-mediated skin disease in the cat, drug eruptions and vaccine-associated skin disease. Dr. Carlo Vitale received his DVM degree from Mississippi State University in 1991. He completed a small animal internship program at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1994, he completed his residency training in dermatology at UC Davis where he remained as a clinical instructor until 1997. Born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania, Dr. Vitale spends much of his nonprofessional time gardening and propagating tropical plants.

Richard Kienle

Dr. Richard Kienle, in addition to routine cardiology services like electrocardiography and echocardiography, offers pacemaker implantation, Holter monitoring and other interventional procedures. Dr. Kienle enjoys playing bass and riding horses in his spare time.

Michael J. Mazzei

Clinical Interests: urinary and gastrointestinal diseases. Dr. Mazzei attended Michigan State University for both his undergraduate degree and veterinary education. His tenure at MSU was completed in 2001 and he then relocated to California for a one year small animal internship program in medicine and surgery. After spending two additional years in general practice, Dr. Mazzei traveled cross-country for a 3-year internal medicine residency at North Carolina State University. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2009. Dr. Mazzei enjoys all aspects of internal medicine, but he is most excited by diseases of the urinary and gastrointestinal systems. He also has a strong interest in the human-animal bond and preserving the relationship between a pet and owner.

Megan Nyboer

Clinical Interests: cardiology, feline medicine, and veterinary pharmacology. Dr. Nyboer graduated from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009. In 2010, she completed an Emergency and Critical Care Internship at Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists in Colorado. Her passion lies in emergency medicine and caring for critically ill patients. Dr. Nyboer strives to integrate new and useful medications in the veterinary field and is skilled at performing emergency ultrasounds and advanced critical care diagnostics and treatments. Dr. Nyboer's hobbies include reading, gardening and yoga. She also enjoys being outdoors rock climbing, hiking, swimming, camping, and snowboarding.

Education: BS

Kimberly Carlson

Clinical Interests: Dr. Carlson has a specific interest in utilizing minimally invasive surgical techniques (laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and arthroscopy) to treat her patients using state-of-the art technology. Stem cell therapy is also used extensively in her practice. . She has a specialized interest in oncologic surgery, reconstructive surgery, orthopedic surgery (including TPLO & TTA) and trauma. Dr. Carlson focuses on partnering with the pet's family and family veterinarian for the best option, recognizing that it may not be a surgical one. Dr. Kimberly Carlson graduated from the University of Illinois in 2001. She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center of New York, as well as a surgical internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center. Dr. Carlson finished her surgical residency at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2006 before moving to Northern California. . Dr. Carlson's personal interests include SCUBA diving, jogging and weight training. She is an avid and knowledgeable collector of antique and vintage movie posters, particularly film noir and science fiction. She has a special love for German Shepherds and lives with one, Rayne, who was given to her by a client. She also shares her home with her husband Greg, two children, Torunn and Teague and two geriatric cats, Buddy and Mac.

Justin W. Allen

Clinical Interests: emergency therapy of heart failure/arrhythmias, electroshock, and interventional procedures such as pacemaker implantation and PDA occlusion. Dr. Justin Allen grew up on a farm in central Illinois. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he traveled to Los Angeles, California for an internship program at a private practice; he then moved to California Animal Hospital in Los Angeles for a 3-year private practice residency program in Cardiology. He received board-certification in 2010. Dr. Allen is enjoying the new climate in the Bay Area and is looking forward to getting to know Northern California. He enjoys hiking, fishing, swimming and diving. He and his wife Kimberly share a love of food and are particularly excited about trying the large diversity of delicious foods in the region. They currently live in Fremont with 4 cats (Peeps, Ganon, Creamy and Peanut) and one vocal Shiba Inu (Jasmine) - although they are preparing for a baby later this year (it's a boy).

Richard L. Segaloff

Rich Segaloff, DVM, received a B.S. in animal science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2004. In 2009, he received his DVM from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Dr. Segaloff then went on to complete a one-year small-animal rotating internship at New England Animal Medical Center in West Bridgewater, Mass. Dr. Segaloff's veterinary oncology training continued with a one-year oncology internship at the Animal Cancer Care Clinic of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In 2011, Dr. Segaloff joined the oncology team at VCA Bay Area Veterinary Specialists as a medical oncology resident. When not at work, Dr. Segaloff, his wife and their two dogs enjoy exploring the many wonderful hiking and kayaking opportunities the Bay Area has to offer.

Christine Merrick

Christine Merrick, DVM, is a Connecticut native who received her DVM from Colorado State University in 2010. Dr. Merrick went on to complete a one-year small-animal rotating internship at Auburn University in Auburn, AL. Dr. Merrick's veterinary oncology training continued with a one-year oncology internship at Georgia Veterinary Specialists in Atlanta, GA. In 2012, Dr. Merrick joined the oncology team at VCA Bay Area Veterinary Specialists as a medical oncology resident. When not at work, Dr. Merrick enjoys spending time with her dog and cat, theater, concerts, reading and exploring the Bay Area.

Heather Burns

Dr Heather Burns grew up in the San Francisco East Bay Area. From a very young age she was certain she wanted to be a veterinarian. She commenced her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo which she completed in 2000 at Iowa State University. Shortly after graduating, she had the opportunity to study Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. After graduating in 2005, Heather completed a rotating internship at the Animal Surgical and Emergency Center in Los Angeles, California in 2006. Since then, she has worked in both emergency and general practices and has been focused on emergency medicine and critical care in specialty referral hospitals since 2009. Heather enjoys her time off by exploring the outdoors with her boxer mix Mikey and her French Bulldog Madeline. She enjoys being spontaneous whether it's checking out a new band in town, finding a new place to camp or hike, exploring the San Francisco Bay in her fishing boat, or enjoying a new restaurant. She has a knack for photography as well as gourmet cooking. She is an avid soccer player and equestrian polo player, a sport which took her to collegiate nationals in 1997 and allowed her to represent the Women's Collegiate Scottish National team while in vet school. She currently lives with her three beloved cats and two dogs in San Francisco's Mission District.

Sharon Finster

A native of Massachusetts, Dr. Sharon Finster attended North Carolina State University, earning a B.S. in Animal Science. She completed her veterinary degree at the North Carolina College of Veterinary Medicine. She relocated to Saskatchewan, Canada and attended Western College of Veterinary Medicine for an internship in small animal medicine and surgery where she worked on the Canadian Challenge sled dog race. She returned to North Carolina State for a residency in Emergency and Critical Care that she completed in 2007. Dr. Finster has worked for the Animal Medical Center in New York City and more recently worked at a private specialty practice in Northeast Pennsylvania where she was the Medical Director for the Emergency Service prior to relocating to the Bay Area. Dr. Finster's expertise includes sepsis, mechanical ventilation, polytrauma and head trauma, fluid therapy and hypovolemic shock, resuscitation as well as systemic inflammatory response syndrome. When Dr. Finster is not at work, she enjoys boxing and martial arts, kayaking, cooking and she's looking forward to developing and exploring all of the perks of the Bay Area.

Jessica Jennings

Dr. Jessica Jennings is a Bay Area native, having grown up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She received a Bachelor of Science at UC Davis in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. She went to Western University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine for her DVM degree. In love with the beauty of Northern California, she returned to complete her internship in Small Animal Medicine and Emergency at East Bay Veterinary Specialist in Walnut Creek. She completed two years of a Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Residency at Four Seasons Animal Hospital in Lafayette. She is excited to join the Emergency and Critical Care team at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists and Emergency. Her interests include polytrauma, acute kidney injury, toxicities, and sepsis/SIRS. When not a work, Dr. Jennings enjoys spending time with her Doberman Pinscher Tesla, bikram yoga, vegetarian cuisine, and learning to sail and windsurf on the Bay.

Emily Kupprion

Dr. Kupprion graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. She moved to Charlotte, North Carolina where she completed a 1 year rotating small animal medicine/surgery internship at Animal Medical Hospital. Since her internship, Dr. Kupprion has continued to practice emergency medicine and says she cannot imagine doing anything else. . In 2010, she vacationed in San Francisco and promptly fell in love with the city and and the Bay Area, and moved here early in 2011. Dr. Kupprion enjoys CrossFit, running/walking and hiking with her dog, cooking, and exploring wineries and breweries in Northern California. Dr. Kupprion's family includes her partner, one fabulous Australian Shepherd mix dog named Maybee, and a very special one eyed cat named Grey Charles.

Laura West

Dr. Laura West received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia in 2007. She completed a rotating internship at VCA Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in Norwalk, Connecticut from 2007-2008, as well as a specialty internship in internal medicine at Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles, California from 2008-2009. Dr. West completed her residency training at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego, California from 2009-2012. During her residency, she performed a pilot study investigating the use of mycophenolate in the treatment of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Dr. West became a Diplomate of the American College of Internal Medicine in 2013 upon acceptance of this study for publication. . Dr. West is interested in all areas of internal medicine, but has special interest in feline medicine, immune-mediated disease, and endocrinology. Dr. West is skilled in many procedures, including abdominal ultrasound and all forms of endoscopy. Dr. West works Thursdays and Fridays. Dr. West greatly values spending time with her husband and their 3 cats: Kitten, Gypsy, and Ginger. In her personal time, she also enjoys yoga, running, and hiking in the great outdoors.