The Emergency and ICU team is distinct in its function and composition. We are an 8 Emergency Veterinarian team whose passion and experiences are geared towards strictly emergency and critical care work. We are composed of a technical staff of 15 technicians and 12 veterinary assistants whose purpose is to work with and care for your pet. Our patient care managers provide our patients home care recommendations after a stay.

Our emergency service alone sees over 7,000 cases a year, challenging us with situations ranging from delivering newborns to helping our oldest and sickest patients pass peacefully as well as almost everything imaginable in between. No two days are the same but our team is there to help you are your pet in the best way we can.

Meet the Doctors

Dr. Thierry Asselin Dr. Asselin's veterinary career has taken him to the other side of the continent and back again. He has worked as a veterinary assistant in the Quebec Zoo, and after he graduated in 99, he started to work in the USA in an emergency hospital in Virginia,... Meet Dr. Asselin

Dr. Danalyn Begin Dr. Begin joined Alta Vista Animal Hospital in 1998 as an emergency/ICU associate. She previously worked in the Boston area as a small animal veterinarian at the Harvard Veterinary Medical Center and concurrently served as track veterinarian at the... Meet Dr. Begin

Dr. Tyler Dearden Dr. Tyler Dearden started his veterinary career as a high school co-op student in 1992 in his hometown of Courtice, Ontario. After a few years of formal education Tyler joined the team at Alta Vista Animal Hospital as an emergency veterinarian in 2003.... Meet Dr. Dearden

Dr. Chris Elder Dr. Elder joined the Emergency and Critical Care Department of the Alta Vista Animal Hospital in 2006. Growing up on his family farm in rural Dundee, Quebec, surrounded by a wide variety of livestock and pets, allowed Dr. Elder to develop a great... Meet Dr. Elder

Dr. Krista Gower Dr. Gower always knew she wanted to work with animals but she did not like school when she was growing up. In high school she found out how many more years of school it would take to become a veterinarian and thought no way! While working at the ... Meet Dr. Gower

Dr. Lynn Griffin Dr Lynn Griffin graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1997. Following this she began her career as a mixed animal practitioner in Northern Ontario, doing everything from puppy vaccines and cat spays to farm calls in the middle of the night to... Meet Dr. Griffin

Dr. Madelaine Hill Dr. Hill joined the Alta Vista Animal Hospital Emergency and Critical Care team in 2007. Dr. Hill attended the University of British Columbia for undergraduate studies in agricultural science, and received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Ontario... Meet Dr. Hill

Dr. Isak Kasuto Isak shares his life away from the clinic with his wife, a feline 'pal' and a rambunctious young puppy as well. "Steve-O", their cat, and "Hyde", the energetic pug mix, are a real handful, keeping them on their toes and trying to get away with things he knows he... Meet Dr. Kasuto

Dr. Marjorie McIsaac Dr. McIsaac's career in veterinary medicine began with a penchant for medicine and a family history of dedicated veterinarians - she comes from a family of 6 children, and her father, oldest brother and brother-in-law are all Veterinarians! Although she has... Meet Dr. McIsaac

Dr. Allison Peckham Allison joined the Alta Vista team in the July 2008 and shares her time between the general practice and the emergency team, where she is honoured to be entrusted the care of clients' furry family members. Dr. Peckham enjoys all aspects of veterinary ... Meet Dr. Peckham

Dr. Karen van Haaften Ontario Veterinary College, Class of 2009 Associate Emergency and General Practice Veterinarian... Meet Dr. van Haaften