Dr. Ilana Smolkin is a 2003 graduate from the Ontario Veterinary College.  Post graduation, she did an internship in Memphis Tennessee and then returned to Guelph to work at the Guelph Animal Hospital in 2004.  The rest is history!

Over the years, Dr. Smolkin has added many certifications to her DVM title, including acupuncture, Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy (called Animal Chiropractics in some regions), Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Western Herbalism and Osteopathic techniques.  She practices what we here like to call Integrated Medicine.  Meaning, these more holistic techniques are combined with the best of modern western medicine to try to get the best outcome for each individual case.  She has a passion for seniors, palliative care and pain management.

She currently shares her home with her husband, 2 daughters, 2 cats and one dog and has had the honor of loving 4 cats, and 2 dogs that have passed over the rainbow bridge over the years.

Dr. Fleming attended the University of Guelph, graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Studies in the fall of 2000, and she started the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the Ontario Veterinary College that same year.

Her professional areas of interest are emergency medicine, soft tissue surgery, with a focus on Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Surgery (BOAS), anesthesia & analgesia, and chronic pain management.

Dr. Fleming spends much of her time volunteering with a focus on animal and children-based charities.  She has traveled to Nunavut, Turks & Caicos, St. Lucia, and the Yukon with the Canadian Animal Assistance Team (CAAT) to participate in spay/neuter/vaccination/deworming programs.  She has also performed over 400 surgeries in St. Lucia, working alongside Helpaws (Help Animal Welfare in St. Lucia).  These volunteer trips are very important to Dr. Fleming, who feels strongly that professionals should contribute back whenever and wherever they can.  She has spayed or neutered over 800 animals as part of various volunteer programs.

While at the Guelph Animal Hospital, Dr. Fleming can be found tending to anything with fur or scales. She sees the majority of our small mammal patients (rabbits, ferrets, rats, chinchillas, lizards etc.) and treats them with the same caring and compassion that she does our dog and cat patients.

During quiet times, Dr. Fleming can often be found cuddling with a post-operative patient as they recovery from surgery.  She also has special affinity for pets with ‘squished’ faces – she is our resident bulldog expert!  She has owned both English and French bulldogs and will (hopefully) never be without one in her family.  Dr. Fleming has bulldog patients from Toronto to Windsor and adores them all!!  If you are not aware, the short-nosed breeds are prone to a variety of health conditions (they can have airway/breathing difficulties, dental abnormalities, and a variety of other concerns) and she is dedicated to educating pet owners about their health risks and assisting in preventative care to help ensure a lifetime of health and happiness.

Dr. Fleming and her husband John share their home with a very spoiled mix of critters!  Currently, they have Hank & Sunny (both English Bulldogs) and 3 cats:  Gordie, Ernie & Cheddar.   They also have an axolotl named Axyl Rose and a Leopard Tortoise named Pedro.  In addition to their furred/finned and scaled family – they have two boys – Ewan & Asher.

Amanda’s motivation to become a veterinarian originated from childhood. She grew up farming in rural Huron County, riding horses, and raising livestock, among many cats and dogs throughout the years. At the age of 10, she knew her passion was animal health and welfare. After graduating from the University of Guelph with an Honours BioMedical Sciences program in 2007, she ecstatically enrolled at the OVC, and after four enthralling years fulfilled her lifelong career ambition, graduating in 2012.

As a new graduate, Amanda filled a position in Tillsonburg as a mixed animal practitioner, treating dogs, cats, sheep, goats, cattle, horses, pot bellied pigs etc. Over the next three years she developed more interest towards equine and small animal medicine and surgery. The following year she was able to hone in on those areas of interest between two clinics, working part time at each. After a year of juggling two positions in equine and small animal practice, she felt that small animal practice was where she excelled. She had been working exclusively with companion animals for the next 4 years and extremely happy with the career move.

Amanda enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine and surgery. Employing a fear free approach, she advocates weight management and preventative medicine, keen to discuss behavioural concerns, enjoys dermatology, dentistry and soft tissue surgery to list a few. She’s compassionate and empathetic and wants what’s best for your pets.

Amanda happily lives in Guelph with her husband Ryan, and their two boys, Benson and Simon. They have two rescue pets, a beautiful and feisty black cat, Sammy and a fabulous high energy, mixed breed dog, Brooklyn. Who happens to be her most reliable and enthusiastic running partner.

Amanda joined us while on maternity leave to expand her clinical experience and simultaneously work closer to home and family.

Like many others in her profession, Dr. Sherry Ekstrom has been an animal lover her entire life. As a little girl she would try to sneak neighbourhood cats into her house, something that her very allergic mother and hypervigilant family dog, did not really appreciate. She talked about becoming a veterinarian since she was 4 years old and after many years of school, including a Bachelor of Medical Science in Physiology at the University of Western Ontario, graduated with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2010.

While enjoying many aspects of veterinary medicine, Dr. Ekstrom has developed a keen interest for internal medicine, dentistry, dermatology and pain management. In December 2018, she became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner and has applied this special skill set not only to post-operative patients, but also dogs and cats with acute and chronic orthopedic and neurological issues. Seeing her patients improve and get back to doing what they love is something Dr. Ekstrom will never get tired of.

When she is not working, Dr. Ekstrom keeps busy with her husband, Brad, and 2 young sons. She loves reading, working out, hiking and traveling. No veterinarian’s life would be complete without “furry family members” and Dr. Ekstrom shares her home with a cat, Gabriel, who stole her heart as a rescue and Goose, a goofy rescue beagle who has taught us all about patience and the importance of taking time to stop and smell every single blade of grass you find.

After practicing for the last 10 years at a small animal practice in Caledon, Dr. Ekstrom is excited to be a member of the awesome team at Guelph Animal Hospital and is looking forward to meeting you and your furry families soon!

Dr. Kirstie Puskas knew she wanted to become a veterinarian from a young age and has spent many years achieving her goal. She grew up in Waterloo, Ontario and moved to Guelph to complete her Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science at the University of Guelph. After completing her degree, she was accepted into the Ontario Veterinary College and graduated in 2014. Since graduating, Dr. Puskas has worked in small animal practices in south western Ontario and spent a few months working in Whitehorse, Yukon.

After a short time away, she moved back to Guelph with her husband. Dr. Puskas is very excited to join Guelph Animal Hospital and work with a great team. She is also happy to be working close to home. Dr. Puskas enjoys working with owners to provide the best possible care for their pets. She has a special interest in surgery, anesthesia and preventative medicine.

Dr. Puskas and her husband have two sons and share their home with Hunter, a bluetick coonhound. When not working, Dr. Puskas enjoys many outdoor activities with her family including mountain biking, running, cross country skiing and camping.