Vet Team

Follow the Race


	Mike Lindeen, DVM – Chief Vet John Beargrease Sleddog Race announces Dr. Mike Lindeen as the Chief Veterinarian for the 2012 race. Dr. Lindeen is an experienced trail veterinarian, having worked the Beargrease and the Iditarod. He is a graduate of Iowa State Veterinary School. His private practice experience has included California and Iowa, including practice owner. He has been married to his wife Ruth for 37 years and they have four children and three grandchildren. Dr. Lindeen has put together a very experienced veterinary team for the 2012 race as dog health and care on the trail is his number one priority.
	Nicole Reynolds, DVM Dr. Nicole Reynolds joins the Beargrease Veterinary Team for the first time this year. Dr. Reynolds is a graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and she holds a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology with a concentration in infectious diseases. Dr. Reynolds maintains a strong interest in emergency preparedness and response and critical care medicine and she volunteers her extended training through the Minnesota Veterinary Reserve Corps, the National Veterinary Response Team, and the Region 5 Veterinary Medical Assistance Team (VMAT). She is a member of the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association (ISDVMA) and admits she’s been hooked on mushing since shortly after graduating from vet school. She now skijors competitively. When she is not running or skijoring with her one-dog team, you’ll find her in Colorado, traveling abroad, seeking backcountry snow opportunities, or finding any excuse to be active outside.
	Dr. Kristina Keifer, DVM Dr. Kristina Kiefer is a University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine graduate who will be back for her third year of the Beargrease! She occupies the remainder of her time at the University of Minnesota completing a surgical residency and a PhD in veterinary medicine. She is a member of the International Sled Dog Veterinary Medical Association and fell in love with being a trail vet during her first year of the Beargrease. When the occasion arises that she is not working she is happiest doing anything outside with her furry family!
	Gayle Tate, DVM Doctor Gayle Tate, of Woodbury, TN, graduated from University of Tennessee – Knoxville’s, Veterinary School in 1976. This was U.T.’s first class of graduates. He has been in private practice in Woodbury for the past 32 years. Doctor Tate worked the Olympics in1991 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney, as an Equine emergency treating Veterinarian on the cross country course. He has spent the past eight years as an Iditarod Veterinarian and 4 years with the Beargrease. He has a great love for UT football and bass fishing. He has a wife and three children that share his passion of the sport. Go big orange.
	Jeff Ladd, DVM Dr. Ladd graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University in 1987. He owns a small animal clinic in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Dr. Ladd has been involved in sled dog medicine since 1990.
	Steve Meyer, DVM
	Mike Hicks, DVM Originally from Opelika, Alabama, Dr. Hicks received his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University in Biomedical Science. He attended veterinary school at Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine where he received his DVM degree in 1992. After spending the next 6 years in private mixed animal practice in Texas he began a 3 year employment as a critical care veterinarian for the largest animal emergency hospital in Houston. He opened his own small animal veterinary practice in 2001 in Cypress, Texas. Dr. Hicks enjoys spending time with his three boys including fishing, hunting, and Texas A&M football games. He also enjoys reading and spending time in the Texas Hill Country. He has worked as a trail veterinarian in two Iditarod’s and will work the 2012 Iditarod as well. He is thrilled for the opportunity to be involved in the Beargrease this year.
	Beckie Kilvington, CVT – Chief Technician Beckie Kilvington is our Chief Technician on the John Beargrease. She has been a certified veterinary technician since 1996, working mostly in emergency, intensive care, and small animal practice settings. She has been involved with the John Beargrease since 2003, and she just joined the Board of Directors. Beckie loves the people that the race brings together and the amazing canine athletes that are the basis for the event. In her spare time, traveling with her husband and step-daughter as well as camping, horseback endurance/trail riding, and of course, keeping the Beargrease veterinary team in organized chaos during the off season.
	Chris Schriever, CVT Ms. Chris Schriever just took on a new role as an Equipment Specialist and Territory Sales Representative with Midwest Veterinary Supply. Prior too this position she was the Hospital Manager and head Certified Veterinary Technician for two 24 hour emergency hospitals and a Specialty Referral Center in the Madison, Wisconsin area. In her spare time she loves spending time with her 15.5 year old husky, gardening, and playing in the snow. Chris graduated from Iowa State University with a BS degree and she also holds an associate’s degree from Argosy University. She has been a veterinary technician since 1998 and a member of the John Beargrease Veterinary Team since 2001. She has also worked the Solon Springs and Apostle Island sled dog races.
	Laurie Angell, CVT Ms. Laurie Angell has been a certified veterinary technician for almost 30 years. She also is certified in veterinary massage and rehabilitation and has a strong interest in complementary veterinary medicine and shelter medicine. Ms .Angell has been the Animal Care Supervisor in the Veterinary Technician Program at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, WI since 1983! This will be her 4th year working the Beargrease and she thoroughly enjoys the many aspects of this amazing event and feels that it enriches and enhances her personal life and her career as a vet tech.
	Judi Laurence Judi Laurence has been volunteering with the John Beargrease since 2005. She is a Ham Radio Operator and again this year she joins the Vet Team as our 24 hour Communications Specialist. Judi is a retired Firefighter and a current EMT (emergency medical technician) of 30 years. She is a member of Code 3 Associates, an elite national animal search and rescue team that specializes in disasters. Specialties include Swiftwater Rescue Technician Advanced as well as high and low angle rope rescues. She has also been trained by BART (Basic Animal Rescue Training) and HSUS (Humane Society of the US). Judi enjoys doing triathlons, duathlons and 5k races. When not training, she and her husband spend a lot of time at their cabin sea kayaking and mountain biking. They’ve raised three wonderful daughters and they now live with their Alaskan husky, Chip (a former Beargrease racer), a cat and three birds.
	Holly Egerer, CVT Holly has been a Certified Veterinary Technician for 21 years. She lives on a hobby farm with her very tolerant husband of 31 years, 6 horses, 19 dogs (12 Rat Terriers, 3 Jack Russell Terriers, 3 Aussies and a Rat Terrier/ Chihuahua rescue dog). She has been a Rat Terrier breeder for about 13 years and usually has about 1 litter a year. About 1/2 of the dogs she has are rescue dogs who were doomed for death row. Holly also has a small collection of reptiles, mostly snakes. She has one grown son/daughter-in-law in law and 2 grandsons. In her spare time, Holly enjoys distance horseback riding, trail riding, riding motorcycles with my husband (Yes she rides her own bike!), snowmobiling in the winter, playing with all my critters, doing hands on demos with her reptiles, and sewing and paper crafts. Holly’s dog sledding experience includes helping with the Yukon Quest sled dog race in 2010 and helping with the Beargrease for the last 2 years.
	Peggy Norris
	Kris Ausland-Saari, CVT Kris has been involved with the John Beargrease since 2009, and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2012. She holds an Associate of Veterinary Technology degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. Kris is an Iraqi Freedom Veteran and retired from the Minnesota Air National Guard after serving for 21 years. Her Veterinary experience includes shelter medicine, working on a mobile surgical unit, emergency medicine, small animal practice, as well as rural area veterinary trips to help the less fortunate. She has worked the UP200/Midnight run and Gichigami Express sled dog races. Kris lives in Esko, Minnesota with her husband, two teen-age daughters, 3 horses, 4 dogs, 4 cats and a ferret. In her spare time, she loves to compete in endurance/competitive riding with her horses, camping, trap shooting, golf and watching her daughters compete in hockey and soccer.
	Gregg D. Phillips, PhD, DVM Gregg owned and operated a recreational team of Siberian Huskies for over 10 years. Time spent on the runners with his own team led him to veterinary medicine. Gregg has worked on the vet teams for local, national and international races, including the Empire 130, White Oak Classic, Beargrease, Yukon Quest and Finnmarkslopet. Gregg no longer mushes, but acting as a trail vet allows him to touch the energy that surrounds sled dogs, and to work with colleagues and mushers from around the world. Gregg is a member of the ISDVMA and currently works at Dakota Pet Hospital in Lakeville, MN.
	Nick Vukich Dr. Nick Vukich has been involved with sled dog sports since obtaining his first husky in the early 1970′s. His interest in the sport and , more importantly, the dogs, carried through to veterinary college where he was given the opportunity to work on a research project during the 1995 Iditarod. He has been an ISDVMA member and active trail veterinarian ever since. Besides working several Iditarods, Dr. Vukich has also participated in many races in The United States and Canada, including: The John Beargrease, UP200, Can-Am Crown, Copper Basin 300, Percy DeWolfe, Seeny 300, Tachquamenon Country Sled Dog Race, The Apostle Islands and others that aren’t even around anymore! Dr. Vukich graduated from the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and currently owns a small animal practice in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Dr. Vukich is a past recipient of the ISDVMA Roland “Doc” Lombard Student Research award and the Iditarod Official Finishers Club ” Golden Stethoscope Award”. Dr Vukich is currently a board member with the ISDVMA.
	Earladeen MacGregor, BSC, DVM Earladeen MacGregor, BSC, DVM, graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2005 to begin practicing small and exotic animal medicine in Victoria, British Columbia. She is now Vancouver based while working as a veterinary locum throughout B.C. She has been serving as a trail veterinarian at long distance races every year since her first exposure to mushing as a veterinary student. If you can catch her in her spare time, you’ll find her traveling, hiking, snowboarding, cycling, running, climbing and cooking.