VCA Old Marple Animal Hospital

Bios

• Mark Tyson

  VMD

  Dr. Tyson received a degree in Biology in 1975 and his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. Dr. Tyson acquired Old Marple Veterinary hospital from Dr. Evans in 1988.

• Ellen Fitzgibbon

  VMD

  Dr. Ellen Fitzgibbon graduated from Smith College in 1991 with a major in Music and a minor in Biology. After college she taught high school Biology in northwestern NJ for four years. Dr. Fitzgibbon received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999 and has been working at VCA Old Marple Veterinary Hospital since June of 2000. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, skiing, camping, mountain biking and travel.

• Jeffrey Johnson

  VMD

  Dr. Johnson received a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science from Pennsylvania State University. After graduation, he worked briefly in immunologic research associated with the bone marrow transplant unit at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Johnson attended veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania & received his veterinary degree in 1984. Immediately following graduation he worked in a small animal practice in Newtown Square before joining the staff at Old Marple. Dr Johnson has enjoyed general practice at Old Marple since 1989. Why I do what I do: It was my 10th grade biology teacher who aroused my interest putting me on the path to become a veterinarian. It has been an enjoyable journey over the years & I have never regretted my decision to become a vet. I have raised many cats & dogs of my own but am currently cat-less for the first time in about 40 years. I am currently enjoying the company of my rescued doberman, Thor, who is almost 6 years old. I also have a passion for raising fish having several large aquariums & a small outdoor pond in which I raise koi & shubunkins. In addition to raising fish I also enjoy catching them being an avid fisherman. Thor also enjoys fishing and gets very excited when he knows that I have a fish on the line. This year is a landmark year for me as I had my first grandchild born and I am looking forward to going fishing with my grandson in future years. Special Note: Dr. Johnson is an amazing person and an amazing doctor. We wouldn't be where we are today without him and his dedication to his patients. The care and concern he shows every patient and the pet owners is heartwarming. He loves what he does and it shows, not only does it show but it rubs off onto the rest of us.

• Amy Will-Schlechtweg

  VMD

  Dr. Amy Will-Schlechtweg grew up in the small central Pennsylvania town of Dillsburg. She majored in biology at Virginia Tech and then completed her veterinary degree at the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. She has been part of the VCA Old Marple practice since graduating from vet school. Dr. Will currently lives in King of Prussia with her husband Ray, son Elliott, German shepherd mix Leroy, and kitty cat Shorty. Dr. Will enjoys spending time with family and friends, eating great foods, drinking even better wines, and practicing the spelling of her last name. Why I do what I do: I've wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as I can remember. Most people who pursue careers in veterinary medicine do so because they love animals. I'm no exception to that rule, but I've stayed in this profession because I also love the people attached to the other end of the leash or the handle of the carrier. I value the relationships I develop with my clients as much as the bonds I form with my patients. I do what I do because it makes me feel good to help people provide the best care possible for their pets. Special Note: Dr. Will is an amazing doctor and an amazing lady. Her main goal is to always makes sure she delivers over and beyond to every client and pet and trust us when we say she does. You often see her late at night making calls just so she can follow up with her clients even though she was to leave hours before. Her dedication to her customers and clients is an amazing thing. The love she shows to everyone is priceless. She's a huge part of our practice and a huge part of our family.

• Robert Lawrie, MRCVS

  Robert graduated from the Dick Vet in 2006. After spending a year in mixed/exotic animal practice in the UK, Robert moved to New York City to undertake a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center. After completing the internship, he worked as an associate staff veterinarian in the Emergency and Critical Care Department. After the birth of their son, Robert and his wife Amanda relocated to Pennsylvania and has been working at VCA Old Marple since the summer of 2009. Prior to graduation, he worked in various parts of the world including, Thailand, Northern Cyprus, India, South Africa and North America, in order to gain experience working with a wide variety of animals. Robert enjoys spending his spare time with his family. He is fiercely patriotic and follows his beloved Scotland Rugby team with a passion.

  Education:

• Catherine Tannert

  DVM

  Dr. Tannert graduated from The University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a B.S. in Zoology in 1985 and a Masters of Zoology in 1987. After graduation she moved to Colorado and took several years off before earning her D.V.M. from Colorado State University in 1994. Dr Tannert then moved to California and completed an Internship in Veterinary Medicine at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital in 1995. Dr Tannert continued to practice veterinary medicine in Southern California until she moved to Southeastern Pennsylvania in 1999. She has been an associate veterinarian at the VCA Old Marple Animal Hospital since February of 2001.

• Gretchen Fanconi-Shifflett

  DVM

  I grew up in rural Montgomery County Maryland. We always had a menagerie of pets, including mice, dogs, cats and goats. I spent every summer growing up in California on my grandmother's dairy farm. There, I raised and showed beef cattle. My love of animals grew from these childhood experiences. I graduated from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. My husband Ed and I moved to the area nearly eight years ago. I have been part of the Old Marple family since then. We have two human children, Ella, 8 and Gavin, 6. We also have two cats Hugo, 16, and Pasadena (Pasy), 11, and one rambunctious dog Gable, 5. Hugo is my little old man. I got him the day before I arrived in Blacksburg, Virginia for veterinary school orientation. His favorite activities are sleeping, eating and purring. Pasy is a shy and handsome man. He likes to play catch with stuffed mice and get his cuddles from the kids at bedtime. Gable is a very high-energy pointer cross. He has been my running partner since we rescued him four years ago. Why I do what I do: Through my undergraduate years at the University of Miami, I realized that my passion was veterinary medicine and wanted to persue that goal and dream to make sure I could at least help make difference in the care and treatment of all pets. Special Note: Dr. Shifflet is an amazing doctor, she not only takes care of her patients but is also a mom outside of work and we all know how hard it can be to juggle a career and being a parent. Dr. Shifflet does it with grace and compassion and always finds time just to see how your day is going no matter how busy she is on that day. .

• Bakul Patel

  DVM

  Dr Bakul Patel is originally from India. He graduated as valedictorian from his college with a degree in Bachelor of veterinary science and Animal Health in 1987. He did his clinical experience rotations at Purdue University, Indiana. For seven years he practiced as a general health veterinarian. Since 1999 his main focus has been on emergency medicine and surgery. Dr Patel has been with VCA Old Marple Animal Hospital since 2003 as an Emergency Care veterinarian. His professional interests include emergency medicine and dentistry. Dr. Patel has extensive experience with greyhounds due to the fact he has been working with them since 1994. To follow both parents footsteps as veterinarians, Dr. Patel's highschool age daughter, wants to be an exotic animal veterinarian.

• Jennifer Wintergrass

  DVM

  Dr. Jennifer Wintergrass joined the Emergency Medicine team at VCA Old Marple Animal Hospital in February 2013. She obtained her undergraduate education at Delaware Valley College with a focus on biology/ animal science. She did that while working as an ECC veterinary technician in New Jersey and interning at the Philadelphia Zoo. Dr. Wintergrass then recieved her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine after completing her clinical year a the University of Pennsylvania. Her interests include: internal medicine, ultrasonography, and oncology. In her free time, Dr. Wintergrass enjoys living in Philadelphia and spending time with her four-legged companions, her island cat "Joob" and her interesting muttigree (Australian shepard/Corgi/Basset Hound-mix) "Skeeter." She also enjoys running and cooking. Why I do what I do: To be a veterinarian has forever been my dream_ it really boils down my inherent need to help both people and their animals. My mother never shared this love, so naturally I was ecstatic on my fifth birthday when she gave me my first pet, a calico kitten that I named MaDonna. Eight years later, Donna became very ill and my best efforts to nurse her back to health were not enough. At this point, it was instilled in me more than ever that I wanted to learn more about veterinary medicine and devote my life to tending to sick animals. In high school I started working as a vet tech at a 24/7 emergency and referral hospital, allowing me to become exposed to many obscure cases that have continuously piqued my interest in veterinary medicine. I find many of the diversities that veterinary medicine has to offer very intriguing, such as oncology, radiology, and critical care to name a few -- although the rush of emergency medicine and thinking on your toes is my favorite part of the profession. I have always known that there is no other path for me and I feel blessed to be a member of this VCA family. Special Note: Jennifer is an amazing doctor and we are so fortunate to have her on our team. She brings compassion and care not only to her patients but the owners as well. I can't express to you how many times clients reach out to us just to let us know how much they appreciated the time and care that she spent trying to make their pet's better. We can't express to you how much we enjoy working with this amazing doctor and an amazing person. .

• Lauren Aldinger

  VMD

  Dr. Aldinger had a very "sweet" upbringing in the heart of Hershey Pa. Her parents were reluctant to bring any animals into the household, it created an intense drive for Dr. Aldinger to learn everything she could about animals. Eventually her hard work and studying paid off and she was allowed to bring home a yorkie puppy after much research. Since then, Dr. Aldinger has always wanted to be a veterinarian. Her passion led her to complete an animal bioscience major at Penn State University followed by completing her veterinary degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Following graduation, Dr. Aldinger completed a small animal internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Cherry Hill NJ. She is also passionate about international veterinary medicine and agriculture, which has led her to adventures across the world in Europe, China, Nepal and closer to home here on the Native American Reservations in the southwest. Dr. Aldinger loves flat-faced kitties and shares her home with a Persian named Teddy, a mutt named Zuni (an adorable stray from the Zuni Native American Reservation), and her husband, also a veterinarian. Why I do what I do? I love being a veterinarian because it gives me an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the lives of both people and animals by helping pets stay healthy. Plus, animals are just plain funny and hilarious to be around!. Special Note: Dr. Aldinger is a very special lady who shows compassion and care to both pets and pet parents. She is an absolute joy to be around and although she hasn't been with us very long she is a huge part of our team and we couldn't imagine being here without her.

• Megan Fleming

  DVM

  Born in the Philadelphia suburbs, Megan is a proud alumni of Penn State University (We Are!!). While at Penn State she received a BS degree in Animal Science, graduating magna cum laude in 2006. She went on to receive her DVM from The University of Illinois. Her special interests are internal medicine, surgery, and critical care. Megan lives with her 2 rescue dogs, Izzie (a golden) and Vinny (a chihuahua mix), and a cat named Fabio. Her furry friends live a very pampered life. In her free time, Megan enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, photography, biking, and spending time down at the Jersey Shore. Why I do what I do: I love being a veterinarian because I not only get to spend time with the animals I love so dearly, but I also get to practice giving them the best quality healthcare they deserve. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to be living my childhood dreams. I wake up every day excited I'm doing something I am passionate about. Special Note: Megan came to us from one of our sister hospitals where she worked as a technician until she became a veterinarian. Megan has the biggest heart and a fantastic bedside manner. She shows every patient nothing but compassion.

• Jennifer Wintergrass

  DVM

  Dr. Jennifer Wintergrass joined the Emergency Medicine team at VCA Old Marple Animal Hospital in February 2013. She obtained her undergraduate education at Delaware Valley College with a focus on biology/ animal science. She did that while working as an ECC veterinary technician in New Jersey and interning at the Philadelphia Zoo. Dr. Wintergrass then received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine after completing her clinical year a the University of Pennsylvania. Her interests include: internal medicine, ultrasonography, and oncology. In her free time, Dr. Wintergrass enjoys living in Philadelphia and spending time with her four-legged companions, her island cat "Joob" and her interesting muttigree (Australian shepard/Corgi/Basset Hound-mix) "Skeeter." She also enjoys running and cooking. Why I do what I do: To be a veterinarian has forever been my dream_ it really boils down my inherent need to help both people and their animals. My mother never shared this love, so naturally I was ecstatic on my fifth birthday when she gave me my first pet, a calico kitten that I named MaDonna. Eight years later, Donna became very ill and my best efforts to nurse her back to health were not enough. At this point, it was instilled in me more than ever that I wanted to learn more about veterinary medicine and devote my life to tending to sick animals. In high school I started working as a vet tech at a 24/7 emergency and referral hospital, allowing me to become exposed to many obscure cases that have continuously piqued my interest in veterinary medicine. I find many of the diversities that veterinary medicine has to offer very intriguing, such as oncology, radiology, and critical care to name a few -- although the rush of emergency medicine and thinking on your toes is my favorite part of the profession. I have always known that there is no other path for me and I feel blessed to be a member of this VCA family. Special Note: Jennifer is an amazing doctor and we are so fortunate to have her on our team. She brings compassion and care not only to her patients but the owners as well. I can't express to you how many times clients reach out to us just to let us know how much they appreciated the time and care that she spent trying to make their pet's better. We can't express to you how much we enjoy working with this amazing doctor and an amazing person.

• Bakul Patel

  DVM

  Dr. Bakul Patel is originally from India. He graduated as valedictorian from his college with a degree in Bachelor of veterinary science and Animal Health in 1987. He did his clinical experience rotations at Purdue University, Indiana. For seven years he practiced as a general health veterinarian. Since 1999 his main focus has been on emergency medicine and surgery. Dr Patel has been with VCA Old Marple Animal Hospital since 2003 as an Emergency Care veterinarian. His professional interests include emergency medicine and dentistry. Dr. Patel has extensive experience with greyhounds due to the fact he has been working with them since 1994. To follow both parents footsteps as veterinarians, Dr. Patel's high-school age daughter, wants to be an exotic animal veterinarian.

• Robert Gaunt

  VMD

  Education:

• Kate Berger

  DVM
• Christy Decker

  VMD

  Dr. Decker joined our team in February 2014. She graduated from Burlington City High School in Burlington NJ and then proceeded on to Marymount University in Arlington Va, after graduating at Marymount she attended the University of Pennsylvania where she earned her veterinarian degree. She currently resides in Bensalem Pa. Dr. Decker came to us with a wealth of knowledge and has been working as ER doctor for several years. She is currently our Director of ER and is focusing her time on building and improving our emergency department. Her special interests are emergency medicine, preventive care and internal medicine. Why I do what I do: I knew from a young age that veterinary medicine was where I wanted to be. I enjoy helping the patients that come into the hospital and interacting with the pet parents and working as a cohesive team with my pet parents so we can all make the best decision for that pet. Special Note: Dr. Decker has only been with us for a few months but has worked hard to deliver the best medicine while treating the pet owners when they're in a stressful situation, her understanding and care for the entire family is what it's all about. We are very fortunate that Dr. Decker has joined our team. She strives on delivering the very best to every patient. .