Veterinarians

Dr. Finstad is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical care. She attended the University of Wisconsin for veterinary medical school followed by a rotating internship at Tufts University and an ECC residency at The Ohio State University. During residency she became captivated by the kidney and extracorporeal therapy. She is currently a member of the inaugural class of the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology, completed Hemodialysis Academy and a fellowship in Extracorporeal Therapy at OSU. She hopes to one day be considered a veterinary critical care nephrologist.

In her spare time, Dr. Finstad loves to spend time with her husband, Zach, and their Labrador Retriever, Samson.

Dr. Finstad is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical care. She attended the University of Wisconsin for veterinary medical school followed by a rotating internship at Tufts University and an ECC residency at The Ohio State University. During residency she became captivated by the kidney and extracorporeal therapy. She is currently a member of the inaugural class of the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology, completed Hemodialysis Academy and a fellowship in Extracorporeal Therapy at OSU. She hopes to one day be considered a veterinary critical care nephrologist.

In her spare time, Dr. Finstad loves to spend time with her husband, Zach, and their Labrador Retriever, Samson.

Dr. Hogberg grew up on the west side of Washington State where he eventually obtained a Zoology degree at Washington State University. He then spent four years in Glendale, Arizona obtaining his veterinary degree at Midwestern University. After internship at Louisiana State University. he completed his Emergency and Critical Care residency at the University of Tennessee. Since Residency, Dr. Hogberg has both practiced at a busy multi-specialty service in Rhode Island and helped develop a multi-specialty clinic in Dallas, Texas.

Outside of work, Dr. Hogberg enjoys spending time outdoors (hiking withdogs or biking/stand up paddle boarding), finding new restaurants in the area, or just hanging out at home with family.

Dr. Melanie Barnes is completing an Emergency & Critical Care internship at MVS as part of our 2026-27 intern class.

Melanie is from the Twin Cities and earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from St. George’s University in 2026.

If you add together an interest in science and a love of animals, Dr. John Silbernagel is the end result. “I grew up on a North Dakota ranch with a lot of animals,” Silbernagel says. “And even though I initially planned to work with large animals, I fell in love with surgery, which guided me to where I am today.”

Dr. Silbernagel graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and completed his residency at the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine in small animal surgery. He worked at 24-hour-a-day hospitals and referral centers in Illinois, and Indiana. He later moved to Wisconsin and opened a specialty and emergency care facility several years prior to founding Madison Veterinary Specialists.

Dr. Silbernagel is a board-certified small animal surgeon, and a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Veterinary Orthopedic Society, American Veterinarian Medical Association, Wisconsin-VMA, and Dane County-VMA. He appreciates the collaboration found at multi-specialty emergency facilities which “offer the highest level of care to clients and their pets by allowing different disciplines to consult with each other on the same case.”

When not working, Dr. Silbernagel can often be found spending time with family — camping, biking, skiing, or enjoying other outdoor activities. He also considers himself a “foodie,” and enjoys cooking up new recipes in the kitchen.

Dr. Joy Delamaide Gasper is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology). She has advanced  training in both medical neurology and neurosurgery of dogs and cats. Dr. Delamaide earned her B.A. at Wellesley College in Massachusetts in 2005, and received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University in 2009. She completed a rotating internship at the VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center (2009-2010) and a neurology specialty internship at Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego (2010-2011).

Dr. Delamaide completed her neurology and neurosurgery residency training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2011-2014. She practiced veterinary neurology at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego for 5 years before this opportunity to return to Madison.

She provides neurological examination of dogs and cats, and uses this information to assess for neurological conditions. She appreciates the importance of considering the pet’s overall health and quality of life, as well as the clients’ need to be able to find a management plan that will optimize outcome.

She has interest in medical and surgical treatment of intervertebral disc herniation. She takes an integrative approach using a variety of types of medications as well as complementary therapies. She is skilled in surgical procedures when they are appropriate and best for the outcome of the patient. She also loves long-term management of seizures and immune- mediated inflammatory diseases in dogs and cats.

When Dr. Delamaide has free time, she enjoys hiking, cycling, and yoga.

Dr Jeanie Lau is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology). She has obtained the ACVIM Neurosurgery Certificate of Training through advanced training post residency. She graduated cum Laude from Dartmouth College in 2008 with a major in neuroscience and received her veterinary degree from the University of Sydney with first class honors in 2012.  .  

Dr. Lau practiced in busy private hospitals in Australia for 2 years before completing a rotating internship and a Neurology/Surgery specialty internship at the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH) in Sydney, Australia. She then furthered her neurology and neurosurgery training at the University of Melbourne in 2016 before pursuing her Neurology/Neurosurgery residency at the North Carolina State University from 2016-2019.

Prior to joining the MVS family, Dr. Lau worked as a veterinary neurologist and neurosurgeon at SASH in Sydney and at VSH in Hong Kong. She is passionate about patient care and is dedicated to working closely with owners and referring veterinarians to achieve the best care and outcome for her patients. She has special interests in neurosurgery (surgical treatment for intervertebral disc disease and brain tumors when appropriate), neuroimaging (MRI), inflammatory brain diseases (especially steroid-responsive meningitis arteritis (SRMA)) and seizure management. 

Dr. Lau’s husband (also a vet) previously worked in Madison for a number of years and he really enjoyed all the Midwest has to offer. They decided to move over with their two kitties, Axel and Alvin, who are retired blood donors and have now travelled the globe from Australia to Hong Kong to Wisconsin! Aside from spending time with her family and taking endless photos of her cats, she loves cooking, hiking, playing the piano and DIY projects. 

Dr. Emily Binversie grew up in the suburbs of northern Illinois and earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Master of Science, and PhD degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her doctoral research focused on the genetics of naturally occurring canine orthopedic diseases.

Following veterinary school, Dr. Binversie completed a small animal rotating internship in private practice in Wisconsin before pursuing a dermatology residency at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. During her residency, she was recognized for her exceptional patient care and clinical skill, receiving the John G. Evans Memorial Award for Clinical Competency and the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center Champions of Care Award. Her research achievements have also been honored nationally, including the Society of Phi Zeta Basic Science Manuscript Award.

Dr. Binversie enjoys all aspects of dermatology but has special interests in canine and feline allergy, immune-mediated diseases, recurrent skin and ear infections, advanced otoscopic procedures, and CO₂ laser surgery. She is passionate about delivering thorough, compassionate care and helping pets (and their people) find relief from chronic skin and ear conditions.

Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Binversie has mentored and tutored numerous veterinary, graduate, and undergraduate students, reflecting her dedication to education and the advancement of veterinary medicine.

In her free time, Dr. Binversie enjoys spending time with her husband and their golden retriever. She also loves attending concerts, hiking, cooking, exploring local breweries, and watching movies.

Dr. Carrie Calhoun graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2014 and knew that she wanted to be an emergency clinician. She completed a rotating small animal internship in emergency, medicine, and surgery in Seattle, Washington before joining our team at MVS.

Dr. Calhoun lives in Fitchburg with her golden retriever/Great Pyrenees mix named Charlie. In her free time, she enjoys running, paddle boarding, hiking and traveling.

Dr. Rachel McMahon attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she received her doctorate of veterinary medicine in 2019. She then completed a one year rotating internship at Wheatridge Animal Hospital in Wheatridge, Colorado. She returned to Madison where she completed an Oncology Clinical Trials Internship followed by Residency in Medical Oncology at the University of Wisconsin (2020-2024). Prior to veterinary school, Dr. McMahon worked in the cytopathology laboratory at UW Hospital & Clinics, where she first developed a professional interest in cancer biology. Her veterinary medical training has allowed her to expand upon and combine this interest with a life-long love of working with animals. Dr. McMahon especially enjoys working closely with families to make the best treatment decisions for their individual pet, with the shared goal of improving both their quantity and quality of life.

In her free time, Dr. McMahon enjoys spending time with her family and pets, hiking, kayaking, cycling, traveling, seeing live music, and watching women’s sports (especially soccer)!

Dr. Carrie Calhoun graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2014 and knew that she wanted to be an emergency clinician. She completed a rotating small animal internship in emergency, medicine, and surgery in Seattle, Washington before joining our team at MVS.

Dr. Calhoun lives in Fitchburg with her golden retriever/Great Pyrenees mix named Charlie. In her free time, she enjoys running, paddle boarding, hiking and traveling.

Dr. Katy Klein graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2021. She completed a rotating small animal internship in emergency, medicine, and surgery in Milwaukee, WI before joining our team at MVS.

Dr. Klein lives with her husband and two dogs, Oliver and Bernie Lou. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, baking, and biking.

Dr. Akshaya Maller came to the United States from India in 2007 to pursue her Bachelors of Science in Biology at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. She then went on to veterinary school at Iowa State and soon after completed a small animal rotating internship at North Carolina State University. Before joining us at MVS, Dr. Maller worked at a non-profit general practice clinic in Madison.

In her spare time, Dr. Maller enjoys running, kayaking and paddle boarding. She lives in Madison with her kitty named Fox. We’re so glad to have her on the MVS team!

Dr. McCaughey graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 2021 and completed an emergency medicine internship with MVS the year following. In 2022 he joined the emergency team as a full-time member of the staff. He enjoys emergency and critical care because it gives him an opportunity to make a positive impact on many different animals and their families every day.

Outside of work Dr. McCaughey enjoys playing live music, hockey, and many other seasonal outdoor activities throughout the year. He lives in Madison with his girlfriend and their dog, Marshall, a Lab/Great Dane Mix. 

Dr. McKelvey was a part of our 2022-2023 emergency internship class and joined the MVS staff following completion.

Dr. Tiffany Patton attended Washington State University for both her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with a minor in music and Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. She then completed a rotating internship at WestVet Specialty and Emergency center in Boise, ID before working in Washington, Iowa and Wisconsin as an emergency veterinarian. She enjoys working in emergency medicine because she “feels privileged to be able to help pets when they need her most.” Dr. Patton is particularly interested in toxicology, clinical pathology, transfusion medicine, would care management and ultrasound.

In her free time, Dr. Patton enjoys mountain biking, cross country skiing, alpine skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming and traveling.  She shares her home with her 10 year old border collie mix, Moxie.

Dr. Mitchell Thomas grew up in New Berlin, Wisconsin and always had a passion for pets and wildlife. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 2019. During veterinary school, he spent several summers volunteering with primates and manatees at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Belize. After completing a small animal rotating internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, D.C., he then spent a year as an emergency clinician in Milwaukee.

Dr. Thomas and his husband live in Verona with their cockapoo, River. In his free time, Dr. Thomas enjoys spending time outside with his dog, working out, camping, and birdwatching.

Dr. Yao joined the MVS team in December 2024.

Dr. Katelyn Bettin is completing a rotating internship in Small Animal Emergency & Specialty Medicine at MVS as part of our 2026-27 intern class.

Katelyn is from Lake View, Iowa, and she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Iowa State University in 2026.

Dr. Megan Wirachowsky earned a BSc in Animal Health from the University of Alberta before completing her DVM at the University of Calgary in 2026. She relocated from Canada to Wisconsin for her rotating internship at MVS and has a special interest in internal medicine, urology, and behaviour.

Outside the hospital, Meg enthusiastically collects new hobbies with varying degrees of success, from sewing and needlework to paddle boarding and piano. Her two rescued domestic shorthair cats, Clarke and Casper, serve as official supervisor and chief critic of all her creative pursuits while inspiring her passion for feline health and welfare.

Meg is excited to join the MVS team and hopes to be a friendly face for clients, helping them feel heard, supported, and empowered to make informed decisions for their pets.

Dr. Melanie Barnes is completing an Emergency & Critical Care internship at MVS as part of our 2026-27 intern class.

Melanie is from the Twin Cities and earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from St. George’s University in 2026.

A Wisconsin native, Dr. McDonald is excited to return to the area and serve the veterinary community close to home.

“I’m excited to bring additional routine and urgent eye care to the Madison community and throughout Wisconsin. So much has changed since I graduated 13 years ago, and I’m thrilled to be back.”

Dr. McDonald enjoys both medical and surgical ophthalmology, with particular interests in eyelid and corneal surgery. She also enjoys using a variety of treatment modalities to help promote ocular healing, including fresh-frozen amniotic membrane and laser therapy.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. McDonald has contributed to the advancement of veterinary ophthalmology through peer-reviewed research. She authored a paper describing the use of subdermal hyaluronic acid filler injections for the treatment of entropion in dogs and cats. The publication ranked among the journal’s 10 most downloaded articles during the year it was released and has since been shared by prominent veterinary content creators.

Dr. McDonald also authored research on the use of latanoprost in cats and is welcomed as an expert speaker at conferences throughout the country every year.

We are so excited to have her on the team. Her books are open and appointments are available to be scheduled. You can visit our website to refer a patient if you are a veterinarian or request an appointment if you are a pet owner.

Dr. Aaron Sieve earned her undergraduate degree from Augustana College before completing her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Illinois. Following veterinary school, Dr. Sieve completed a small-animal rotating internship at BluePearl Pet Hospital in Sandy Springs, Georgia. She then completed a one-year ophthalmology specialty internship at Animal Eye Consultants of Illinois.

Dr. Sieve continued her training at the University of Missouri, where she simultaneously completed an ophthalmology residency and a master’s degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. During her residency, she was recognized for her clinical and research abilities and received the Levy Resident Award in two consecutive years.

Dr. Sieve enjoys both the medical and surgical aspects of veterinary ophthalmology and is passionate about preserving vision and ocular comfort for pets. She has a special interest in the intricacies of corneal and cataract surgery.

Outside of work, Dr. Sieve enjoys crafting, spending time outdoors, and relaxing with her two dogs, Rhett—short for Retina—and Indie.

Dr. Sieve joins the team mid September and will begin seeing patients soon after – giving MVS 5 day a week ophthalmology coverage. We know that she will be invaluable to our team and our patients. We are also excited to congratulate Dr. Sieve on the passing of her board exams, officially completing the requirements to become a board-certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist.

If you add together an interest in science and a love of animals, Dr. John Silbernagel is the end result. “I grew up on a North Dakota ranch with a lot of animals,” Silbernagel says. “And even though I initially planned to work with large animals, I fell in love with surgery, which guided me to where I am today.”

Dr. Silbernagel graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and completed his residency at the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine in small animal surgery. He worked at 24-hour-a-day hospitals and referral centers in Illinois, and Indiana. He later moved to Wisconsin and opened a specialty and emergency care facility several years prior to founding Madison Veterinary Specialists.

Dr. Silbernagel is a board-certified small animal surgeon, and a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Veterinary Orthopedic Society, American Veterinarian Medical Association, Wisconsin-VMA, and Dane County-VMA. He appreciates the collaboration found at multi-specialty emergency facilities which “offer the highest level of care to clients and their pets by allowing different disciplines to consult with each other on the same case.”

When not working, Dr. Silbernagel can often be found spending time with family — camping, biking, skiing, or enjoying other outdoor activities. He also considers himself a “foodie,” and enjoys cooking up new recipes in the kitchen.

Dr. Shriwise obtained her undergraduate degree in Zoology at UW-Madison before taking a year off to live in California and work with sea otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. After confirming her love for the field of animal care, she returned to get her veterinary degree through UW-Madison. She then completed a one-year rotating internship at NC-State (where she earned the “Intern of the Year” award), and came back to the UW-Madison for her three-year small animal surgical residency (where she also earned the “Resident of the Year” award). During internship and residency, she was involved with research on pain management and diagnosis, a novel surgery for correction of chylothorax, and fracture complications.

After finishing residency in 2019, Dr. Shriwise worked at MedVet Chicago, a large specialty center in Chicago. She then relocated back to Madison with her husband and two children and started at MVS in October 2022. She loves all surgeries, but especially enjoys thoracic procedures, minimally invasive options including laparoscopy and arthroscopy, surgical oncology, and soft tissue reconstructive surgeries. 

When not doing surgery, Dr. Shriwise enjoys playing Ultimate frisbee, climbing, doing pottery, and spending time with her family – including a 16-year-old Rottweiler mix named Monk.

Dr. Tuttle completed his undergraduate at Iowa State University receiving a Bachelors of Science in Animal Science in 1997 and a Bachelors of Science in Zoology in 2001.  He obtained is Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine with honors from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005.  Following graduation from Veterinary School he completed a one year rotating Medicine and Surgical Internship at Michigan State University.  Beginning in 2006 he began and completed a three year Surgical Residency at The University of Wisconsin-Madison.

During his residency he not only had intense training in Veterinary Surgery but also received advanced training in Anesthesia, Radiology, Clinical pathology, and Internal Medicine and Critical Care.  He also was responsible for the teaching and training of veterinary students during this time.  In 2010 he received his Board Certification from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

In 2009 he began a position at The Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center located in Overland Park, KS where he worked as a Veterinary Surgeon as part of a busy specialty hospital until taking a position with the Animal Emergency and Specialty Center in 2014 where he continued to perform duties as a Board Certified Veterinary Surgeon. He joined us here at MVS in August, 2017 and is happy to be back in Madison! Dr. Tuttle performs Orthopedic, Soft Tissue, and Neurologic surgery with special interest in Oncologic Surgery and Soft Tissue Reconstruction.