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.

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. 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.

After obtaining his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 2010, Dr. Matt Keller worked in small animal emergency private practice for 12 years. He has a special interest in trauma, surgery, and wound management.  He pursued additional surgical training through a small animal surgical internship in Phoenix from 2019-2020.  Dr. Keller joined the MVS team in 2021 and provides both emergency surgery and clinical care services.  

When he’s not at work, Dr. Keller spends much of his time enjoying the outdoors and can be found hiking with his cat, Stella, or working on his farm in Iowa.  

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. Nathan Strauss graduated from St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2022 and completed his clinical year at the University of Florida. Dr. Strauss enjoys the challenge of living minimally while maximizing life. He lives in Middleton and spends his free time playing ultimate frisbee, paddle boarding and traveling. He has an affinity for Huskies, but for now is pet free while he focuses his attention and affection on his patients.

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. Ann Le completed her veterinary education at Ross University and her clinical year at UW Madison. After graduating in 2021, she began her career in her hometown of Austin, Texas, at an emergency and specialty hospital. Following a year in emergency medicine, Dr. Le returned to Madison, WI, in 2022 and worked as a general practitioner. Before joining MVS in 2024, she undertook relief work across Wisconsin in both general practice and emergency settings. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new food options and indulging in romantasy books. At home, Dr. Le shares her life with Mina, a beloved miniature poodle who is her soulmate; Winnie the Poodle, a standard poodle; Marvin, the orange cat; and Stowa, the tortoiseshell.

Dr. Palak Shah is originally from Naperville, IL. She researched fox behavior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she also received an undergraduate degree in Animal Sciences 2020. After completing her veterinary education at Kansas State University, she joined the MVS team in 2024. Outside of work, she enjoys singing as well as playing the guitar, piano, and flute. She also likes to spend her free time giving back to the South Asian community by participating in cultural events dedicated to teaching the general public about Indian culture and customs. She shares her home with Eddy, a domestic medium haired cat, Anya, a Samoyed, and Echo, a Toy Yorkie.

Dr. Val Walech is originally from Brooklyn, NY and graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023. She worked as a general practice veterinarian in Chicago before joining the emergency and critical care team at MVS in 2024. 

Dr. Walech was born in Ukraine and speaks Russian. She and her wife share their home with Bruno, a long-coat Chihuahua and Cosima, their cat. Dr. Walech enjoys kayaking, cooking, and being outdoors. 

Dr. Kaylyn McDaniel graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors in Nursing. A few years later, she made the switch to veterinary medicine and attended the University of Illinois where she obtained her DVM in 2017. After, she completed a Small Animal Rotating Internship and Small Animal Internal Medicine Internship at the University of Missouri from 2017-2019. She then went on to Washington State University where she completed her Masters of Science during her Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency. She joined the MVS team in August of 2022.

When she’s not working on complex medical cases at MVS, you can find Dr. McDaniel biking, kayaking and traveling. She shares her home in Fitchburg with her wife and their four dogs; Ella the Yorkie, Otis the Pomeranian mix, Comet the Goldendoodle and Nova the Husky.

Kristen McDaniel received her doctorate from Iowa State University in 2016, and continued her training in Iowa with a one year internship in small animal medicine and surgery. Kristen completed her residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Missouri in 2020. Her current areas of interest include gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary disease, and respiratory diseases.

During her spare time, Kristen enjoys spending time with her dogs and wife Kaylyn, travel, watch movies, and outdoor activities.

Dr. Pauli graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and subsequently completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. She then completed a residency in comparative ophthalmology at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. She worked as a staff ophthalmologist at a specialty care facility for five years prior to founding Madison Veterinary Specialists.

Dr. Pauli is a member of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. Her professional interests include disease and surgery of the cornea, along with cataract surgery.

When away from the hospital she can be found spending time with her husband, Mark, two children, Gabriel and Cecelia, and her three pugs Agnes, Mona and Star. She enjoys running as well as racing in triathlons, and is a 2017 finisher of Ironman Wisconsin.

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.