AAHA spotlights five DVMs

San Antonio, Texas-The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) honoredfive DVMs at its 68th annual meeting here.

·Dr. Larry Dee, dipl. ABVP, of Hollywood, Fla., received the AAHA'sPractitioner of the Year Award. Dee, who has belonged to AAHA since 1969,is owner and practice director of the Hollywood Animal Hospital and is anadjunct faculty member of the University of Florida College of VeterinaryMedicine.

·Dr. Earl Strimple, founder and director of the MacArthur AnimalHospital in Chevy Chase, Md., received the Hill's Animal Welfare and HumaneEthics Award. Strimple is co-founder and director of People-Animals-Love(PAL), a non-profit organization that uses the practical application ofpet therapy and education in nursing homes, hospitals, schools and prisons.

·Dr. Bonnie V. Beaver, dipl. ACVB, an instructor, professor andassociate at Texas A&M University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, wasrecognized with the Friskies Petcare Award for her more than 30 years educatingstudents in veterinary medicine and animal behavior.

·Dr. Alan H. Rebar received the Waltham Award, recognizing hisoutstanding contributions in improving the well-being of companion animalsin the international veterinary community. As dean of the School of VeterinaryMedicine and professor of clinical pathology at Purdue University, Rebarhas advanced veterinary pathology, environmental issues and veterinary medicineas a whole.

·Dr. Rebecca Kirby received the Innovative Veterinary Diets Awardfor her significant contributions to small animal veterinary medicine andsurgery. She is an adjunct assistant professor of small animal surgery atthe University of Wisconsin, Madison, a practicing emergency veterinarianin Milwaukee and director of education and chief of medical services andICU at the Milwaukee Veterinary Institute of Trauma, Emergency and CriticalCare.

In other news, Lowell Ackermann, DVM, Dipl. ACVD, recently received theEukanuba® Canine Health Award for his book, entitled "The GeneticConnection: A Guide to Health Problems in Purebred Dogs."

The 278-page book, published by the AAHA in 1999, offers data to identifyand assess the treatment needs of purebred dogs and help pet owners makedecisions about the selection, screening and breeding processes.