VCA Northview Animal Hospital Specialty Referral Center

Bios

• James K. Beebe

  DVM

  Dr. James K. Beebe was born and raised in Ferndale, Michigan. He knew from an early age that he wanted to become a veterinarian, and spent much of his youth "tending" to sick wildlife, including birds, pigeons, rabbits, and other small animals in need of care. With an undergraduate degree from Wayne State University and his DVM from Michigan State University, he came to the Pittsburgh region to continue his passion. Dr. Beebe began his practice on the staff of Castle Shannon Animal Hospital in 1971. During his tenure, he developed special interests in surgery and the care of exotics. By 1979, Dr. Beebe was ready to co-establish a practice of his own at Northview Animal Hospital. Building a reputation as a doctor's doctor, he was invited to acquire neighboring practices at Harts Run Animal Clinic and Gardens Plaza Animal Hospital. In 1998, Dr. Beebe took his vision further by taking sole ownership of Northview Animal Hospital and developing the Northview Veterinary Hospital System complex, adding nearly 10,000 square feet of advanced medical care to his facilities. In 2010, Dr. Beebe was pleased to add his practice to the VCA Animal Hospitals family, joining a network of the greatest resources to provide the highest quality care available for your pets. Dr. Beebe serves on the Board of Directors of The Animal Rescue League. All pets are spayed / neutered before leaving the shelter with their new family. Dr. Beebe, doctors and technicians at VCA Northview, help the League in the adoption process by volunteering to spay and neuter pets brought to the shelter. Dr. Beebe is passionate about the police dogs and guide dogs for the blind, who serve our communities. VCA Northview Animal Hospital provides veterinary care for the Ross Township K-9 unit as well as other surrounding area K-9 units. The Hospital also provides care for puppies placed in the Pilot Dogs, Inc. program. This program "fosters" puppies until they are placed in training to become guide dogs for the blind. On a personal note, Dr. Beebe enjoys golfing, fishing and playing Texas Hold'em ' and traveling to relaxing destinations to enjoy such recreation. He also enjoys vacationing on Hilton Head Island with his family. He and his wife have 4 cats (Mommy Cat, Black, Mercedes and Penelope) and 3 dogs (1 Pekingese, Callie and 2 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Brady and Shay).

• Denise Pleban

  DVM

  Dr. Denise Pleban grew up in the Cleveland area. She earned her undergraduate degree at Bowling Green State University. Thereafter, she attended the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, earning her DVM degree in 1994. Dr. Pleban joined Northview in 1996. She has a special interest in exotic medicine (small mammals, reptiles, and birds), but loves seeing dogs and cats, as well! Outside of the hospital, Dr. Pleban enjoys her days with her greyhound, Jason, and her two birds, Sam, a Senegal parrot and Carla, a green-cheeked conure. She also enjoys playing the piano and is very active in her church choir. She spends time every chance she has with her husband, her family (still in Ohio!) and friends.

• Michelle Henry

  DVM

  Dr. Michelle Henry grew up in a north suburb of Chicago and remained there until her college years. She attended Michigan State University for both her undergraduate and DVM degrees, graduating from the MSU's Veterinary College in 2002. That same year, Dr. Henry joined the team at Northview. Her special interests are ultrasound, small mammals (exotics and ferrets), and of course, dogs and cats. Outside of Northview, you may hear Dr. Henry referred to by her married name, Michelle Isner. She enjoys spending time with her family: her sons, Aiden and Austin, a pit bull mix, Mojo, and a German shepherd mix, Malcomb, as well as many tropical fish. She loves to horseback ride and is an avid college football fan!

• Betsy K. Kennon

  VMD

  Dr. Betsy Kay Kennon was born and raised in Mt. Lebanon. She is a Mt. Lebanon High School graduate and an alumna of Washington and Jefferson College. After a year of working for several veterinarians in the Pittsburgh area, she attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and received her VMD in 1980. She interned in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of California at Davis. After another year of private practice in the Bay area of California, she returned to Pittsburgh, where she has been in practice ever since. For two decades, Dr. Kennon practiced in the Fox Chapel area, working at a Northview Animal Hospital affiliated clinic. In 2008, she made the move to the North Hills and joined the staff here at Northview. She enjoys seeing all kinds of pets, including birds, rabbits, ferrets, iguanas, and others. Dr. Kennon has been married to her husband, Steve, since 1991. They have two dogs, the world's coolest bird Sprout, and several fresh and saltwater fish tanks. They also have four cats including one that is blind (since birth) and has only three legs, and another that is paraplegic. His name is Scooter, and he and Dr. Kennon volunteer at the Children's Home and Harmarville Rehabilitation Hospital regularly, where he brings a smile to many faces as he rolls down the halls in his custom-made wheel cart.

• Wayne Sisk

  DVM

  Bio under construction

• Karen Hayworth

  DVM

  Karen is Northview's resident alien, having grown up in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. She started her education in Canada, obtaining an undergraduate degree from the University of Guelph in Biomedical Sciences. A move south of the border was prompted by her husband, and she obtained her DVM degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana (Go Boilers!). Karen has practiced in Pittsburgh since graduation and joined us in September, 2007. She thoroughly enjoys working with Northview's extraordinary veterinarians, and her special practice interests include dentistry and pain management. On the personal side, Karen and her husband enjoy living in Pittsburgh, and have become avid Penguins fans! They recently welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Andrew, into their family. They share their home with two amusing, but not overly smart, cats, Murray and Indy.

• Jenny McKlveen

  DVM

  Dr. Jenny McKlveen was born and raised an hour east of Pittsburgh in Westmoreland County. After receiving her B.S. in Biology from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, Dr. McKlveen earned her DVM degree from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbus, Ohio in 2011. She is the most recent addition to VCA Northview Animal Hospital. Dr. McKlveen's special interests include soft tissue surgery and emergency medicine. When not working, Dr. McKlveen loves to travel and spent six weeks in Europe prior to graduation from veterinary school. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, college football (especially the OSU Buckeyes), and is learning how to ski. She currently lives in Washington, PA with her Beagle mix, Rosie, and her cat, Lucy, but is looking to buy a house in Pittsburgh very soon.

• Amber Threadgill

  DVM

  Dr. Amber Threadgill grew up in Upper St Clair, PA. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at Gannon University in Erie, PA where she also enjoyed playing Division II lacrosse. She then studied at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine where she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2011. Her special interests include oncology, emergency medicine, and ultrasound. Dr. Threadgill worked at a general practice in Murfreesboro, TN for a year before moving back home with her husband Chris (who is also a veterinarian at VCA Castle Shannon). In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family, outdoor activities, and walking her dogs. Her furry family members include a greyhound Rupert, a whippet mix Honey, a Catahoula Laci, a west highland white terrier Mackenzie, and lastly, a bobtail cat Marvin!.

• Rebecca Stansbury

  DVM

  Rebecca Stansbury, DVM is new to Pittsburgh and to VCA Northview Animal Hospital Specialty Referral Center. As her husband completes his training as a physician, she has traveled all over the eastern United States. She grew up in Charleston, WV, attended undergraduate studies at West Virginia University, and graduated from University of Georgia Veterinary School in 2007. Dr. Stansbury is especially interested in medicine and soft tissue surgery of dogs and cats. She is currently pursuing training in acupuncture to serve as an adjunct in the treatment of small animal arthritis and other diseases. In her spare time, Dr. Stansbury enjoys spending time with her husband and her son, Isaac. She enjoys hiking with her two dogs Maya and Bo. Although she bleeds blue and gold (WVU Mountaineer colors), she is also very excited to be in Steeler country!

• Anusha Natarajan

  DVM

  Biography under construction.

• Deanna Purvis

  VMD

  Dr. Deanna Purvis was born in Vancouver Washington. Despite her west coast beginnings, she spent many formative years in Pittsburgh making it feel like home. She received her B.S. in Biology from Penn State University in 1983, and is a 1988 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine. She continued at the University of Pennsylvania for her internship in small animal medicine and surgery. Following her internship she completed two years of residency training in small animal surgery at the University of Tennessee. During her surgical residency, she realized her passion for care of the critically ill/ICU patients. She shifted her focus and was accepted into the residency training program in Emergency and Critical Care at the Animal Emergency Center (Milwaukee, WI). Dr. Purvis earned Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC) in 1994. Since 1994, Dr. Purvis has directed emergency/critical care departments in Portland, Oregon; Springfield, Virginia; and was a consultant for the Regional Emergency Animal Care Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. She and two colleagues founded the California Animal Referral & Emergency Hospital in July 2003 - establishing Santa Barbara California's first veterinary specialty hospital. She enjoys working with referring veterinarians and clients to aid in their understanding of critical disease and life threatening emergencies. Her clinical interests include treatment of the septic/SIRS patient, patients in shock, and patients requiring immediate surgical intervention. She completed training and was certified to perform veterinary acupuncture in 2005. Since then, she has enjoyed combining eastern and western medical approaches to provide for optimal patient care and comfort. Dr. Purvis is married and shares her home with three dogs, (Maya, a golden retriever; Zack, a Carolina Mountain Dog rescued from an Asheville, NC shelter; and Deuce, a Jack Russell mix rescued from California), and Karma a dwarf hamster. In addition to her love of animals, she's an avid student of Eastern philosophies, and enjoys gardening and hiking. .

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