Radiocat Co-Founders
Dr. Herring and Dr. Wachsstock are co-founders of Radiocat, a veterinary practice dedicated exclusively to the care and treatment of Feline Hyperthyroidism.
Dr. David S. Herring is a Board Certified Veterinary Radiologist who believes the pet's best interests are paramount and that the treatment should never be worse than the disease. He received advanced training in diagnostic ultrasound, echocardiography, radiography and nuclear medicine, and taught at Texas A&M and the Ohio State University. In 1985, Dr. Herring moved to the Baltimore-Washington area, where he became the first veterinarian to offer abdominal ultrasound and, in 1995, Radioiodine therapy (I-131).
Dr. Rand S. Wachsstock is a graduate of the University of Illinois and has taught at both his alma mater and at Yale University. He has actively practiced emergency medicine since 1984 and believes comprehensive state-of-the-art medical care should be readily available to all pets. Dr. Wachsstock owns and operates the Emergency/Critical Care Service at The Regional Veterinary Referral Center in Springfield, Virginia. In 2005 he was appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia to the Radiation Advisory Board.
To read an article from a report on Radiocat that aired on the DC-area Channel 9 News, please click here.
The Staff
Clients bringing their pets in for therapy will meet several Radiocat staff members along the way.
Client educators spend time teaching clients about Hyperthyroidism and discussing individual case histories, treatment options, statistics and success rates, procedures, philosophy of care, radiation safety and more. They also coordinate the request for and receipt of pre-therapy blood work from each patient’s referring veterinarian, shepherd the blood work and histories through a review by our doctors, schedule appointments, and generally address client needs. Most of our client educators are trained veterinary technicians and/or have other medical backgrounds (i.e. Emergency Medical Technician training, nursing school, etc.).
Each Radiocat technician has extensive experience in the veterinary field and receives additional training in dealing with geriatric patients, Radioiodine therapy and radiation safety. Radiocat technicians ("surrogate moms") are also assigned to individual Radiocat clinics where they admit, care for and release each patient after treatment. In addition, they provide owners with daily progress reports, make sure each patient’s dietary restrictions and preferences are followed, cuddle patients, make sure patients receive (and swallow) medication for pre-existing conditions, play owner audiotapes and kitty videos, and prepare gourmet buffet plates.
Our technicians and client educators - all of whom are multi-pet owners themselves - work closely with Radiocat doctors, who supervise the care and treatment of each case, as well as provide on-going training and information on Hyperthyroidism. Obviously, our doctors cannot be everywhere at once, so each clinic also maintains 24-hour access to a veterinarian/specialist in the immediate vicinity.
If, in the highly unlikely event that a patient needs medical care during their stay in the radiation ward, the on-site technician notifies Drs. Herring and Wachsstock, as well as the nearby veterinarian/specialist (who provides a second pair of skilled eyes and ears for each case). Radiocat doctors will either supervise or travel to and directly care for every patient’s needs.
On-Call Doctors
The doctors listed below have received special training from Radiocat and actively participate in the care of our patients. Their training has been reviewed and accepted by either the State Regulatory Agency or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission where applicable. For contact information and directions, please visit our locations page.
Arizona - Dr. Stephen Gilson
Dr. Gilson is a Board Certified Veterinary Surgeon and owns Sonora Veterinary Specialists, which hosts our Arizona Radiocat clinic.
California - Dr. Bruyette, Dr. Peter Slusser, Dr. Heidi McClain, Dr. Diane Roberts
Los Angeles - Dr. Dave Bruyette is a Board Certified Internist and is the Medical Director at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. He is also a clinical professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCLA.
San Diego - Dr. Peter Slusser is a Board Certified Internist with many years experience in the diagnosis and treatment of medical disorders.
San Mateo - Drs. Heidi McClain and Diane Roberts are both Board Certified Internists and head the Internal Medicine practice that hosts our clinic in the Bay area.
Connecticut - Dr. Mark Albin
Dr. Albin is a general practitioner at the Piper-Olson Veterinary Hospital, which hosts our Connecticut Radiocat clinic.
Delaware - Dr. Michael Miller Dr. Miller is a Board Certified Veterinary Practitioner whom some may know from his long association with Cardiopet. He operates a cardiology referral service within the Veterinary Specialty Center of Delaware, which hosts our Delaware Radiocat clinic.
Florida - Drs. David S. Herring and Rand S. Wachsstock.
The co-founders of Radiocat treat at The Florida Veterinary Referral Center in Estero, FL.
Georgia - Dr. Byron Hawkins and Dr. Jerry Fitzgerald Dr. Hawkins and Dr. Fitzgerald are emergency Clinicians in the greater Atlanta area.
Illinois - Dr. Bob Esbensen and Dr. Mark Biehl Dr. Esbensen is a Board Certified Veterinary Practitioner, and Dr. Biehl is a general practitioner in the Chicago area.
Indiana - Dr. John StephanDr. Stephan is a Board Certified Veterinary Surgeon and an owner of the Indianapolis Veterinary Specialists, the host of our Indianapolis Radiocat clinic.
Maryland - Dr. David Herring Dr. Herring, co-founder of Radiocat is based at Radiocat Maryland located in Catonsville.
Massachusetts - Dr. David J. RousseauDr. Rousseau is the medical director at Wakefield Animal Hospital which hosts our Radiocat clinic in the Boston area.
New York - Dr. Pat Hopper Dr. Hopper is a Board Certified Internist with many years experience in the diagnosis and treatment of medical disorders. He also assists at Bond Animal Hospital, our West Chester location.
Pennsylvania - Dr. James Beebe Dr. Beebe is a general practitioner who has accepted surgical referral cases for many years. He is the owner of the Northview Animal Hospital, which hosts our Pittsburgh Radiocat clinic.
South Carolina - Dr. Dermot JevensDr. Jevens is a Board Certified Surgeon and owner of Upstate Veterinary Specialists, which hosts our South Carolina Radiocat clinic.
Virginia - Dr. Rand WachsstockDr. Wachsstock, co-founder of Radiocat, is based at the Regional Veterinary Referral Center, the site of our Virginia clinic.