Canadian veterinarian Dr Kymberley Stewart has been a member of the WSAVA Dental Guidelines Group since 2016.
Could you introduce yourself briefly to our readers?
My name is Kymberley Stewart, and I’m a companion animal veterinarian, animal welfare scientist, and working mother to three amazing little girls (and two lazy and entitled cats) living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I am currently completing my residency with the American College of Animal Welfare.
What is your day job?
I work full time as a Professional Services Veterinarian for IDEXX Diagnostic Laboratories, in a strictly educational role. I’m blessed to teach full time, supporting both a wonderful sales team within Canada, and providing Continuing Medical Education (CME) in North America and internationally. Previously, I worked as a small animal practitioner for 12 years.
Why and when did you get involved with the WSAVA?
In 2016, I was lecturing alongside WSAVA Past President Walt Ingwersen and, one night after our evening educational program was finished, I expressed my interest in ‘getting more involved in veterinary volunteer or humanitarian work’. Walt suggested perhaps experiencing a WSAVA Congress might help to find out how I could contribute. How very right he was!
Dr Kymberley Stewart
You’re a member of the Dental Guidelines Group (DGG). Why is its work so important?
Dental disease is the most common issue facing small animal patients. It creates significant pain and infection but our pets rarely show clinical signs. As a result, it is one of our most significant animal welfare concerns. The DGG is a wonderful example of how multiple veterinary specialties can work together to create something truly useful and special. It has helped me find a voice for animal welfare science as it applies to regular small animal practitioners. I like to think I am able to help vets to understand better why animals need dental care and to augment their knowledge as to how to provide it most effectively.
What does your role involve?
As a member of the DGG, I helped to author the WSAVA Global Dental Guidelines, bringing evidence-based animal welfare research to augment the strength of the document.
As we get closer to publication, we are now working on a toolkit to educate general practitioners worldwide, as well as to assist them in ensuring compliance with their recommendations. We are also planning additional education and research into companion animal dentistry.
Please tell us something about you that may surprise us!
I’ve been involved in music professionally since childhood and been blessed to share the stage with performers like Michael Bublé! My favourite memory was performing for HRH Princess Diana and HRH Prince Charles for the World Exposition in 1989.