Dr. Justin Uhl
DVM, MS, DACVS-SA – Veterinary Specialist
Justin Uhl, DVM, MS, DACVS-SA graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis in 2002. He went on to complete a Master’s Degree in comparative pathology with emphasis in bone biomechanics in 2008 and completed his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree in 2010.
After graduating from veterinary school, Dr. Uhl pursued a rotating internship followed by a surgery residency at the University of Minnesota. During his residency he served for 2 years as chief resident and sat on the medical review board at the hospital. He finished his residency in July of 2014 and worked in private practice in Sacramento before joining our team in 2018 and starting a mobile surgical service practice. Dr. Uhl is trained in orthopedic, neurologic, soft tissue, and minimally invasive procedures.
Dr. Uhl has multiple publications in bone plate research, bladder stone trends, temporal lobe epilepsy, and osteosarcoma chemotherapy. He has also done research in the areas of interlocking nails and cranial cruciate ligament disease. He has spoken at many continuing education events and is a reviewer for the Veterinary Surgery journal and the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. He sits on the ACVS continuing education committee. He is a member of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society and Veterinary Society of Surgical Onocology.
When not in the hospital Dr. Uhl enjoys spending time with his wife Tracy and daughters Haley and Madison. He also enjoys spending time running, biking, and swimming, and has three dogs and one cat at home.
Dr. Kelli Mayhew
VMD, DACVS-SA – Veterinary Specialist
Dr. Kelli Mayhew has been a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons for the last 10 years. She obtained her veterinary degree from the prestigious School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated magna cum laude in 2004. She was selected to stay on at the University of Pennsylvania for a highly competitive rotating internship as well as a three-year small animal surgical residency.
After completion of her residency, she joined a specialty practice in the Pacific Northwest before moving to Northern California in 2010. Dr. Mayhew joined the faculty at the No.1 rated veterinary school, the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. During this time, Dr. Mayhew supervised veterinary students and specialty surgical residents in the areas of orthopedics, soft tissue surgery and minimally invasive interventions.
During her veterinary career, Dr. Mayhew has authored and co-authored more than a dozen scientific papers in topics ranging from orthopedic surgery, oncologic surgery and minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Mayhew has over 10 years of experience as a board-certified surgeon and has performed thousands of orthopedic and soft tissue procedures. This extensive experience allows Dr. Mayhew to achieve the best possible outcomes for her patients.
Dr. Mayhew enjoys all aspects of soft tissue and orthopedic surgery. When not at work, Dr. Mayhew enjoys spending time with her husband Phil, also a veterinary surgeon and their three young children.
Dr. Leslie Larson Cooper
DVM, DACVB – Behavioral Specialist
As of May 25th, 2023, Dr. Cooper is no longer seeing new cases or recheck physical exams. She will still be able to prescribe/change prescriptions for current patients up to a year after their individual physicals, follow up with cases, and will be available to consult with veterinarians about their behavior cases. We wish her the best of luck in her retirement and thank you for all the time she has spent caring for pets as part of the Woodland Vet family!
Dr. Cooper was born in Turlock and raised on a dairy farm in Hickman, California. She received her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of California, Davis, in 1976. She then continued her education at UC Davis, where she earned her doctor of veterinary medicine in 1980. Dr. Cooper served on the faculty of the Behavior Science department at the Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital at UC Davis from 1980 to 2002. She passed her specialty board exams for the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 1995, the first year they were given. She has special interests in veterinary behavior and the human-animal bond. She has been treating dogs and cats for behavioral appointments at Woodland Veterinary Hospital for many years. She and her husband, Phil, have two sons, Ben and Nick. Their family also includes Rocky, a one-eyed “pirate” cat. In her time away from veterinary medicine, Dr. Cooper enjoys quilting, singing in two choirs, and reading what she calls “escape literature.”
Dr. Craig Long
DVM, DACVR – Radiology Specialist
Following a one-year associate veterinarian position in general practice, Dr. Long returned to UC Davis to complete a four-year residency in radiology. He joined the faculty at UC Davis as half time Clinical Professor position from 1999 through 2005, and is still involved with UC Davis with radiology resident training. He has been an associate with Veterinary Medical Imaging since 2000, and has been working with Woodland Veterinary Hospital since 2002.Dr. Long’s areas of special interest include diagnostic ultrasound and interventional radiology. His personal favorite activities include flying, kayaking, home improvement, and outdoor adventures with the family.
Dr. Linda Mellema
DVM, DACVR – Radiology Specialist
After graduation from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Mellema completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Following a year in small animal private practice, she did a four-year residency in radiology at UC Davis and became board certified in veterinary radiology in 2000. She spent seven years as a staff radiologist at Angell AMC in Boston. She currently lives in Davis with her husband and two sons.
Dr. Michele Laurenson
DVM, DACVR – Radiology Specialist
Dr. Laurenson obtained her bachelor’s degree from UC Davis in Biological Systems Engineering. She attended UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and after graduation completed a rotating internship at VMSG in Ventura, California. After a year of general practice, she completed a four-year radiology residency at UC Davis, and became board certified in 2010. She returned to VMSG and spent four years as a staff radiologist. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter.
Dr. Eric Herrgesell
DVM, DACVR – Radiology Specialist
Dr. Herrgesell completed his training in Veterinary Radiology in 1997 with the completion of the board certification exam and began as a member of the staff at the University of California Davis in the teaching hospital. While at the university, Dr. Herrgesell was involved in the development of ultrasound as an elective course for the second and third year students in addition to clinic duty. Since 2005, he has been in private practice in the greater Sacramento area, providing radiology and ultrasound support for the area veterinarians, including Woodland Veterinary Hospital. He remains very involved with professional speaking conferences around the country and internationally.
Dr. Brian MacKie
DVM, DACVIM – Cardiac Specialist
Dr. Brian MacKie earned his DVM at Washington State University, graduating in 2005. Following his graduation, he completed a one year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at VCA Sacramento Animal Medical Group in Sacramento, California. He then moved out to the University of Wisconsin in Madison where, from 2006-2009, he completed his residency training in Cardiology. During his time there, Dr. MacKie helped implement the use of the Amplatz Canine Ductal Occluder at the University of Wisconsin, authored a paper on the use of an implantable ECG monitor for the evaluation of syncope in dogs, and assisted in prospective research on pulmonary hypertension and cardiac biomarkers. In July 2009, Dr MacKie successfully completed all of the requirements for board certification and is now a Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in the specialty of Cardiology.
The main services Dr. MacKie brings to Woodland Veterinary Hospital are echocardiography and electrocardiography (ECG). Echocardiography will be used to evaluate cardiac function including systolic function, diastolic function, and valvular integrity as well as evaluate for congenital or acquired heart diseases from the most common to more complex. ECG will accurately diagnose cardiac arrhythmias and implement the best course of therapy or monitoring the efficacy of antiarrhythmic therapy. Dr. MacKie can also optimize congestive heart failure therapy for patients through the use of all three modalities to ensure the best treatment are chosen.
Dr. Peter Walsh
DVM, DACVS – Soft Tissue Specialist
Dr. Walsh is a 1994 graduate of Colorado State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. He also has a Masters in Veterinary Science. He completed an internship in small animal surgery and medicine and a surgical residency at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Dr. Walsh joined the faculty at the University of California, Davis where he rotated coverage for all three of the small animal surgical services, and ultimately was instrumental in developing and running the small animal surgical oncology service. He is now in private practice and started Veterinary Specialists Group (VSG) which provides both orthopedic and soft tissue surgical service in the Northern California area. Dr. Walsh is board certified with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and has a particular interest in surgical oncology and reconstructive surgery. He is considered one of the leading authorities on limb-spare procedures in dogs with bone tumors.