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Instructor since 2011
Contact Information
Phone: 352-514-0924
Email: dlhawkins07@gmail.com
Education
• Oregon State University, Master of Science in Animal Physiology
• Texas A&M University, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Professional Experience
• Chi Institute, Teaching Assistant
Extended Bio:
After graduation from veterinary school in May 1973, I went to the University of California, School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, for my intern and resident training in large animal medicine and equine reproduction, respectively. After leaving UC, Davis, I worked as a resident veterinarian at a Standardbred farm in New York and Thoroughbred farm (Windfields Farm) in Chesapeake City, Maryland.
In 1980, I joined the Hagyard-Davidson-McGee practice in Lexington, Kentucky, as an associate veterinarian where I began doing surgery and lameness work with performance and racehorses. In 1984, I returned to Maryland where I worked with Dr. Ed Churchill, a renowned authority of equine surgery and lameness diagnosis in performance and racehorses. With Dr. Churchill as my mentor, I continued to develop my understanding of the equine athlete and fine-tune my diagnostic and surgical skills.
In 1988, I left private practice for an opportunity to enhance my academic knowledge of surgery in horses and share my knowledge and experience with veterinary students and residents. I was at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, in Large Animal Surgery for 11 years as an assistant and associate professor.
In 1999, I left the academic environment for the opportunity to oversee the clinical program in the Dubai Equine Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Dubai Equine Hospital, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is a world renowned, full-service, equine referral hospital in the Persian Gulf. The hospital provided veterinary support for the international Godolphin Racing Stable. Dubai, with a large population of resident Thoroughbred racehorses, was host to international horses from more than 70 countries for the Carnival Racing Series and the Dubai World Cup day of racing. The hospital offers a complete range of diagnostic imaging modalities including CR, MRI, scintigraphy, fluoroscopy, videoendoscopy, and ultrasonography.
All imaging in the hospital, including arthroscopy and laparoscopy, is stored on a dedicated server linked via an imaging network and managed with a Siemens PACS/RIS system. I was privileged to have played a key role in the development of these modalities and features of the hospital. The hospital caseload was principally Thoroughbred and endurance racehorses. As the Chief Surgeon, I led a team of specialists to assess problems in horses using state-of-the-art diagnostic techniques and perform surgery with the most advanced equipment and instrumentation.
In June 2007, I resigned to return to the U.S. to continue practice largely in a consulting capacity. Since returning to the states, I have been consulting with Hagyards Equine Medical Institute, PLLC, at horse sales in Lexington, Kentucky. Additionally, in December 2008, I completed the equine acupuncture course at the Chi Institute in Reddick, Florida. I then attended Options for Animals College of Animal Chiropractic in Wellsville, Kansas, and became certified in animal chiropractic in September 2010.
I feel that I have acquired a special knowledge of the equine athlete through my years of practice and academic experience with racehorses in surgery and lameness diagnosis. My integrated skill set in traditional western medicine and surgery, spinal manipulative therapy, and acupuncture offers a unique perspective. Through my services, I apply my experience to support the needs of owners, trainers, and other equine veterinarians. My home and base is Gainesville, Florida.
I am a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, American Association of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Acupuncture, and International Veterinary Chiropractic Association. I am a teaching assistant at the Chi Institute and Options For Animals College of Animal Chiropractic.