Team of Veterinarians
Dr. Michael Buss
DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology)
Oncology and Internal Medicine Department
Dr. Buss received his DVM from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. He completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Buss then spent three years in private practice in Chicago, IL before starting a dual residency in Internal Medicine and Oncology at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. Dr. Buss spent part of his oncology residency back at the University of Missouri- College of Veterinary Medicine with his mentor Dr. Carolyn Henry. After completion of his residencies in 1997 he joined a referral practice in Kansas City before coming to St. Louis to join a specialty practice in 2000. Dr. Buss spent 6 years in St. Louis, before leaving for 1 year to assist in the development of an oncology practice in Boston. He greatly missed family, friends and the “Midwestern Way,” and returned to St. Louis to establish Midwest Veterinary Referral Center. Meet the rest of the Oncology Team.
Dr. Juri Ota-Kuroki
DVM, MS Diplomate ACVO, MS
Ophthalmology Department
Dr. Ota-Kuroki received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree with magna cum laude honors from Azabu University in Japan in 1994 and spent 5 years working as an associate veterinarian in a general small animal practice prior to moving to the United States. After obtaining a veterinary license in the US, she completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri. Dr. Ota-Kuroki completed a four-year Veterinary Ophthalmology residency program at the University of Missouri, after which she became board certified Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist. During her residency, she also obtained a Master’s degree in Veterinary Science. Her clinical interests include corneal and intraocular surgery.
Dr. Matthew Mahn
DVM, Diplomate ACVS
Surgery Department
Dr. Mahn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky in 2000. In 2004, he received his DVM from the University of Missouri-College of Veterinary Medicine. During the following year, he completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the Hollywood Animal Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. In 2006, Dr. Mahn finished a one year small animal surgery internship at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, Texas and was selected for a small animal surgery residency in Boston, Massachusetts. During the next three years, he completed his training through a joint residency at the Angell Animal Medical Center and the New England Animal Medical Center.
Dr. Mahn was finally able to move back to his hometown of Kirkwood, Missouri and join the MVRC family in 2009. His interests include soft tissue surgery, especially thoracic and oncologic/reconstructive surgery, as well as arthroscopy, and neurosurgery. Dr. Mahn’s priorities are exceptional patient and client care through attention to detail, compassionate medicine, and continued education.
Dr. Cecil P. Moore
DVM, Diplomate ACVO, MS
Ophthalmology Department
Dr. Moore earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University) in Kirksville, MO. His DVM degree was awarded by University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 1972. After six years of private practice, he returned to the College where he completed a residency in Comparative Ophthalmology in 1980.
He joined the University of Wisconsin veterinary faculty in 1982 and completed a research Master of Science degree from the medical school there. He returned to MU in 1986 where he served as head of Ophthalmology Section, Small Animal Section Coordinator, and Interim Associate Department Chair. He served as Acting/Interim Chairman of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery and Director of MU’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in 1998 and was appointed Department Chairman and Hospital Director 2000-2006. He then served as Interim Dean of MU’s College of Veterinary Medicine for the 2006-2007 academic year.
Dr. Moore is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists and served as that organization’s president in 1999. He received the Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teaching Award in 1993. In 1988 and 1992 he was presented the Golden Aesculapius Award for Teaching Excellence and was recognized with the MU Veterinary Alumni of the Year Award in 1997. He received a Faculty Alumni Award from the University of Missouri in 2001 and was named Missouri Veterinarian of the Year in 2004. He was elected to the Executive Committee of the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians serving during 2004-2007 and became that organization’s President for 2005-2006.
Dr. Moore has served as editorial reviewer for a number of veterinary journals and texts and speaks regularly at state and national veterinary meetings and conferences. His has authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers and text book chapters and has been a consultant to veterinary pharmaceutical, research, and nutrition companies.
Dr. Jill K. Luther
DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVS
Surgery Department
Dr. Luther is very excited to be joining the MVRC family. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Southwest Missouri State University in 2000 and graduated with Dr. Mahn from the University Of Missouri College Of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. Dr. Luther spent one year in New York City at the Animal Medical Center for her Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship. She worked the following year as the Robert B Gordon Arthritis Research Fellow at the Comparative Orthopaedic Laboratory at the University of Missouri. She completed her Small Animal Surgical residency training at the University of Missouri in 2009 after receiving numerous Honors and Awards. Dr. Luther spent one year as a clinical instructor at MU, during which time she successfully completed a master’s degree with a focus on canine meniscal disease. Dr. Luther is also a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Dr. Luther’s professional interests include minimally invasive orthopedic and soft tissue surgery and surgical oncology. She enjoys veterinary surgery tremendously because of the fantastic patients and clients she gets to work with everyday.
Dr. Luther shares, with each MVRC specialists, an unparalleled commitment to providing the utmost in patient care, while keeping a strong focus on communication with each owner, and their referring veterinarian.
Dr. Meredith Thoen
DVM, Diplomate ACVECC
Critical Care Department
Dr. Meredith Thoen received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. After a Small Animal Critical Care Internship at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Washington State University, Dr. Thoen completed her Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care residency at the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Thoen is proud to be a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.
Dr. Thoen is excited to return with her family to her hometown of St. Louis. She will be working closely with both the AEC and MVRC to oversee Emergency Services and accept referrals for Critical Care Patients at Midwest Veterinary Referral Center.
Some of Dr. Thoen’s special interests include sepsis, acute renal failure, polytrauma, and traumatic brain injuries. Some of her past research included evaluating the effect of small changes in creatinine on mortality in critically ill dogs. Dr. Thoen also enjoys teaching and providing educational opportunities for doctors and technicians.
Emergency and Critical Care cases can be referred to Dr. Thoen and her staff by calling MVRC at 636-536-4991.
Dr. Christine Willis-Mahn
DVM
Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition Departments
Midwest Veterinary Referral Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Christine Willis-Mahn to both the Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition Departments at MVRC.
Dr. Willis-Mahn earned her BA in Biology from Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. She completed a Small Animal Medical and Surgical Internship and an Internal Medicine Residency at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Willis-Mahn also completed a Clinical Nutrition Residency through both Angell Animal Medical Center and North Carolina State University – College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Willis-Mahn offers a unique approach to the management of various diseases by combining both her internal medicine and clinical nutrition expertise. She has particular interests in gastrointestinal, liver, and immune-mediated diseases. She performs gastrointestinal endoscopy, cystoscopy, bronchoscopy, rhinoscopy, and laparoscopy. In addition, she has a special interest in interventional radiology procedures such as tracheal stenting.
Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition cases can be referred to Dr. Willis-Mahn by calling MVRC at 636-536-4991. Please feel free to contact Dr. Willis-Mahn individually with your Internal Medicine or Clinical Nutrition questions or visit our website for Clinical Nutrition Consult information coming soon for both Referring Veterinarians and your clients. Dr. Willis-Mahn is very excited to work with each of you to best care for your clients and patients.
Dr. Nathan Kice
DVM, Diplomate ACVO
Dr. Kice received his doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2004 from the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign, College of Veterinary Medicine. He did a Small Animal Rotating Medicine and Surgery Internship at the University of Georgia, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. He then completed an Internship in Veterinary Ophthalmology at Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Clackamas, Oregon in 2006. Dr. Kice completed his residency in Veterinary Ophthalmology at Cornell University in July of 2009. Dr. Kice is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist.
Dr. Kice has previously been on staff at two specialty referral practices in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Kice is excited to be returning to the Midwest. He will be joining MVRC on March 20th, 2012. Please help us in welcoming Dr. Kice to MVRC. He will be working with Dr. Moore and Dr. Ota-Kuroki, to provide a Monday – Friday Ophthalmology Service for your clients and patients.