VETERINARIAN OATH
BEING ADMITTED TO THE PROFESSION OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, I SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO USE MY SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOCIETY THROUGH THE PROTECTION OF ANIMAL HEALTH, THE RELIEF OF ANIMAL SUFFERING, THE CONSERVATION OF LIVESTOCK RESOURCES, THE PROMOTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE. I WILL PRACTICE MY PROFESSION CONSCIENTIOUSLY, WITH DIGNITY, AND IN KEEPING WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY MEDICAL ETHICS. I ACCEPT AS A LIFELONG OBLIGATION THE CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT OF MY PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCE.
—ADOPTED BY THE AVMA HOUSE OF DELEGATES, JULY 1969
Kurt Mychajlonka, D.V.M.
Cathy Whitcraft, D.V.M.
Ukachi Ugorji, D.V.M.
Emilee Larkin, D.V.M.
Celia Galanti, D.V.M.
Kimberly Lutz, D.V.M.
Solitaire Goldfield, D.V.M.
Sarah Jansen, D.V.M.
Aaron Deml, D.V.M.
Cameron Johnson, D.V.M.
Meisha Mychajlonka, D.V.M.
Emma Kate Womack, V.M.D.
Sydney Dockery, D.V.M.
Emanoel DeJesus, D.V.M.
Jernea Bustria, D.V.M
Veterinarian
Kurt Mychajlonka, D.V.M.
As a young boy Dr. Mychajlonka knew that he wanted to become a veterinarian. This childhood dream of veterinary medicine led him from his home town of Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania, to Phoenix, Arizona, where he completed his undergraduate training at Northern Arizona University.
Dr. Mychajlonka has been a fixture at Craig Road Animal Hospital since it’s founding in 1996 and is fondly known by many of his clients as “Dr. Mych”. He serves as attending veterinarian to the Nevada Task Force search and rescue dogs. In the past he has also served as president of the Nevada Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Mych earned his D.V.M. at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana in 1993. During his college years, he worked at a small animal emergency hospital and an equine surgical center, which fostered his interest in high quality, cutting edge veterinary care.
Dr. Mych’s veterinary interests include general and orthopedic surgery, advanced dental procedures and laparoscopic procedures. In his leisure time, he enjoys the outdoors, fishing, photography, and reading. Dr. Mych resides in Las Vegas with his wife Debbie, also a veterinarian, and two adopted children: Nikki, a beautiful Bouvier Des Flanders, and Boss, a Shih-poo-kie.
Veterinarian
Cathy Whitcraft, D.V.M.
Dr. Cathleen Whitcraft has been at Craig Road Animal Hospital since 2004. Prior to becoming a veterinarian, her background included a degree in Business finance and a career with U.S. Treasury Department. After participating in a dolphin research vacation, she discovered her interest in animal medicine. Later, she went on to earn her biology degree and her D.V.M. from Colorado State University. Her special practice interests include internal medicine, endocrine disease, cardiology, and ophthalmology.
Dr. Whitcraft is active with community outreach and participating in Career Day talks at local schools, inspiring others to pursuing a veterinary career. Dr. Whitcraft has two birds, two cats and a batch of Bichon Frise and Poodles that consume much of her love. Besides her household of critters, she enjoys world travel including all over Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean. Her favorite leisure activities are scuba diving, biking, climbing trees and reading.
Veterinarian
Ukachi Ugorji, D.V.M.
Dr. Ukachi Ugorji has always had an interest in taking care of animals, from a young age she knew that she wanted to pursue a career in the medical field. In the spring of 2016, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. However, this isn’t her first experience with Craig Road Animal Hospital, she was part of our extern program in 2015.
She says that because animals can’t necessarily speak up, owners should try to bring their pet in for professional care. “It’s important that people know the value of having a physician examine your pet on a regular basis,” she said. “Specifically preventative care as a focus. Detecting things before something happens and talking to a professional can save a lot of animals.”
At home, Dr. Ugorji has two standard poodles and a flame point Siamese cat that keep her company.
Veterinarian
Emilee Larkin, D.V.M.
Emilee Larkin, D.V.M., is a graduate fromTexas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, where she also attended for her undergraduate studies.
Over the past few years Dr. Larkin had gained experience from her involvement in numerous externships, most notably her experiences in St. Kitts,
West Indies and Africa. Her main professional interests are large exotic animals, internal medicine, and diagnostics.
Dr. Larkin enjoys time with a few four-legged friends of her own, a Rottweiler named Riddick, a Bluetick Coonhound named River, and her cat Orion. When she isn’t caring for animals, Dr. Larkin enjoys weaving, reading, and hiking in her spare time.
Veterinarian
Celia Galanti, D.V.M.
Celia Galanti, DVM, was raised in Belleville, IL.
Her passion for animals ignited at the tender age of five, when she would eagerly bring home various forms of wildlife to share with her parents. It was during these early years that she first harbored dreams of becoming a veterinarian, a career aspiration she wholeheartedly embraced by the time she turned nineteen. Dr. Galanti’s commitment to educating pet owners stands as a cornerstone of her veterinary philosophy. Having observed instances where animals failed to receive the necessary care, she places paramount importance on enlightening her clients.
Her academic journey began at Arizona State University, where she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science. Subsequently, she furthered her education at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, where she received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Galanti wasn’t cut out for the cold weather of the Midwest. After attending college in Arizona, she fell in love with the Southwest. Craig Road Animal Hospital peaked her interest due to the size of the facility, and the number of doctors on staff. She enjoys collaborating with the other doctors to pull their collective knowledge to help her patients. She also finds Craig Road Animal Hospitals emphasis on workplace culture to be very important. She loves dentistry, surgery, preventative medicine, and ophthalmology. She is most passionate about airway surgeries for brachycephalic patients and laryngeal paralysis.
In her spare time, she works on renovating her house and enjoys her pool. She likes to take a variety of exercise classes, baking, cooking, jigsaw puzzles, but she is not opposed to staying in and binge watching a show on Netflix. She is a mother to two dogs: Ellie and Gypsy.
Veterinarian
Kimberly Lutz, D.V.M.
Dr. Lutz grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. She attended Purdue University and majored in Animal Science for her undergraduate degree. She stayed at Purdue University and attended the College of Veterinary Medicine for her doctorate.
Dr. Lutz spent most of her childhood terrified of animals. At the age of twelve her family adopted a dachshund puppy, she instantly formed a bond and became his caretaker. At sixteen, she applied for a kennel position at the local veterinary clinic across the street from her high school. She worked her way up to being a veterinary assistant, after three years of working in the field, she knew she wanted to become a veterinarian. “I truly enjoy getting to be a voice and advocate for my patients.”, says Dr. Lutz. “They can’t tell us what their problems are so it’s up to us to figure it out!”
Dr. Lutz is no stranger to Craig Road Animal Hospital. She completed our externship program at the beginning of 2018. “I like that Craig Road offers a nice mix of wellness and preventative care as well as surgery and emergency work.” she said. Prior to her externship, Dr. Lutz had never been this far west. Since she has been in the Midwest all her life, where it is mostly cold, she gained an appreciation for sunny Las Vegas. Dr. Lutz’s special interests include soft tissue surgery and emergency medicine. She looks forward to interactions with clients and patients and providing quality animal care.
When Dr. Lutz has spare time on her hands her hobbies include traveling, exercising, hiking, and spending time with her newborn son and family. During her undergraduate study she frequented Central America, visiting Costa Rica, and Ecuador to study at a low-cost veterinary clinic. She has four pets, Frankie, Jasmine, Abu, Raja, and Cheddar.
Veterinarian
Solitaire Goldfield, D.V.M.
Dr. Goldfield is from Columbia, South Carolina, and knew from a young age that she wanted to be a veterinarian. She is also a former extern at Craig Road Animal Hospital.
“There is a video recording of me saying that I wanted to be a veterinarian and guaranteeing my aunt free vet care for life,” Dr. Goldfield said. “I was four, and it now seems like I might be living out that promise.”
She completed her Bachelor’s at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, and took some time off after graduating. During that time, Dr. Goldfield’s interests led her to spa management with a staff of 50 employees. She also looked briefly into human medicine, and then decided to start working on a Master’s Degree in Public Health.
After a chance encounter with a veterinarian, Dr. Goldfield started working as a technician in an animal hospital and attended the Virginia-Maryland School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Goldfield is particularly interested in surgery, internal medicine, and imaging. She enjoys the diverse cases and fast-paced nature of Craig Road Animal Hospital.
“The variety of cases is incredible and I really like that there are always other doctors to talk to and get their opinions,” she said. “It’s amazing to see all the things that we hear about in school.”
In her spare time, Dr. Goldfield enjoys photography, reading, going to the movies and spending as much time outdoors as possible. She has a Chihuahua (who she says might as well be a cat) and two cats.
Veterinarian
Sarah Jansen, D.V.M.
Dr. Sarah Jansen graduated from Ross University with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and is a former extern of Craig Road Animal Hospital. She’s originally from the Philadelphia area and grew up around horses. Dr. Jansen said she knew from a young age that she wanted to become a veterinarian.
“I knew I always wanted to do something with animals, but I would say, not until I was entering high school, I realized I really wanted to do it,” she said. “I started shadowing one of the vets that took care of my horses, and then, when I was in college I started doubting myself, thinking I wasn’t smart enough or couldn’t do it. But I stuck with it, and I’m glad I did.”
Before attending Ross University, Dr. Jansen obtained her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the University of Alabama.
As a student, Dr. Jansen volunteered at local shelters in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and on a mission trip to El Salvador to build houses and a new water system for a small village. Dr. Jansen also did an externship in Belize during her first year at Ross University. Her main interests are in oncology and surgery.
In her spare time, Dr. Jansen enjoys hiking with her 2-year-old Island dog, Mowgli, reading, spending time with her friends. She also explored the beer brewing culture in Colorado during her clinical year at Colorado State University.
Veterinarian
Aaron Deml, D.V.M.
Dr. Aaron Deml is from Camas, Washington, a suburb of Vancouver, Washington, and recently relocated to the Las Vegas Valley. He said he knew he wanted to work with animals since he was in elementary school, and that he enjoys the puzzle aspects or determining an animal’s diagnosis when they visit an animal hospital. Growing up, Dr. Deml had a variety of pets, including dogs, lizards, and cats.
Dr. Deml attended Washington State University (Wazzu) for both his Bachelor’s and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and was a member of the Honors College. He graduated from Wazzu as a D.V.M. earlier this year.
Some of his volunteer experience includes working with the local Humane Society as a high school student and raising money for the Hunstman Cancer Institute as part of his fraternity while an undergrad at Wazzu. Dr. Deml also volunteered in shelter medicine when he was a veterinary medical student. He said he’s most interested in internal medicine and responsible canine reproduction.
“I have a passion for passing on the knowledge of ethical breeding in dogs, plus the puppies are fun,” Dr. Deml said.
In his spare time, Dr. Deml enjoys water sports like wakeboarding and wake surfing. He’s also interested in backpacking, hiking, and enjoys being outdoors. Dr. Deml and his fiancée have a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever named Stark, a cat named Noodle, and a Leopard gecko named Fran.
Veterinarian
Cameron Johnson, D.V.M.
Dr. Johnson is originally from Tigard, Oregon and moved out to Las Vegas in early 2022 to join the Craig Road Animal Hospital team. He completed his undergraduate degree at Oregon State University and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University.
Dr. Johnson was around animals from a young age, as his mother worked as a radiation therapist with animals. “At one point she pulled me out of preschool for a case involving radiation therapy on a tiger from the Oregon Zoo,” he said. “There was a veterinarian in charge of the whole thing, and I got to touch the tiger (he was obviously sedated at the time), but that drove my love for veterinary medicine because I saw the doctor there working on the tiger and I thought – that’s the coolest thing ever.” He continued, “when I was in high school, my first job was actually with that veterinarian at his clinic so it came full circle.”
“My ultimate goal is to become the best veterinarian I can and to perform gold standard, ethical, quality medicine.” Dr. Johnson said.
Dr. Johnson says that before vet school he would have considered himself more of a dog person, but after adopting an “old man” cat named Ned, he has turned into a cat person and really enjoys working with them (but he would never say no to a dog either). He also has a 9-year-old boxer who lives with his parents.
Outside of work, Dr. Johnson is a soccer enthusiast – both playing and watching international soccer. He played competitively in high school but he plays more socially now. He also loves seeing his friends and has convinced quite a few of them to come visit him in Las Vegas and see the sights.
Veterinarian
Meisha Mychajlonka, D.V.M.
Meisha Mychajlonka, D.V.M. is originally from Arizona and moved to the Las Vegas Area in June 2022. She attended Mississippi State University before returning to Las Vegas to work at Craig Road Animal Hospital, where she previously worked as an assistant and as an extern.
With family members in the veterinary field, Dr. Mych who founded Craig Road is her uncle, Dr. Mychajlonka got to see how a veterinary hospital worked and developed a love for working with animals from a young age. As she got older, she worked as an assistant, a technician, an extern, and now finally as a veterinarian. “People I looked up to were veterinarians and I wanted to follow in their footsteps,” she said.
“I strive to provide the best care possible. I hope to grow my expertise in feline medicine and technically difficult surgeries and procedures,” she expressed.
Dr. Mychajlonka grew up around animals both with family pets and through family members who are also veterinarians. She said, “I’ve never met a cat I don’t like, no matter how spicy.” She has three cats, two dogs, a turtle, a couple of geckos, and some snakes.
When she isn’t working with animals or spending time with her pets, Dr. Mychajlonka enjoys spending time outdoors and reading sci-fi and fantasy novels, especially stories that involve science and medicine.
Veterinarian
Emma Kate Womack, V.M.D.
(She/Her/Hers)
Emma Kate Womack, V.M.D. (Veterinary Medical Doctor) is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved to Las Vegas in 2022 after completing her doctorate. She attended Wake Forest University in North Carolina for her undergraduate degree and then completed her doctorate program at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Dr. Womack participated in Craig Road Animal Hospital’s externship program in May of 2021 and loved the connections that she made with the team (and the hockey here in Las Vegas). Upon graduating, she decided to move out here and join Craig Road.
Growing up, Dr. Womack had different kinds of pets such as birds, hamsters, turtles, and a dog. Her first dog still lives with her parents but she now has an American Staffordshire Terrier named Poppy (or Popsicle) and two Red-Eared Sliders named Bonnie and Clyde who just celebrated their 14th birthday.
Dr. Womack knew from a very young age that she wanted to be a veterinarian – she said, “On my kindergarten ‘When I Grow Up’ poster I drew a picture of a veterinarian. I don’t think I realized what it really was but I knew I wanted to be an animal doctor.” Dr. Womack loves working with dogs, cats, and exotics.
“I hope to grow my experience and learn as much as I can from the senior doctors here,” she said.
In her spare time, she plays ultimate frisbee, soccer, and golf. She enjoys hiking and is excited to be close to so many national parks. Dr. Womack is also an avid sports fan and is looking forward to going to see the Golden Knights and the Raiders play.
Veterinarian
Sydney Dockery, D.V.M.
Dr. Sydney Dockery grew up in Jonesboro, Georgia. Since elementary school, she has wanted to be an animal doctor. Growing up, she was surrounded by pets, like her grandmother’s poodle and a chow. This pushed her to learn how to properly care for animals.
Dr. Dockery attended Augusta University for her undergrad, Georgia State for her Masters, and Tuskegee University for her DVM. She now has multiple pets including a pit bull named Ice Cube, a cat named Snoop Dogg, and a bearded dragon named Kulia.
Dr. Dockery loves being a vet because she can make a difference in people’s lives by caring for their animals. The human interaction is rewarding for her. She chose to work at Craig Road Animal Hospital because she had her externship and fell in love with the environment and staff during her fourth year preceptorship.
In her spare time, Dr. Dockery loves reading dystopian and sci-fi fantasy novels, spending time with her animal babies, and going outside. She enjoys the Arts District area of Las Vegas in particular.
Veterinarian
Emanoel DeJesus, D.V.M.
Dr. Emanoel DeJesus grew up in Maryland and always had a passion for animals. In college, volunteering at an animal shelter made him realize he wanted to become a veterinarian. He attended Michigan State University for veterinary school after taking a couple years after college to confirm his career path.
Dr. DeJesus appreciates how unpredictable being a veterinarian is and that he gets to help animals who cannot communicate what is wrong. He had a beagle growing up and now owns three dogs and five ball pythons with his girlfriend. He chose to work in Las Vegas because he fell in love with the mountains during his externship, and his brother and girlfriend already lived there.
In his spare time, Dr. DeJesus enjoys playing sports like soccer and volleyball. He also likes hiking, walking his dogs, reading, and playing video games.
Veterinarian
Jernea Bustria, D.V.M
Jernea Bustria, DVM, was born into a military family in Japan, and moved to San Diego at the age of three. Her deep affection for her family poodle, Cruiser, ignited a passion for animal care at a young age. She knew since elementary school that working with animals was what she wanted to do for her career.
As she grew older, she dedicated much of her time to volunteering, serving as an adoption coordinator at the Humane Society in San Diego, a dog walker at the Helen Woodward Animal Center of Southern California, and a guide at the San Diego Zoo. During this time, she completed undergrad at California State University San Marcos with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. It wasn’t until Ross University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts and Nevis that her career path became clear.
During vet school, she immersed herself in animal care, including completing an externship at Craig Road Animal Hospital in 2020. It was during this time that she discovered a love for cats, dogs, and exotics. Currently focused on surgeries, reproductive care, and breeding, Dr. Bustria is carving her niche in the veterinary world.
In her spare time, she unwinds with TV favorites like Greys Anatomy. She enjoys hiking, going to the beach when visiting San Diego, traveling, and spending time with her furry companions. Dr. Jerna Bustria shares her home with a Hound-Mix named Jackson, a Siamese ragdoll-mix named Beans, and a long-haired black cat named Rice.
