Two minutes

A cardio specialist for pets

More than 11 percent of dogs and cats are affected by cardiac diseases. Wendy A. Ware, one of the most respected veterinary cardiologists in the country, is especially interested in the processes that occur in heart failure.

Divided time: This prof divides her time between the departments of biomedical science and veterinary clinical science and between seeing patients, teaching and writing. Her new, highly illustrated textbook Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animal Medicine* contains many clinical images obtained at ISU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital. She's also an officer of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine's Board of Regents.

Cutting-edge therapies: Exciting new drug therapies are under evaluation in animals with heart failure. Treatments focus on the link between neurohormonal and metabolic changes in the body and heart. Improved noninvasive diagnostic techniques as well as interventional procedures also are improving our ability to manage various heart conditions.

Overcoming obstacles: In high school, Ware was told that women just didn't go into veterinary medicine. In 1986, she was the fourth woman in North America to become a Board-certified veterinary cardiologist.

How things change: Today, over 77% of the first year veterinary students at ISU are women!

Favorite pet: She's especially fond of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and also of the ever-exuberant "Lilly", the Jack Russell Terrier in the photo.

*Manson Publishing; US distributor, Blackwell Publishing