Archives: Staff

Rita Ho, DVM, MS, Practice Limited to Medical Oncology

Dr. Rita Ho is part of the Oncology specialty department at Pieper Memorial and Pieper Veterinary Stratford. She grew up in Taiwan and received her DVM from National Taiwan University in 2007, and received certification from Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) in 2010. Dr. Ho completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery in Westbury, NY, followed by a one-year oncology internship at Texas A&M University. She then completed a three-year residency at the Veterinary Cancer Center in Connecticut. Following her residency, Dr. Ho has worked at several private practices in the Tri-state area and we are pleased to welcome her back to the Pieper Veterinary family.

Dr. Ho has co-authored scientific journals, provided lectures overseas for continuing education in Mandarin, and is a member of several states and national veterinary organizations. Her interests include conventional and novel chemotherapy, immunotherapy, novel targeted therapy, and clinical trials.

Dr. Ho focuses on providing her patients with individualized treatment plans based upon the most up-to-date research and therapies. She strives to provide compassionate care, communicate effectively with families, and assist them in making informed decisions about their pet’s care.

Outside of work, she enjoys movies, trying new restaurants, and traveling.

Abstracts

Vaccine-induced ErbB (EGFR/HER2)-specific immunity in spontaneous canine cancer
Hester A Doyle, Renelle J Gee, Tyler D Masters, Christian R Gee, Carmen J Booth, Elizabeth Peterson-Roth, Raymond A Koski, Stuart C Helfand, Lauren Price, Deborah Bascombe, Dorothy Jackson, Rita Ho , Gerald R Post, Mark J Mamula
Transl Oncol . 2021 Nov;14(11):101205. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2021.101205. Epub 2021 Aug 19.

Vet Pathol . 2011 Jan;48(1):54-72. doi: 10.1177/0300985810390717.
Prognostic markers for canine melanocytic neoplasms: a comparative review of the literature and goals for future investigation
R C Smedley 1, W L Spangler, D G Esplin, B E Kitchell, P J Bergman, H-Y Ho, I L Bergin, M Kiupel
Vet Pathol . 2011 Jan;48(1):54-72.

Janet K. Carreras VMD, DACVIM (Oncology)

Dr. Janet K. Carreras is a board-certified veterinary oncologist at Pieper Veterinary. Originally from Connecticut, she graduated with honors from the College of the Holy Cross in Chemistry and achieved her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 1998, where she also completed her internship and residency programs. She worked as a veterinary oncologist in Texas at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists for 14 years, and worked an additional six years  at IDEXX Laboratories providing specialty consultations to veterinarians looking to offer oncological care to their patients.

Dr. Carreras is a member of the Veterinary Cancer Society, the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Oncology – Pathology Working Group, and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Dr. Carreras lives with her husband, their two children, and their dog Huey (a Chihuahua, Doberman, Chow, Labrador, and Manchester terrier mix). When not working she enjoys spending time with her family, walking, jogging, gardening, and afternoons at the beach. Dr. Carreras’ three favorite things are people, pets, and science, and she loves that her job lets her focus on all three of these passions as she provides her clients with new ways to help their beloved pets continue to celebrate and enjoy life.

Research and Publications

London C, Mathie T, Stingle N, Clifford C, Haney S, Klein MK, Beaver L, Vickery K, Vail, DM, Hershey B, Ettinger S, Vaughan A, Alvarez F, Hillman L, Kiselow M, Thamm D, Higginbotham ML, Gauthier M, Krick E, Phillips B, Ladue T, Jones P, Bryan J, Gill V, Novasad A, Fulton L, Carreras J, McNeill C, Henry C, Gillings S. Preliminary Evidence for biologic activity of toceranib phosphate (Palladia(®)) in solid tumors. Vet Comp Oncol 2012 Sep;10(3):194-205.

Hahn KA, Legendre AM, Shaw NG, Phillips B, Ogilvie GK, Prescott DM, Atwater SW, Carreras JK, Lana SE, Rusk A, Kinet JP, Dubreuil P, Moussy A, Hermine O. Evaluation of 12- and 24-month survival rates after treatment with masitinib in dogs with nonresectable mast cell tumors. Am J Vet Res 2010 Nov;71(11):1354-61.

Axiak SM, Carreras JK, Hahn KA, Endicott MM, Parshley DE, King GK. Hematologic changes associated with half-body irradiation in dogs with lymphoma. J Vet Intern Med 2006 Nov-Dec;20(6):1398-401.

Risbon RE, deLourmier LP, Skorupski K, Burgess KE, Bergman PJ, Carreras J, Hahn K, Leblanc A, Turek M, Impellizeri J, Fred R 3rd, Wojcieszyn JW, Drobatz K, Clifford CA. Response of canine cutaneous epitheliotropic lymphoma to lomustine (CCNU): a retrospective study of 46 cases (1999-2004). J Vet Intern Med 2006 Nov-Dec;20(6):1389-97.

Hahn KA, King GK, Carreras JK. Efficacy of radiation therapy for incompletely resected grade-III mast cell tumors in dogs: 31 cases (1987-1998). J Am Vet Assoc 2004 Jan 1;224(1):79-82.

Carreras JK, Goldschmidt M, Lamb M, McLear RC, Drobatz KJ, Sorenmo KU. Feline epitheliotropic intestinal malignant lymphoma: 10 cases (1997-2000). J Vet Intern Med 2003 May-Jun;17(3):326-31.

Carreras JK, Sorenmo KU. Neoplasms of the Cranial Mediastinum and Pleura. In: Lesley G. King, ed. Textbook of Respiratory Disease in Dogs and Cats, St. Louis, Saunders, 2003:634-42.

Hahn KA, Carreras JK. Chondrosarcoma, nasal and paranasal sinuses. In: Larry P Tilley and Francis W. K. Smith, Jr., eds. Five Minute Veterinary Consult, Canine and Feline, 3rd Ed., Philadelphia, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2003:226.

Hahn KA, Carreras JK. Adenocarcinoma, nasal. In: Larry P Tilley and Francis W. K. Smith, Jr., eds. Five Minute Veterinary Consult, Canine and Feline, 3rd Ed., Philadelphia, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2003:27.

Hahn KA, Carreras JK. Squamous cell carcinoma, nasal and paranasal sinuses. In: Larry P Tilley and Francis W. K. Smith, Jr., eds. Five Minute Veterinary Consult, Canine and Feline, 3rd Ed., Philadelphia, Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2003:1224.

Alexie Baja, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology)

Dr. Alexie Baja is a board-certified oncology specialist at Pieper Veterinary. Dr. Baja attended Florida Atlantic University with an undergraduate degree in biology, and achieved her doctorate of veterinary medicine from St. George’s University in Grenada, where she graduated summa cum laude. She completed her clinical year, rotating internship, and residency in medical oncology at North Carolina State University, and is a member of the ACVIM, VCS, and AVMA.

Dr. Baja is passionate about client communication and veterinary ethics in daily practice, and is enrolled in a clinical trial focusing on the use of nutritional supplements to decrease chemotherapy-related side effects as she explores the evidence-based integration of alternative medicine in veterinary oncology.