Dr. Tatiana Weisbrod DVM, MS, Dipl. ACZM (2020-2023)
Dr. Tatiana Weisbrod completed her residency in Aquatic Animal Medicine at the University of Florida in 2023 and is currently preparing for the Board in Zoological Medicine. Prior to her residency, Dr. Weisbrod completed both the Aquatic Animal Health Program’s specialty internship as well as a master’s focused on diagnostic strategies and management of parasitic enteritis in the Florida manatee. We are very excited to announce that Dr. Weisbrod has officially joined the Aquatic Animal Health Program as a Clinical Assistant Professor, where she will continue to contribute to groundbreaking research in aquatic animal medicine, facilitate training opportunities for program certificate students, and provide clinical care for both stranded and collection animals with SeaWorld Orlando.
Residency Publications:
Weisbrod, T., de Wit, M., Hernandez, J., Panike, A., Rotstein, D., Stacy, N. 2021. Manatee Trichechus manatus latirostris calf mortality in Florida: a retrospective review of pathology data from 2009-2017. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 147:111-126. doi:https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03639.
hthttps://www.int-res.com/abstracts/dao/v147/p111-126/
Weisbrod, T., Jeon, A., Childress, A., Pouder, D., Castellanos-Gell, J., Stacy, N., Walden, H., Garner, M., Yanong, R., Ossiboff. 2021. Gastrointestinal entamoebiasis in captive anurans in North America. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 143:109-118. doi:10.3354/dao03560.
https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/dao/v143/p109-118/
Weisbrod, T. C., Isaza, R., Cray, C., Adler, L., & Stacy, N. I. (2020). The importance of manual white blood cell differential counts and platelet estimates in elephant hematology: blood film review is essential. Veterinary Quarterly, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1080/01652176.2020.1867329
Weisbrod, T. C., Stacy, N. I., Stedman, N. L., & Norton, T. M. (2020). Diagnosis and Surgical Management of a Paratesticular Cyst in a Rehabilitating Juvenile Male Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas). Frontiers in veterinary science, 7, 69. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00069
Weisbrod, T. C., Walsh, M. T., Marquardt, S., & Giglio, R. F. (2020). Computed Tomography Diagnosis of Pneumothorax and Cardiac Foreign Body Secondary to Stingray Injury in a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Aquatic Mammals, 46(3), 326-330. DOI:10.1578/AM.46.3.2020.326
Dr. Molly Martony DVM, Dipl. ACZM (2017-2020)
Dr. Molly Martony completed her residency in through the Aquatic Animal Health Program from 2017-2020. She started her career with a veterinary degree at Western University of Health Sciences and a small animal rotating internship at Southern California Veterinary Specialty Hospital. She spent two years in an exotic animal and avian private practice and provided veterinary services to two zoological facilities in southern California. She completed the SeaWorld California and National Marine Mammal Foundations aquatic medicine veterinary internship. She then worked as an aquatic veterinarian at a Dolphinaris Arizona and then Gulf World Marine Park, prior to starting the residency with UF. Following her residency at UF, shewas accepted as an associate veterinarian at the Mystic Aquarium.
Residency Publications:
Martony, M.E., K.J. Krause, S.H. Weldy, S.A. Simpson. Xenotransfusion in an island fox (Urocyon littoralis clementae) using blood from a domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris). J Zoo Wildl Med. 2016; 47(3): 923-926.
Martony, M.E., M. Ivančić, F.M. Gomez, J.M. Meegan, H.H. Nollens, T.L. Schmitt, C.D. Erlacher- Reid, K.P. Carlin, C.R. Smith. Establishing marginal lymph node ultrasonographic criteria in healthy bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). J Zoo Wildl Med. 2017; 48(4):961-971.
Martony, M.E., D.B. Pouder, R. Yanong, Y. Kiryu, J. Landsberg, R. Isaza, T. Waltzek, N. Stacy, R. Giglio, S. Baker, R. Francis-Floyd. Establishing a diagnostic technique for coelomocentesis in the long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum). J Aquat Animl Health. 2018; 30(4):325-331. doi: 10.1002/aah.10043
Martony M, Hernandez JA, de Wit M, St Leger J, Erlacher-Reid C, Vandenberg J, Stacy NI (2019) Clinicopathological prognostic indicators of survival and pathological findings in cold-stressed Florida manatees Trichechus manatus latirostris. Dis Aquat Org 132:85-97. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03306
Martony, M. E., Isaza, R., Erlacher-Reid, C. D., Peterson, J., & Stacy, N. I. (2020). Esophageal measurement of core body temperature in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 56(1), 27-33.
Dr. Estelle Rousselet DVM, Dipl. ACZM (2014-2017)
Dr. Rousselet completed her residency in Aquatic Animal Medicine at the University of Florida in 2017 and is currently preparing for the Boards in Zoological Medicine. During her residency program she provided veterinary support for free-ranging marine mammal and sea turtle rescues and annual health assessments. She had the opportunity to travel to Australia to work with Dr. Blyde (Sea World Australia and Australian Zoo) to be involved in treatment of rescued sea turtles, Australian fur seals and native Australian terrestrial fauna, including koala and other macropodes. Dr. Rousselet also provided veterinary care to a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial species during clinical rotations including the department of Zoological medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida, SeaWorld Florida, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, St Augustine Alligator Farm, White Oak Conservation Center, The Marine Mammal Center and Disney Animal Kingdom and Seas. Following her residency Dr. Rousselet accepted a position as the only veterinarian at the Dublin Zoo in Ireland. She is currently a staff veterinarian at Beauval Zoo in France where she currently resides.
Residency Publications:
Rousselet, E., De Mello Souza, C. H., Wellehan Jr, J. F., Epperson, E. D., Dark, M. J., & Wamsley, H. L. (2017). Cutaneous iridophoroma in a Green iguana(Iguana iguana). Veterinary clinical pathology, 46(4), 625-628.
Rousselet, E., Levin, M., Gebhard, E., Higgins, B. M., DeGuise, S., & Godard-Codding, C. A. (2017). Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) modulate both phagocytosis and NK cell activity in vitro in juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 80(10-12), 556-561.
Rousselet, E., Norton, T. M., Wellman, M., Kohart, N., & Stacy, N. I. (2017). Presumptive granulocytic leukemia in a hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos). Veterinary Quarterly, 37(1), 43-47.
Dr. (Lieutenant Colonel- United States Army) Stephen E. Cassle, DVM, MPH, Dipl. American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (ACVPM) (2011-2014)
Dr. Stephen Cassle completed his residency and MPH as a part of the Army Medical Department Long Term Health Education and Training Program through the Aquatic Animal Health Program and College of Public Health and Health Professions between 2011 and 2014. Dr. Cassle joined the United States Army Veterinary Corps on active duty directly after finishing his DVM from Colorado State University. He completed a rotating internship at SeaWorld Texas, San Antonio, Texas and a Small Animal Clinical Internship at the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Veterinary Service at Lackland AFB, Texas. LTC Cassle spent three years as a clinical veterinarian at the Navy Marine Mammal Program in San Diego, California before joining the Aquatic Animal Health Program. During his residency, Dr. Cassle also completed his MPH with an emphasis in Global and Environmental Health. Currently, LTC Cassle serves as the Commander for the 248th Medical Detachment (Veterinary Service Support), Fort Bragg, North Carolina and continues his aquatic animal education by serving as the Attending Veterinarian for the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Alaska and Northwest Regional Science Centers, Seattle, Washington and conducting veterinary care for wildlife research projects including Stellar sea lion anesthesia and population studies.
Residency Publications:
Stephen E. Cassle, Roy P. Yanong, Deborah B. Pouder, Carlos Rodriguez, Natatlie Mylniczenko, Patrick M. Thompson, Natalie K. Stilwell, Kathy J. Heym, Todd Harmon and Nicole I. Stacy (2020) Reference Intervals for Blood Analytes of Adult Aquarium-Housed Russian Sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii; Journal of Aquatic Animal Health. DOI: 10.1002/aah.10116
Stephen E. Cassle, Nelmarie Landrau-Giovannetti, Lisa L. Farina, Angelique Leone, James F. X. Wellehan Jr., Nicole I. Stacy, Patrick Thompson, Hada Herring, Blair Mase-Guthrie, Uriel Blas-Machado, Jeremiah T. Saliki, Michael T. Walsh, Thomas B. Waltzek (2016) Coinfection by Cetacean morbillivirus and Aspergillus fumigatus in a juvenile bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Gulf of Mexico; Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation.
Cassle, S. E., Jensen, E. D., Smith, C. R., Meegan, J. M., Johnson, S. P., Lutmerding, B., … Francis-Floyd, R. (2013). Diagnosis and successful treatment of a lung abscess associated with Brucella species infection in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, Vol 44(2), pp. 495-499.
Hamel, Philip, Giglio, Robson, Cassle, Stephen, Farina, Lisa, Leone, Angelique and Walsh, Michael. (2020). Postmortem computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings in a case of coinfection of dolphin morbillivirus and aspergillus fumigatus in a juvenile bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 51. 448.
Soto, Esteban, Primus, Alexander, Pouder, Deborah, George, Robert, Gerlach, Trevor, Cassle, Stephen, Johnson, Tammy, Boyd, Sean, Handsel, Tim and Yanong, Roy. (2014). Identification of Francisella noatunensis in novel host species French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) and Caesar grunt (Haemulon carbonarium). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. 45. 727-31. Ahmira R. Torres, Stephen E. Cassle, Michael Haymore, Richard C. Hill (2014) Hematologic differences between Dachshunds and mixed breed dogs. Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Volume 43, pp. 519-524.
Dr. Claire Erlacher-Reid DVM, Dipl. ACZM (2010-2013)
Dr. Erlacher-Reid completed her residency in Aquatic Animal Medicine at the University of Florida in 2013 and became a Board Certified Specialist in Zoological MedicineTM as a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (Dipl. ACZM) in 2014. During her residency program she provided veterinary support for free-ranging marine mammal and sea turtle rescues and annual health assessments. Some favorite moments included the opportunity to participate in manatee health assessments in Belize and assisting in the triage and treatment of sea turtles rescued from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in Louisiana. Dr. Erlacher-Reid also provided veterinary care to a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial species during clinical rotations at numerous zoological facilities including but not limited to: SeaWorld, Florida Aquarium, The Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Georgia Aquarium, White Oak Conservation Center, The Marine Mammal Center, and UF’s Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory. During her residency she investigated the seroprevalence of Leptospira in Florida manatees, intestinal and cloacal strictures in free-ranging and aquarium-maintained green sea turtles, and continued her investigations involving diseases and diagnostics in moray eels that were initiated during her previous veterinary internship at Mystic Aquarium. Following her residency Dr. Erlacher-Reid achieved her dream job as a Senior Staff Veterinarian for SeaWorld, first in San Diego, and now in Orlando where she currently resides. She continues to support the University of Florida as a primary supervisor for the aquatic animal residency program and continues to present lectures for many aquatic medicine courses offered at the University of Florida.
Residency Publications:
Erlacher-Reid, C., C. M. H. Colitz, K. Abrams, A. Smith, and A. Tuttle. 2011. Bilateral ocular abnormalities in a wild stranded harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) suggestive of anterior segment dysgenesis and persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 42: 300-303.
Erlacher-Reid, C., A. Tuttle, T. Camp, L. Macha, L. Mazzaro, and J.L. Dunn. 2011. Evaluation of potential variables contributing to the development and duration of plantar lesions in a population of aquarium-maintained African penguins (Spheniscus demersus). Zoo Biology 30. Article first published online May 9, 2011: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zoo.20395/abstract.
Erlacher-Reid, C., M. Priede, R. Pulver, and A. Tuttle. 2011. Plasma biochemistry values of recently wild-caught purple mouth moray eels (Gymnothorax vicinus). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 42: 671-679.
Erlacher-Reid, C., A.E. Gallagher, A.P. Brock, and N. Hall. 2012. Use of rigid endoscopy to evaluate vaginal haemorrhage in a rat. Veterinary Record 170(10): 262b.
Erlacher-Reid, C., A. Tuttle, and S. Frasca, Jr.2012. Xanthogranulomatous panniculitis of the head of an aquarium-maintained California moray eel Gymnothorax mordax. Journal of Aquatic Animal Health 24(3), 171-177. https://doi.org/10.1080/08997659.2012.675930
Erlacher-Reid, C., T.M. Norton, C.A. Harms, R. Thompson, M.T. Walsh, and M.A. Stamper. 2012. Intestinal and cloacal strictures in freeranging and aquarium-maintained green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine :44(2), 408-429.
Kondo, H., A.M. Leone, C. Erlacher-Reid, J. Gary, M. Kiupel, L.L. Farina, and J.R. Abbott. 2012.Medium-grade (anaplastic) astrocytoma in a cougar (Puma concolor). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 43(4), 956-960.
Leone, A., M. Dark, H. Kondo, D.S. Rotstein, M. Walsh, C. Erlacher-Reid, and J. Conway. 2013.Gastrointestinal leiomyosarcoma in a pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 44(3), 744-748.
Dr. Lara Croft DVM, Dipl. ACZM (2004-2007)
Dr. Croft was the first UF Aquatic Medicine Resident completing her residency in 2007. She was thrilled to be the ‘guinea pig’ and help lay the groundwork for this amazing training program. During her residency she researched the effect of dietary Vitamin C on the development of Head and Lateral Line Erosion in ocean surgeonfish. Following her residency she secured a Senior Staff Veterinarian position at SeaWorld Orlando where she worked for over 11 years providing veterinary care to all of the diverse animals that live at the park from sharks to sea turtles to dolphins to penguins as well as injured, orphaned, or ill wildlife. During her tenure at SeaWorld Dr. Croft also served as Director of the Animal Rescue Team, Chair of the Animal Welfare Committee, and a regular cast member on the television show “Sea Rescue”. Dr. Croft has participated in investigations examining the use of MRI for diagnosis of internal fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles, thiamine deficiency in harbor seals, optimizing formula for hand-rearing orphaned manatee calves, cataract surgery in penguins, and the effects of water temperature of dolphin poxvirus. She relocated to Colorado to be closer to family and is working as a staff veterinarian at the Denver Zoo.
Residency Publications:
Croft, L. A., Graham, J. P., Schaf, S. A., & Jacobson, E. R. (2004). Evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging for detection of internal tumors in green turtles with cutaneous fibropapillomatosis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 225(9), 1428-1435.
