Peter Hellyer

Professor Of Anesthesiology Clinical Sciences

DMC112 Diagnostic Medicine Center

(970) 297-4283

About Peter

My career as a veterinary anesthesiologist has been devoted to two main goals: 1) providing the best care possible to animals in pain through clinical service, teaching, and research and 2) preparing DVM students to be successful veterinarians through a greater understanding of the personal, professional, and cultural forces shaping their careers. Statement on teaching: I have the honor of being able to teach all 4 years of the DVM curriculum. Most of my teaching is done in the 3rd and 4th year anesthesia clinical rotations. In these rotations we provide guidance to veterinary students as they create anesthetic and analgesic (pain relieving) protocols for their patients undergoing a wide variety of procedures. We have an excellent support staff which works closely with the students to enhance learning and provide an important safety net for our patients. I also devote a significant amount of time to small group interactions with the 1st and 2nd year DVM students in their Foundations in Veterinary Medicine courses. In these sessions I work with other faculty to engage students in discussions of contemporary ethical issues affecting animal welfare and veterinary medicine. Statement on research: My research interests include understanding factors affecting clinical management of pain in animals and to understand contemporary issues that impact veterinarians, animals, and their owners. In conjunction with Dr. Lori Kogan, I have recently investigated the impact that readily available hemp/CBD products and marijuana have on the choices pet owners are making to treat medical and behavioral conditions in their pets. We are also investigating how veterinarians are engaging in this area and whether they have the knowledge base to discuss hemp/CBD and marijuana treatments with their clients. We have been doing some very interesting collaborative research with colleagues at the University of Calgary exploring similarities and differences in the ways chronic pain is managed in people versus dogs under veterinary care. The CSU acute pain scales for dogs and cats, which I developed with Dr. Narda Robinson, continue to receive a great deal of attention.

Education

MS, The Ohio State University, 1988DVM, The Ohio State University, 1983

Certifications

Clinical
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists

Publications

Wagner AE, Mich PM, Uhrig SR, Hellyer PW. Clinical evaluation of perioperative administration of gabapentin as an adjunct for postoperative analgesia in dogs undergoing amputation of a forelimb. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010; 236: 751-756.Kogan LR, Schoenfeld-Tacher R, Hellyer PW. Student evaluations of teaching: perceptions of faculty based on gender, postion, and rank. Teaching in Higher Education 2010, 15: 623-636.Mich PM, Hellyer PW, Kogan L, Schoenfeld-Tacher R. Effects of a pilot program on veterinary students' pain knowledge, attitude, and assessment skills. J Vet Med Educ 2010.