Debra "Deb" Zoran
VET Director & ProfessorResearch and Scholarly Interests
Veterinary Emergency Team:
- Canine working dog health (working in extreme environments, decontamination, nutrition).
- Disaster response training (using simulated environments like Second Life) and preparedness
- I also continue to lecture and present CE on feline nutrition (a major area of scholarly interest for over 20 years)
- Feline nutrition/medicine
- Sports medicine and nutrition for working dogs
- Primary Care service
Biography
"My career as an academician has been an exciting, interesting, fulfilling, and an ever-evolving journey through a broad range of interesting challenges. Each “road taken” has broadened and deepened my collective skillsets to bring me to the place and time in my career that I am today. The two major areas of emphasis for my career have been in clinical medicine (patient care and now disaster preparedness and response) and teaching. For many years, my clinical service was in internal medicine and was focused on feline medicine, nutrition and gastrointestinal diseases of both dogs and cats. In the past 10 years, my focus on internal medicine has transitioned to a new discipline with the formation of the Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) and my active and ongoing role in the development and delivery of a required clinical rotation in veterinary disaster preparedness and response. This rotation is the first, and the only rotation of its kind in Colleges of Veterinary Medicine in the world. It is a groundbreaking rotation that introduces 4th year veterinary students to a unique platform of community outreach and includes their participation in a disaster simulation developed using Second Life as the interface as the capstone event of the rotation. I have devoted 80% of my academic energies to teaching: either in rotations with fourth year professional students (clinical patient care or on the disaster preparedness rotation), or in classrooms and laboratories for the preclinical veterinary programs. This level of clinical assignment has limited my ability to give significant time and focus to other academic pursuits (research) but I continue to work to find ways to include the dissemination of new knowledge involving working dogs (nutrition, decon) and decon of companion animals, pedagogy of disaster instruction (Second Life sim) in my professional life."
Education
Texas A&M University, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences | College Station, TX
Doctor of Philosophy in Nutrition, 1997
Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine | Englewood, CO
Small Animal Internal Medicine, 1993
Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine | Ames, IA
Master of Science in Clinical Sciences, 1992
Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine | Ames, IA
Small Animal Medicine Residency, 1990
Kansas State University, College of Veterinary Medicine | Manhattan, KS
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, 1984
Kansas State University, | Manhattan, KS
Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, 1982
Licensure
- Texas Veterinary Medical License: 5658
- American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine- SAIM, start 1993, Board Certified
Honors & Awards
| Award/Honor | Organization | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted as a FEMA IST Veterinarian (one of 3 in the US) | 2020 | |
| Invited to serve as Veterinary support for NY-TF1 Certification Exam | 2018 | |
| Invited speaker for graduation, Blinn Vet Technician program | 2017 | |
| Accepted onto Texas Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team | Texas A&M University | 2015 |
| Voted by Class of 2014 to be on Graduation Stage Party (Hooding) | 2014 | |
| President of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine | 2013 | |
| Teaching for Tomorrow Faculty Recognition | 2011 | |
| TVMA Medical Specialist of the Year Finalist | 2010 | |
| Distinguished Achievement in Teaching – University level award | Association of Former Students | 2010 |
| College Level Award in Teaching | Association of Former Students | 2009 |
| Clinical Educator of the Year | Western Veterinary Conference | 2009 |
| VMTH Clinical Service Award | 2005 | |
| VMTH Clinical Service Award | 1999 | |
| TVMA Clinical Teaching Award | 1999 |
Professional Organizations
National
- FEMA Incident Support Team (IST) Veterinarian - 2020-present
- American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine - 1993-present
- American Veterinary Medical Association - 1984-present
- American Society of Nutritional Sciences - 1992-present
- Comparative Gastroenterology Society - 1990-present
Regional
- Texas Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (advisory) - 2016-present
- TX-Task Force 1 Member - 2015-present
- Texas A&M Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) - 2009-present
- TXSART Advisory Council - 2007-2011
- Texas Veterinary Medical Association - 1992-present
- Brazos Valley Veterinary Medical Association - 1996-present
Professional Honor Societies
-
Gamma Sigma Delta, Agriculture honor society - 1993
-
Phi Kappa Phi, Education honor society - 1992
-
Society of Phi Zeta, Gamma Chapter - 1988
- Alpha Zeta, Agriculture honor society - 1979
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Project to determine the effectiveness of 2 different soaps on amount of water and time required in decontamination of canines. Zoran DL, Fridley J, Budke C, Mabry CJ. Summer 2019- present.
-
Project to develop decontamination protocols for cats and determine length of time and amount of water – for determination of sedation and support needs in a disaster Zoran DL. Fridley J, Kneese, Budke C. et al. Summer 2019- present.
-
Project to study the impacts of Hurricane Harvey on people in impacted counties with companion animals – evacuation behavior, animal loss in the event (died or lost in event due to no evacuation or lost in shelter process) – using a CASPER to collect data starting this fall. Clendenin, A; Zoran DL, graduate program in Public Health (Medical). Summer 2018-present.
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Project to study the use of temperature sensing microchips implanted in working canines as a method of monitoring hyperthermia during deployments in extremely hot, humid conditions. Zoran DL, Budke C, LaCosta M, et al. 2017- present.
- VMID/VLCS 927 Community Connections – Disaster Preparedness and Response rotation preparing students personally, professionally and for community awareness and involvement
- VSCS 910 - Integrative Animal Care
- VIBS 930 - Public Health
- VIBS 936 - Veterinarians in Society
- VLCS 948 - Disaster Elective
- VMID 950 – Nutrition 10 hr (2014-2017)
- VSCS 948 – Small Animal Nutrition Elective 12-16 hr (2004-2017)
Interns
- Anna Wepprich - 2014-2015
- Penelope Wooff - 2010-2011
- Julie Bishop (Tryzl) - 2009-2010
- Richard Stone - 2007-2008
- Sara Fiocchi - 2005-2006
- Matthew Vaughan - 2004-2005
- Tam Nolan - 2003-2004
- Amanda Boehner - 2002-2003
- Brandy Porterpan - 2001-2002
- Melissa Bump - 2000-2001
- Jennifer Fryer - 2000-2001
- Laura Daniels - 1998-1999
- Tonatiuh Melgarejo - 1998-1999
Residents
- Greg Kuhlman - 2013-2016
- Carly Waugh - 2011-2014
- Brianna Backlund - 2010-2013
- Melissa Moyer - 2009-2012
- Rebecca Quinn - 2006-2009
- Katherine Scott - 2004-2007
- Jennifer Fryer - 2003-2006
- Brandy Porterpan - 2002-2005
- Jonathan Fradkin - 1997-2000
Graduate Students (since 2012)
- Cassandra Paz. - MS (Biomedical Science) - 2017-2019
- Kerrie Farrar - MS (MPH) - 2017-present
- Katie Cook - MS (Nuclear Sciences/Physics) - 2017-2019
- Sarah Manning – MS (LACS Disaster Preparedness) - 2016-2017
- Elizabeth Barney – PhD (LACS Disaster) - 2013-2015
- Chastity Carrigan – MS (Biomedical Science) 2014-2016
- Chris Mabry – MS (Biomedical Sciences) - 2012-2015
- Espitia NE, Zoran DL, Clendenin A, Crosby S, Ellis CE, Hilburn A, Moyer W, Bissett WT. Direct measurement of veterinary student learning outcomes for the NAVMEC Professional Competencies in a multi-user virtual learning environment. J Vet Med Ed, In press, August 2019.
- Panoxoulis X, Zoran DL. Fosgate JP, Wooff P, et al. Feline exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: A retrospective study of 150 cases. J Vet Int Med, 30(6): 1790-97, September, 2016.
- Laflamme DP, Rand JS, Zoran DL, et al. ACVIM Consensus Statement on Carbohydrates in Cats. J Vet Int Med, August, 2016.
- Spengler J, Bissett WT, Stonecipher S, Zoran DL et al. Management of a pet dog after exposure to a human patient with Ebola virus disease. JAVMA, 247:531-36, 2015.
- Spoo JW, Zoran DL, Downey RL, et al. Serum biochemical, blood gas and antioxidant status in search and rescue dogs before and after simulated field work. Vet J, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.07.02.
- Sislak M, Spaudling K, Zoran DL, Bauer JE. The sonographic appearance and characterization of lipiduria in cats. J Vet Rad Ultrasound, June, 2013.
- Zoran DL, Rand J. The role of diet in the prevention and management of feline diabetes. Vet Clin North Am, Small Animal, 43(2): 233-243, 2013.
- Zoran DL, Bissett WT, Espitia N, Moyer W, Rogers K. How a disaster preparedness rotation helps teach the seven NAVMEC professional competencies: the Texas A&M Experience. J Vet Med Educ, November, 2013.
- Scott KS, Zoran DL, Willard MD, Mansell J. Utility of endoscopic biopsies of the duodenum and ileum for diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and small cell lymphoma in cats. J Vet Int Med 25(6):1253-1257, 2011
- Backlund BA, Zoran DL, Nabity M, et al. Effects of dietary protein levels on renal parameters in normal cats. J Fel Med Surg, 13(10): 698-704, 2011.
- Zoran DL, Buffington CA. Effects of nutrition choices and lifestyle changes on the cat: The carnivore who moved indoors. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 239(5):596-606, 2011.
- Zoran DL. Obesity in dogs and cats: A metabolic and endocrine disorder. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim, 40: 221-239, 2010.
- Rucinsky R, Cook A, Zoran DL, et al. Diabetes management guidelines. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 46: 215-224, 2010.
- Zoran DL. Feline obesity: Clinical recognition and management. Comp Cont Ed 31(6); 59-70, 2009.
- Stone R, Berghoff N, Steiner JM, Zoran DL. Use of a bioelectric impedance device to estimate body fat percentage in healthy lean and obese dogs. Vet Ther, 10(1): 284-293, 2009.
- Pittari J, Roden I, Zoran DL, et al. Feline senior care guidelines. J Fel Med Surg 11: 763-778, 2009.
- Kirby N, Hester S, Rees C, Kennis R, Zoran DL, Bauer JE. Skin surface lipids and skin and hair coat of dogs fed increased total fat diets containing polyunsaturated fatty acids. J An Physiol Anim Nutr, 93(4): 505-511, 2009.
- Zoran DL. Dietary management of feline gastrointestinal disease. J Sm Anim Clin Tech, 23(4): 200-206, 2008.
- Snowden K, Bice K, Craig T, Zoran, DL, et al. Vertically integrated educational collaboration between a College of Veterinary Medicine and a non-profit animal shelter. J Vet Med Ed, 2008.
- Wilcox A, Johnson M, Zoran DL, Drourr L. Rare blood smear finding in a chronically ill dog. Vet Forum, Spring, 2007.