Our Health Care Team
Our health care team consists of licensed veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians, veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, client services staff and a practice manager. They work side by side with Drs. Kalo and Skavdahl providing comfort and care to you and your pets.
Our team works with you through the entire process of your pet's visit, medical treatment, surgery or hospitalization. We are here to help answer any questions or address any concerns you may have regarding your pet's health and well-being.
Our registered veterinary technicians are licensed by the state of Ohio and perform certain duties essential to our practice. They perform many of the same duties as registered nurses, however in addition registered veterinary technicians can perform laboratory testing and administer anesthesia and perform therapy laser procedures along with many other duties. Our veterinary technicians and assistants work with our registered veterinary technicians with a mission, to treat you and your pet with honesty, respect and dignity in a caring, friendly and compassionate environment.
Our Client Services representatives are dedicated to make your experiences with the Hinckley Animal Hospital convenient and time efficient. They are the friendly voices and faces that represent our hospital. We recognize that your time is valuable and we respect appointment times. We realize in many cases that you may have questions and we want to ensure they are answered before you leave; therefore our appointments are longer than most practices. Please be on time for your appointment so you get the benefit of all your allotted time.
Erin Kalo, DVM Hospital Director
Dr. Kalo has always known that she wanted to be veterinarian. She fed her love of animals by working at horse farms and veterinarian hospitals as she went to school. She received her Bachelors of Animal Science and then her Doctorate of Veterinarian Medicine from Purdue University.
After graduation, she went to Southern West Virginia to work with small and large animals. She expanded her knowledge on small and large animals when she took her next job in Michigan. Pennsylvania was her next step in her career, leaving the large animal side to focus on small animals. She then moved to southwest Ohio working in a large volume hospital.
Dr. Kalo then purchased Hinckley Animal Hospital in late December 2017 to live out her dream of ownership. When she isn't at work, you can find her on the farm working/playing with her two horses Majik, Georgia and her dog Reba Rae.
Oscar Skavdahl, CVSMT
Dr. Skavdahl grew up on a cattle ranch in western Nebraska, where he can honestly say that he has worked with animals all of his life. He graduated valedictorian from Sioux County High School with a class of fifteen students in 1978. Following high school, he did his undergraduate work at the University of Wyoming in Laramie WY before being accepted to Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine in Manhattan, KS. Dr. Skavdahl graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1986.
After graduation from Kansas State, he started his professional career working in a mixed animal, both large and small animals, practice. He then took a position with the Middleburg Heights, OH, Fire Department, a decision he made due to his interest in emergency medicine and his dislike of being stuck in an office. He worked in emergency medicine at the Animal Emergency Clinic in Brook Park, OH and relief work at several private practices, including Hinckley Animal Hospital. After getting married to Mary Jo in 1993 and realizing the importance of family, he left the hectic schedule of emergency medicine. In 1998, he started Animal House Calls, an in-home veterinary care service, while continuing to work at Hinckley Animal Hospital and the Middleburg Heights Fire Department.
In 2016 Dr. Skavdahl attended an intense 266 hr post graduate course through Healing Oasis to become Certified in Veterinary Spinal Manipulation Therapy (Animal Chiropractor). After finishing course in June 2016, he passed examination to become a member of College of Animal Chiropractors.
Dr. Kalo and Dr. Skavdahl are firm believers in staying current with the rapid changes in medicine and surgery by attending local, regional and national veterinary conferences, allowing them to offer you and your pet the most current and innovative medical and surgical procedures utilizing state of the art equipment.
Staff Members
Autumn Ruiz Registered Veterinary Technician
Autumn has been with us since 2011. She is a registered Veterinary Technician, and a 2002 graduate of the Veterinary Technology Program at Cuyahoga Community College. When not at work, Autumn enjoys spending time with her family and her pets.
Jill Smiley Registered Veterinary Technician
Jill has been with us since 2018. She is a Veterinary Technician, and a graduate of Columbus State with an associate degree. When not at work, Jill enjoys spending time with her family.
Jennifer Henry Registered Veterinary Technician
Jenn joined our team in 2018. She is a registered Veterinary Technician, and a 2005 graduate of the Veterinary Technology Program at Columbus State Community College. When not at work, Jenn enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and two german shephards, Major Paine and Millie.
Larrisa Trela Registered Veterinary Technician
Larissa is a registered veterinary technician who graduated from Cuyahoga Community College in 2012. When not at work, Larissa enjoys spending time with her husband and cat, Lucia.
Rachel Steinbrenner Veterinary Technician
Rachel is a 2016 graduate from the Veterinary Technology Program at Cuyahoga Community College. She enjoys spending time with her family and two Labradors, Sierra and Piper, when not at work.