Safety Protocols

We continue to work to ensure the safety of our clients, our patients, and our team by adhering to the following:

  • Upon arrival, you may either call us or come in with your pet to check in for your appointment, unless specific instructions have been provided to you for alternate arrival arrangements.
  • Should you wish, please feel free to mask, however, at this time we do not mandate masking within the clinic
  • If you would prefer curb-side service, we can accommodate that for any patient
  • It is requested that the number of humans coming in with the patient is limited, if possible, to ensure that we can adequately maintain physical distancing within the confines of the exam rooms. Alternate arrangements can be made if this is not possible. Please ask when you make your appointment.

If you are feeling unwell prior to your scheduled appointment, please call 780-542-2144 with as much notice as possible to reschedule.

Important News for Our Clients

Updated August 2022

If calling into the clinic to request a new prescription or refill, please allow for 24 hours from the time of the call to pick up. If your pet is not a current patient at our clinic, an official prescription will be required from your usual prescribing clinic. Please have it emailed to info@rockyrapidsvetclinic.com and allow a minimum of 24 hours from the time the email is received for the prescription to be ready.

Beginning October 1, 2022, there will be a $75.00 charge for no-shows. We respect your time and appreciate your business, thus want to be sure that we are available for our clients for all their needs, including urgent requests. Details of how this fee will be billed to you will be available on our website soon.

Beginning September 1, 2022, our Emergency/After Hours Calls will be professionally triaged by Animal Health Link. You will be immediately connected to a qualified Registered Veterinary Technician who will assess the best treatment approach to your large or small animal’s condition.

Meet The Team

We are dedicated to the health, welfare and care of each animal we meet through collaborative relationships with each producer and owner.

Dr. Kevin Winder, DVM

Dr. Kevin Winder, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Kevin Winder graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon in 1998 and started at Rocky Rapids Veterinary Services that same spring. Dr. Winder and his wife moved to Drayton Valley with their growing family and have enjoyed being a part of the community. His passions include family, volunteering, and spending time near water. He is active with the local flying club and volunteers his time with his church and local camp.

He appreciates the opportunities that rural mixed-animal practice brings. You can find him on the farmyards with the cattle, the sheep, and the goats (or other wooly creatures) almost as often as he is in the clinic surrounded by the dogs and cats of the area. The challenges of medicine and surgery, with a side of laser therapy, combine to keep him sharp and always learning. Dr. Winder enjoys helping to mentor the students and new graduates that come through the practice, hoping to pass on some of the lessons he has learned over the years. After a day in the practice, Dr. Winder heads home to spend time with his wife Ingrid and to take orders from his cat named Claude.

Dr. Savannah Howse, DVM

Dr. Savannah Howse, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Savannah Howse is a veterinarian at Rocky Rapids Veterinary Services and has been with the practice since 2013. She went to the University of Alberta for her undergraduate degree and earned her DVM from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013. She offers veterinary care to a wide variety of animals, from bees to bulls and everything in between! Her special interests include exotic animal/wildlife, poultry and honey bee medicine.

Dr. Howse is also a Responsible Veterinarian for the Canadian Animal Task Force and for the Alberta Helping Animals Society. She values the human-animal bond, providing services to maximize production in food animal operations, as well as offering a spectrum of care to ensure veterinary services are within reach of everyone that owns animals. When not working or volunteering, she enjoys gardening, beekeeping, and playing board games and video games. It really makes her day when a pet comes in with a nerdy name!

Dr. Sharron Oakey, DVM

Dr. Sharron Oakey, DVM

Veterinarian

Dr. Oakey grew up in Vancouver. As a teenager, she spent a lot of time at the stable and participated in many equestrian events. Sharron’s father and stepmother are physicians in Vancouver and her sister is also a physician, however, she decided early on that she would like to be an “animal” doctor instead of following in the family’s footsteps.

After completing high school, she went on to Simon Fraser University, where she completed four years of university studies. In 1988 she moved to Saskatoon to attend the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and received her degree in 1992. Dr. Oakey moved to Alberta after graduating from vet school, and in 1993 she started practicing at Rocky Rapids Veterinary Services. She has been providing excellent care and service for her patients over the years and has always had a special interest in horses. She has bred and raised Canadian Warmbloods for over 16 years.

When not at the clinic, she spends her time riding, cycling, skiing, all with her wonderful daughter Kathryn. They are both very involved with their horses and compete in dressage. Sharron is a competitive triathlete and cyclist; she has acquired numerous medals and has traveled the world competing. She and Kathryn spend most of their spare time outdoors working with all their horses and being active.

Dr. Tiago Ribeiro Waselcoski, DVM

Dr. Tiago Ribeiro Waselcoski, DVM

Veterinarian

Bio coming soon!

Practice Manager

Brooke Wildman

Brooke Wildman

Clinic Manager

Brooke graduated from Lakeland College’s AHT program in 2019 and spent four years as a Registered Veterinary Technician with RRVS. A short time away working in both urgent care and emergency medicine led Brooke to fully realize her passion for the people who live and serve rural communities. She has returned to RRVS as the Clinic Manager to help support those people, their pets, and livestock. Outside of work,, Brooke enjoys any outside adventure and spending time with her family and darling angel baby, Cheddar the cat.
Emra Harris

Emra Harris

Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)

Emra graduated from the AHT program at Lakeland College in 2016. Since then she has been a dedicated Registered Veterinary Technician, providing exceptional care to all furry friends. She started working in Edmonton before moving to beautiful Prince Rupert BC for four years and has gained experience and knowledge to share with the people of Drayton Valley. She has always loved animals since she was young and knew then that she wanted to be in the veterinary field. In her spare time, Emra enjoys hiking and spending time with her husband, three cats; Butterscotch, Fluffy, and Molly, and two dogs; Sarafina and Pandora.

Nici Klotz

Nici Klotz

Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)

Nici was born and raised in Drayton Valley and moved to Edmonton at 19 with the dream of becoming a Veterinarian. After a few years in University, she changed course and ended up moving over to NAIT for her animal health diploma to become an RVT. Nici has always had a passion for dogs and horses and has an avid history and interest in exotics, especially reptiles. She currently have 3 dogs (Maddie, Paisley and Mikey) and loves taking them out hiking in the mountains or camping. Nici says she is obsessed with reading, plants and crocheting!

Veronica Bergen

Veronica Bergen

Veterinary Technician Assistant (VTA)

Ever since Veronica was a little girl she’s had a strong passion for animals. Shortly after graduating high school, she started working at an animal hospital and instantly fell in love. She began as a receptionist and slowly worked her way up helping out hands-on with the patients. Veronica moved to Alberta from Vancouver BC 10 years ago and decided to grow her knowledge and study to become a Veterinary Assistant. Shortly after receiving her certification, she started a family and bought her first home on an acreage.

Veronica couldn’t be more thrilled to be where she is at today and to be a part of the Rocky Rapids Veterinary Services team!

Lisa Reich

Lisa Reich

Veterinary Technologist Assistant (VTA)

Lisa has worked with Rocky Rapid Veterinary Services for three years. In 2018 she graduated from Lakeland college from the Veterinary Medical Assistant program. Before that, she had the opportunity to work on a feedlot in western Australia with sheep and cattle. Lisa lives on a farm with her parents near Tomahawk where she owns a handful of purebred Simmental cattle. Some of the things she enjoys are playing with her two nephews, showing cattle, hanging out with friends, and contributing to the success of the family farm.

One of the many things Lisa does at RRVS is work in the back along with the technicians on daily surgical appointments while helping to carefully prepare the animals. She is also the person that comes to greet and admit patients on the morning of surgery. Lisa enjoys working with all of her co-workers and of course animals of any size!

Emily Pietsch

Emily Pietsch

Veterinary Technologist Assistant (VTA)

Emily grew up on a small farm outside of Buck Lake, Alberta where they have a variety of animals including cows, horses, goats, chickens, dogs, and cats. Emily enjoys spending time outside with her animals and in her free time, she likes to paint and draw.

Kayla Clarkson

Kayla Clarkson

Veterinary Medical Receptionist

Kayla is new to Drayton Valley, originally from Ontario. She moved here less than 2 years ago after meeting her now-husband. Kayla’s professional background is in the Medical Administrative field with over 10 years of experience. Kayla has a stepdaughter, husband and a wonderful family from Ontario who visits often. Kayla is a fur-mama to her two small dogs Louie and Larry who are her absolute pride and joy. Kayla enjoys spending time with her family, camping, a good bonfire at any time of the year, and soaking up all the cuddles and love from her senior pups. Although Kayla is new to Drayton, she looks forward to planting her roots in her new hometown!
Michele Shpakowsky

Michele Shpakowsky

Customer Service Representative

Michele comes from the United States, where she was a Veterinary Technician until starting a family. She moved to Alberta with her husband and 4 children in 2006 and lives North of Drayton Valley on an acreage enjoying the Alberta country life. As soon as she was ready to return to working outside the home, she went back to her love of working with animals in the Veterinary field and joined Rocky Rapids Veterinary Services.

Michele enjoys small community and rural Alberta living. It is not only a great place to raise a family but because she also can have her cats, dogs, and horses. She loves giving back to the community by volunteering and being involved in her local church. Whenever her pets or horses can be involved she is sure to be there. Whether it’s riding her horse in the local parade, a fundraising trail ride for the local kids camp, or dressing her dogs up for Halloween to raise funds for animal rescue.

In the future, Michele hopes to be able to combine her heart for people and love of animals and get involved in animal-assisted therapy with her horses and dogs.