We will miss his commitment to research, education, and his dedication to the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Our thanks and hearts go out to Dr. Roberto Poma, and his family.

Reposted from the Ontario Veterinary College

OVC community mourns loss of colleague

Published
November 15, 2010

Pet Trust, Clinical Studies, College News

The OVC community is mourning the loss of a beloved colleague and gifted clinician, scientist and teacher.

Dr. Roberto Poma, a faculty member and neurology specialist in the Department of Clinical Studies, died on Nov. 15 of an acute brain hemorrhage at the age of 41.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Becky Valentine, their children and extended family.

Please check the OVC website for updates. As a gesture of respect and condolence, the University of Guelph will lower its flags to half-mast on the day of his funeral.

A graduate of the veterinary school at the University of Turin, Italy, Poma came to OVC for a DVSc in neurology in 1998. After successfully completing his residency, he spent three years as a staff veterinarian in the OVC Teaching Hospital before joining the faculty in 2004.

Poma’s research was focused on finding better ways to diagnose and treat canine epilepsy, and improve understanding of the disease in companion animals and humans.

He also worked closely with groups such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club to reduce the incidence of syringomyelia, a very serious neurological disorder that is rare in most breeds but increasingly afflicts King Charles Spaniels.