Dr. Kayla grew up in the small town of Lewisporte, Newfoundland with a younger sister and brother.  Kayla attended Memorial University where she completed her Chemistry Degree. While there she worked at an animal shelter and a medical research laboratory.  From there she headed to the Atlantic Veterinary College and graduated in 2013.  Kayla joined our team to cover a maternity leave and we are happy that she has become a permanent member. Kayla's family includes her partner, Derrick, his son and their daughter as well as several pets. She has two snakes, two cats, a dog and a Leopard Gecko.  Her days are busy looking after her young daughter but in her spare time she volunteers with the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and she also loves to read.

Dr. Candace grew up in Chester Basin and had wanted to become a veterinarian since her early childhood.  After high school she moved to Truro to attend the Nova Scotia Agricultural College where she completed the Animal Health Technology program before continuing onto Pre-Vet. Candace graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 2010.

Candace and her husband Patrick continue to reside in Truro with their two young girls, Addison and Elise.  They also have fur children including two cats, Hali and Leah, as well as a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Brisket.

Candace worked in the Halifax area after graduating.  During vet school she worked with our team here at Central Nova and is very happy to be back joining the team full time!  Candace enjoys all aspects of small animal medicine including pocket and exotic pets.

Outside of work Candace spends much of her free time visiting friends and family.  She enjoys many outdoor activities such as swimming, skating and strolling through Victoria Park.  During the summer she spends as much time as possible at the beach or camping with her family.

Dr. Penny is from rural Hants County, where she grew up on a hobby farm with four brothers. Her love of animals started early, as she was raised surrounded by cows, horses, dogs, cats, goats, chickens, etc. From high school, Penny set off for Dalhousie University intent on pursuing a career in medicine. When her goal changed to veterinary medicine, she transferred to the Nova Scotia Agricultural College for a year, and then was accepted at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph. She spent five years there completing her DVM degree.Penny graduated from OVC in 1989, returned to Truro and has been at Central Nova Animal Hospital ever since. Penny enjoys the problem solving aspects of veterinary medicine and certified in acupuncture at Colorado State University in 2009. She is the mother of four boys and is now blessed with grandchildren. As with most in the veterinary field, her own pets have been beset by odd medical problems. Previous pets have included cats with fibrotic cardiomyopathy, hyperthyroidism and kidney failure, a dog born with a rare heart condition known as Tetralogy of Fallot, and her most recent dog passed away from an uncommon liver cancer. 

Dr. Kim grew up in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia on her parent's blueberry farm. Her career decision to become a veterinarian was made early so upon graduating from high school, she headed to Truro to attend the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. She was accepted into the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown, PEI after finishing her third year at the NSAC. She graduated from AVC in 1993. She worked briefly as an emergency veterinarian in Calgary, Alberta before she started working full time at Central Nova Animal Hospital in the summer of 1994. Kim enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine - the challenges of medicine and surgery as well as the opportunity to meet and care for all the healthy pets that come in for wellness exams. In her spare time Kim likes to cycle, run, paddle, read and spent time outdoors with her family.  Married with two kids, her family also includes 2 cats, Sinamin & Rosie, and a black Labrador Retriever, Aspen. 

Dr. Ed grew up in the Annapolis Valley before heading off to University. During this time, he spent his summers working for a neighboring farmer. There he developed a keen interest in animals of all sizes. After high school, he began his formal education at the Dalhousie University's Faculty of Agriculture completing a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and nutrition. He was then accepted into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown.

After graduating in 1992, Ed began practice in Picton, Ontario where he worked in a large mixed animal practice. Working with both pets and farm animals gave Ed a broad base of experience to draw from. He moved back to Nova Scotia in 1994, where he began working at CNAH. He has a special interest in orthopedic diseases, oncology and surgery of dogs and cats. Hence, many of the broken bones and ruptured ligaments that come in end up being diagnosed and repaired by Ed.

Outside of work Ed has taught curriculum through Dalhousie's Animal Health Technician program, lectured for the Pawsitive Direction program at the Women's Correctional Centre, served on the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association Board of directors as a member, president, and chair of the NSVMA Small Animal Committee. Coaching hockey and keeping up to a busy family use up the remainder of his spare time. Ed is married and has four children.

Dr. Jennifer grew up in Lower Onslow but after high school headed for Acadia University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science. She returned to Truro in 1998 to attend the Agricultural College where she did her research in Animal Science. While there, she volunteered with us and this gradually turned into a part time job. In 1999 Jennifer headed to PEI to attend the Veterinary College and graduated in 2003 and joined our team as a Veterinarian.  Jennifer was the 2020 president of the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association and serves on the advisory committee for the Dalhousie AHT program and the NSVMA AGM committee.  She has also been on the board of the NSSPCA and enjoys volunteering for her profession.

She continues to love helping animals as well as their people and her enthusiasm is contagious to the rest of our team. Jennifer lives with her husband Tom and three boys, Ty, Jay and Coen. Her family also includes two Golden Retrievers, Olivia and Levi, three cats, Opie, Stripes and Bobby, two guinea pigs, Becky and Bella and several chickens and pocket pets. 

Jennifer's interests include playing and coaching sports, spending time with her family and volunteering to help associations her children are involved in.  She currently sits on the boards for the West Colchester Minor Hockey Association, Cantabile Choirs, and the Lower Onslow Community Center where we have built two beautiful play spaces for the Lower Onslow and Masstown communities.  

Dr. Dove was born and raised outside of Scotsburn in rural Pictou County. She grew up on a small hobby farm caring for a wide variety of animals and spent most of her free time riding horses. She received her Bachelor of Science from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 2006, following which, she received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 2010. 

After working in Dartmouth for several years, Dove and her husband Greg, are happy to be back home in rural Pictou County raising their three boys Ashton, Brody and Caleb. Their Boxer mix Layla is also enjoying all of the squirrel chasing that comes with country living. In her spare time Dove enjoys spending time with family and living an active outdoor lifestyle skiing, canoeing, hiking, camping, horseback riding and motorcycling. Dove is very excited to  join the Central Nova Animal Hospital team in 2020 and looks forward to seeing you and your fur babies. 

9Dr. Troye McPherson graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1989 and joined our team on March 1, 2018. She has a special interest in medicine, animal behaviour and ultrasound.  Troye is involved with various governing bodies and has served as President of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, President of the Nova Scotia Veterinary Association and was the Canadian representative for the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe. She was also one of two North American Councillors for the World Veterinary Association.

Troye is originally form Cape Breton but has worked in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Nova Scotia.  She currently lives in Dartmouth with her husband, 3 cats and 9 Border Collies.  She is very active in dog sports, namely agility, rally obedience and sheep herding.  A good portion of Troye's downtime is spent at her farm in Pictou County.