Consultants/Specialists

Chand Khanna, DVM, PhD, ACVIM, Oncology Referral

I am a graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. My specialty training included a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at the Ontario Veterinary College in Guelph, Ontario, followed by a residency in Internal Medicine and Oncology at the University of Minnesota. I am board-certified with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology). My training in cancer research includes a PhD from the University of Minnesota, where I studied immunotherapy of metastatic cancers, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health where I was a Senior Staff Fellow at the National Cancer Institute. Recently, I created and now head the section of Comparative Oncology at the NCI.

My primary area of research is cancer investigational drug development. Since moving to the Washington, D.C. area, I have been able to couple my research interests with my love for clinical veterinary oncology through my work with Oncology Service at Friendship Hospital for Animals, and through the development of Animal Clinical Investigation, LLC.

I am on the editorial board of the Journal of Veterinary and Comparative Oncology, am a reviewer for many clinical and scientific journals, and have authored several manuscripts and textbook chapters in the field of veterinary oncology and cancer biology. I am Chairman of the Perseus Foundation, a Maryland-based non-profit organization seeking to improve the lives of animal and human cancer patients.

I have five dogs and cats but only two children and one fabulous wife. When not treating cancer, I am playing golf with Drs. Glassman and Rusk.

James McConnell, DVM, Consultant in Internal Medicine, Ultrasound and Endoscopy

I received my DVM from Texas A&M University in 1981 and completed my small animal internal medicine residency at Tufts University in 1987. I came to Friendship in September, 2003, bringing over 16 years of experience in performing advanced medical procedures, including ultrasound and endoscopy. My special interests include ultrasound and endoscopic procedures to evaluate gastrointestinal, liver, pancreas, and respiratory disorders of dogs and cats.

My interest in helping animals goes back as far as I can remember. As a youngster, I grew up with two poodles, each of whom lived to be over fifteen years old and who, as they aged, required diligent care and treatments to maintain their health.

Working as a consultant to the National Zoo here in Washington has provided me with many memorable veterinary experiences. I have performed ultrasound and endoscopic procedures on many zoo animals, including cheetahs, orangutans, tigers, sea lions, gorillas, and Tsing Tsing, the older Panda who lived at the zoo prior to the introduction of Tian Tian and Mei Xiang.

When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time with my wife Marlene, and our two children, Hunter and Kayleigh. I enjoy composing, mixing, and recording my own music in my home studio. Thanks to my interest in Internet publishing, I have been able to upload my music to the Web. I also enjoy writing, cooking, and Tai Chi.

Tony Rusk, DVM, Oncology

I am a native of Southern Indiana. I received my Bachelor of Science at Ball State University and graduated from veterinary school at Purdue University. I had been a staff doctor at Friendship Hospital since June of 1999 but now work exclusively in the oncology department here at Friendship. I am also the vice president of clinical trials for Animal Clinical Investigation, LLC where I have successfully managed more than 20 clinical trials for dogs and cats.

I had the good fortune of marrying my vet school sweetie, Jen, who is a staff veterinarian at Friendship. We have two sons, Evan and Nathan. The Rusk family also has 2 cats, Mosby and Ellie Mae.

Alexandra Sahora, DVM, Oncology Associate

My name is Alexandra Sahora, and I am the new oncology associate working with Drs. Khanna and Rusk. I graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 2006 and practiced in a small animal general practice in South Florida last year. I am very excited to join the oncology staff. When not in the hospital, I enjoy running, swimming, and hanging out with my dog Mouffie. Mouffie is an 11 yr old Tibetan terrier that is the master of the house and spends his day sleeping, barking, sleeping, eating, and again barking. I am also an avid football fan and can’t wait for the season to start back up again this fall. My interests besides oncology are internal medicine and clinical pathology, and I hope to pursue a residency in medical oncology and subsequent specialization.

Tommy Walker, DVM, MS Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Walker joined Friendship as our referral surgery specialist. Dr. Walker is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. After completing a neurology residency and a surgical residency at the University of Tennessee, Dr. Walker remained at the University to teach for 12 years. He has lectured all over the world.

Dr. Walker is at Friendship intermittently throughout the week to consult primarily on difficult orthopedic cases and to perform specialized surgeries. Armed with keen sensibilities for veterinary diagnostic and surgical advancement, Dr. Walker worked with Dr. Barclay Slocum in the development of the TPLO procedure for cruciate repair, and continues as one of the foremost surgeons to progressively apply this technique.