Dr. Taralyn McCarrel Appointed as Associate Professor in Large Animal Surgery

The Department of Clinical Studies at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) is pleased to welcome Taralyn McCarrel, DVM, DACVS-LA, as associate professor in large animal surgery. 

McCarrel grew up in Brampton, Ontario, and spent her formative years riding horses and working at a nearby hunter-jumper barn. She gave up riding for several years in favour of academic pursuits, graduating from OVC’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program in 2006. She subsequently completed an internship in large animal medicine and surgery before moving to Ithaca, New York to pursue research in comparative orthopedics and regenerative medicine at Cornell University. She later left academia to complete an equine surgery residency at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY and attained board certification in large animal surgery with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2014. 

In 2015, McCarrel joined the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, supporting both the Large Animal Surgery Service and the Equine Lameness and Imaging Services. A passionate teacher, she developed the Equine Lameness and Imaging course and coordinated the Equine Surgery and Laboratory course. She also served as a consulting surgeon for the University of Florida Veterinary Hospital at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL when they opened a new state-of-the-art equine hospital in 2022.  

McCarrel’s research focuses on orthobiologics, lameness diagnosis and upper airway surgery. For several years, she served as Director of the Florida Pari-Mutuel Wagering Laboratory, which maintained a group of fit Thoroughbred horses for pharmacokinetic studies (exploring how drugs move throughout the body) in collaboration with the Florida Racing Laboratory. In her role as associate professor at OVC, McCarrel will provide client services and clinical instruction to students, interns and residents for large animal surgery patients, which may include horses, cows, small ruminants, pigs and camelids. She will also continue to conduct research in her fields of interest, with an aim to improve equine health. 

“I jumped at the opportunity to join the faculty at OVC,” says McCarrel. “This position will afford me the opportunity to continue to pursue my passions of equine surgery and advanced lameness diagnosis, to generate research to continue to advance our knowledge and capabilities in equine surgery and equine performance, and to shape the bright veterinarians of tomorrow, all while being able to spend more time with my family.” 

Dr. Chris Riley, Chair of OVC’s Department of Clinical Studies, shares that McCarrel brings a great deal of value and expertise to the large animal team, with connections to some of the largest horse breeding and competition centres in the United States. 

“I can’t speak highly enough of Dr. McCarrel’s skill and commitment to advancing large animal surgery and outreach to the racing community,” he says. “She will play an integral role in training the next generation of large animal surgeons and experts, while providing exceptional care to our patients and enhancing OVC’s equine research program. We’re very fortunate to welcome her to the department from Florida.” 

McCarrel returned to the world of equestrian sport in 2020, when she was given a four-year-old Oldenburg mare (and former patient) named Dazzleberry. Despite undergoing two major surgeries as a yearling, Dazzleberry went on to place sixth in Open Training at the Great American Insurance Group/United States Dressage Federation Region 3 Dressage Championships in 2023. 

“I look forward to many more years of riding now that I’m back in Ontario,” says McCarrel. “And I hope to return to the show ring myself in the years ahead.”