Dr. Holt was born and raised in Southern Illinois's St. Louis metropolitan area. He studied chemistry as an undergraduate then continued to complete his DVM at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1982.

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Upon graduation, Dr. Holt entered private practice with his father, Dr. Leland Holt, at Bellemore Animal Hospital which he purchased in 1984. Dr. Holt then developed the practice to an AAHA 4-year accreditation status. Later, Dr. Holt opened a second practice location, Shackelford Veterinary Hospital, in Florissant, Missouri which he also took to AAHA accreditation status in 4 years!

 

In 1993, Dr. Holt graduated from his second class of the AAHA Veterinary Management Institute at the Krannert School of Business, Purdue University.

 

He also became the first veterinarian in the St Louis metropolitan area to purchase and use the Luxar (now Lumenis) Laser system. He has performed over 5000 surgical procedures using the Lumenis Laser technology.

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Dr. Holt served as a past president of both the St. Louis Metro East Veterinary Medical Association and the Southern Illinois Veterinary Medical Association.

 

In June 2001, Dr. Holt successfully completed a small animal medical and surgical rotating internship at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of Missouri-Columbia. During his internship, Dr. Holt was awarded the Intern Teaching Award from the senior veterinary class in recognition of having the greatest impact on the clinical experience in terms of teaching and devoting extra time to help the class of 2001. Dr. Holt also received the L.N. Atkinson, DVM, Memorial Fund Award from the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital faculty and residents for demonstrating interest and proficiency in canine medicine and surgery.

 

Following his internship, Dr. Holt continued to serve in a small animal surgical fellowship teaching at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In 2002, Dr. Holt underwent advanced surgical training in a partial surgical residency at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

 

From 2003 to 2004, Dr. Holt traveled around the country teaching laser surgery and speaking at seminars on laser physics, safety, and laser-tissue interaction. Following this period, Dr. Holt started Relief Surgical Services, a Midwest-based traveling referral surgical practice that provides select veterinary hospitals with in-house advanced surgical procedures and treatments.

 

Dr. Holt is certified in Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy, Sliding Humeral Osteotomy, Helica Total Hip Prosthesis, and the Modified Maquet Procedure for Tibial Tuberosity Advancement.

 

Dr. Holt currently resides in Wentzville, Missouri with his wife Stefanie and his two children, Ashlyn and Austin.