Gayle Leith
- Associate Professor of Practice
- Administration, Rm. 512
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- gaylesleith2019@arizona.edu
Biography
Dr. Gayle Leith graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. During her first year of veterinary school, she completed her Master of Science degree (Equine Reproductive Physiology) writing and defending her thesis – early equine embryo intrauterine mobility under Dr. Ollie Ginther.
Following graduation from UW – Madison, she was selected as an intern at Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Centre. Upon completion of the internship, she was offered an associate position. In 1996, she had the opportunity to purchase the practice with Dr. Scott Taylor. In 2019 she joined the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine while still working at Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Centre. In 2021, she joined the UA -CVM team full time.
During years as a practicing veterinarian, she worked at numerous equine competitions as the event veterinarian. The events included Hunter/Jumper Shows, Arabian Horse Shows, Arizona Driving and Carriage Society, and IGRA rodeo.
In 1995, Dr. Leith achieved American Board of Veterinary Practitioners – Equine certification. This diplomate certification requires recertification every 10 years. She has recertified in 2005, 2015, and is scheduled to recertify in 2026.
In 2010, she obtained a Masters of Arts in Learning with Technology from Ashford University. Dr. Leith joined the Ashford team in 2011, and taught the course “Mankind and the Environment” for 8 years.
Throughout her clinical practicing years, she bred, trained and showed horses for the Hunter/Jumper discipline. Dr. Leith continues to ride and show her Thoroughbred and Warmblood geldings.
Gayle is a current member of the AVMA, AAEP, AzVMA, ABVP, and USEF organizations.
2022 to present Arizona Veterinary Medical Association Lead Veterinarian – Dean Rice Memorial African Wildlife Study Expedition RACE approved for 20 hours continuing education
Dr. Leith’s primary teaching duties are in Clinical/Professional Skills. She assists with Large Animal Advanced Clinical Management - Equine, Cycle of Life, Sum of the Parts, and Clinical Logic in Doctoring.
Degrees
- M.A. Learning with Technology
- Ashford University, San Diego, California, United States
- D.V.M. Veterinary Medicine
- University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
- M.S. Equine Reproductive Physiology
- University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Science, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
- B.S. Animal Science
- California Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, United States
Work Experience
- Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Centre (2020 - Ongoing)
- Ashford University Online (2011 - 2020)
- Head of the Class Curriculum (2008 - 2011)
- Southwest Equine Medical & Surgical Center (2000 - 2014)
- Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Centre (1996 - 2020)
- Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Centre (1989 - 1996)
Licensure & Certification
- Arizona Veterinary Medical Licensure, Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board (1988)
- • Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (1995)
- Certificate for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University (2022)
Interests
No activities entered.
Courses
2024-25 Courses
-
Advanced Professional Skills I
VETM 815A (Spring 2025) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803B (Spring 2025) -
Musculoskeletal
VETM 807 (Spring 2025) -
Professional Skills
VETM 802B (Spring 2025) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803A (Fall 2024) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803D (Fall 2024) -
Foundations
VETM 801 (Fall 2024) -
The Sum of the Parts
VETM 812 (Fall 2024)
2023-24 Courses
-
Clinical Logic in Doctoring
VETM 804C (Summer I 2024) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803C (Summer I 2024) -
Professional Skills
VETM 802C (Summer I 2024) -
Selectives
VETM 817 (Summer I 2024) -
Advanced Professional Skills I
VETM 815A (Spring 2024) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803B (Spring 2024) -
Musculoskeletal
VETM 807 (Spring 2024) -
Professional Skills
VETM 802B (Spring 2024) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803A (Fall 2023) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803D (Fall 2023)
2022-23 Courses
-
The Cycle of Life
VETM 810 (Summer I 2023) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803B (Spring 2023) -
Musculoskeletal
VETM 807 (Spring 2023) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803A (Fall 2022) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803D (Fall 2022)
2021-22 Courses
-
The Cycle of Life
VETM 810 (Summer I 2022) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803B (Spring 2022) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803A (Fall 2021) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803D (Fall 2021)
2020-21 Courses
-
Clinical Skills
VETM 803C (Summer I 2021) -
The Cycle of Life
VETM 810 (Summer I 2021) -
Clinical Skills
VETM 803B (Spring 2021) -
Professional Skills
VETM 802B (Spring 2021) -
Foundations
VETM 801 (Fall 2020)
Scholarly Contributions
Chapters
- Leith, G., & Allen, A. (1995). Ultrasonography for Reproductive Management in the Mare.. In Veterinary Diagnostic Ultrasound T.G. Nyland & J.S. Mattoon(pp 305-320). W.B. Saunders.
Journals/Publications
- Leith, G., Hallam, L., & Englar, R. (2023). "Teaching Tip: Design and Implementation of a Safe Equine Radiation-Free Radiographic Simulator for Veterinary Skills Training in the Pre-clinical Curriculum." . Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (2023): Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, 2023, Online Advance Access Article https://jvme.utpjournals.press/doi/pdf/10.3138/jvme-2023-0080(EISSN: 1943-7218), 9. doi:https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme-2023-0080More infoThis teaching tip describes the development of a novel equine radiographic simulator for skills training in the veterinary curriculum. The model allows learners to handle imaging equipment safely and without radiation exposure as they develop proficiency positioning radiographic plates and placing directional markers. Learners can also test their understanding of radiographic positioning in reverse: if given a radiograph, they can be asked to describe how the x-ray generator was positioned to obtain the diagnostic image. Future iterations will investigate the simulator's efficacy with respect to learning outcomes when the model is paired with an assessment rubric as part of an objective standardized clinical examination.
- Higgins, J. C., Leith, G. S., Pappagianis, D., & Pusterla, N. (2006). Treatment of Coccidioides immitis pneumonia in two horses with fluconazole. The Veterinary record, 159(11), 349-51.More infoPulmonary coccidioidomycosis in horses can often lead to severe systemic disease and its treatment has previously been expensive and has carried a poor prognosis. This paper describes the successful treatment of two horses with pulmonary coccidioidomycosis with a fluconazole product produced by a compounding pharmacy.
- Higgins, J. C., Leith, G. S., Voss, E. D., & Pappagianis, D. (2005). Seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 226(11), 1888-92.More infoTo determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses residing in an area in which the organism is endemic.
- Brooks, M., Leith, G. S., Allen, A. K., Woods, P. R., Benson, R. E., & Dodds, W. J. (1991). Bleeding disorder (von Willebrand disease) in a quarter horse. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 198(1), 114-6.More infoBleeding diathesis in a Quarter Horse filly was caused by von Willebrand disease. Hemorrhage occurred mainly from mucosal surfaces and after trauma. Quantitative and qualitative measurements of plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) documented a specific deficiency of vWF high molecular weight multimers, and concurrently greater than expected deficiency of vWF activity relative to vWF concentration. These findings are characteristic of type-II von Willebrand disease in human beings. Application of vWF assays used in human and small animal medicine now permits evaluation of vWF and diagnosis of von Willebrand disease in horses with bleeding disorders.
- Ginther, O. J., Garcia, M. C., Bergfelt, D. R., Leith, G. S., & Scraba, S. T. (1985). Embryonic loss in mares: Pregnancy rate, length of interovulatory intervals, and progesterone concentrations associated with loss during days 11 to 15. Theriogenology, 24(4), 409-17.More infoPregnancy rates, length of interovulatory intervals, and progesterone concentrations were examined in mares which had ultrasonically detected collections of fluid in the uterine lumen and in mares which lost the embryonic vesicle during Days 11 to 15 and did not become pseudopregnant. In mares with embryonic loss, the loss rate for mares with re-established pregnancies (9 18 ) was greater (P
- Leith, G. S., & Ginther, O. J. (1985). Mobility of the conceptus and uterine contractions in the mare. Theriogenology, 24(6), 701-711. doi:10.1016/0093-691x(85)90169-4More infoLocation of the embryonic vesicle within the uterus of mares was recorded every. five minutes for two consecutive hours (25 location determinations per trial) in three experiments. In Experiment 1 (n=7), the number of location changes among nine uterine segments (three body segments and three segments for each horn) was greater (P
- Leith, G. S., & Ginther, O. J. (1984). Characterization of intrauterine mobility of the early equine conceptus. Theriogenology, 22(4), 401-8.More infoIntrauterine mobility patterns of the embryonic vesicle were characterized on Days 9 to 17 after ovulation in pony mares using real-time ultrasonography (n=5 or 7 mares per day). The location of the vesicle was determined by dividing the uterus into right horn, left horn, and body. Each uterine horn was further divided into three approximately equal portions (cranial third, middle third, caudal third), yielding seven segments (body plus three portions of each horn). Location of the vesicle within the uterus was recorded every five minutes for two consecutive hours (25 location determinations per trial). The number of times the vesicle was found in the uterine body versus one of the uterine horns was greater for the body on Day 9 (15.2 vs 9.8; not significant) and Day 10 (17.3 vs 7.7 P
Presentations
- Leith, G. (2021, January - April). Equine Basic Medicine Course. Deliver Ten60-minute prerecorded lectures with Two 60 minutelive real-time Question/Answer Sessions. China: PetcareAbc (Xi'an) Enterprise Management Co., Ltd. 2501-A09, 25th Floor, Kaiwei Building, No. 2 Guangtai Road, High-tech Zone, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
- Leith, G. (2018, June). The Single Embryo, Embryo Mobility, and Embryo Uterine Interactions. Invited solo presenter. Beijing, China: Beijing-College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University.
- Leith, G. (2012, December). How to become a Diplomate in American Board of Veterinary Practitioners via the Alternative Pathway. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Anaheim, CA: American Association of Equine Practitioners.
- Leith, G. (2008, January). Equine Reproduction. American Shire Horse Association annual meeting. Mesa, AZ: American Shire Horse Association annual meeting.
- Leith, G. (2009, December). Start-Up Problems in an Equine Relief Program on the Reservation: Getting the Kinks Out. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Las Vegas, NV: American Association of Equine Practitioners.
- Leith, G. (2008, December). Buying into a Practice. American Association of Equine Practitioners. San Diego, CA: American Association of Equine Practitioners.
- Leith, G. (2007, December). Buying into a Practice. American Association of Equine Practitioners. Orlando, FL: American Association of Equine Practitioners.