Bernadine D. Cruz, D.V.M. is an associate veterinarian at Laguna Hills Animal Hospital, Laguna Hills, Calif. She specializes in companion animal medicine and has been practicing veterinary medicine for more than 20 years. Dr. Cruz received her doctor of veterinary medicine degree from the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

She is a nationally active speaker on general pet care, emergency preparedness and veterinary medicine. Dr. Cruz is a veterinary consultant for several national television programs, and has extensive experience across all media. She hosted a one-hour live pet show on the Orange County News Channel for five years. Dr. Cruz has appeared on “Cats” on the A&E network, “Petcetera” on the Discovery Channel, “Smart Solutions” and “Help at Home” on the Home and Garden Channel. She has addressed pet health concerns on local as well as national television news broadcasts such as the Today Show the Early Show and the Doctors. Dr. Cruz was the source of pet care education to listeners on KKGO in Los Angeles for over two years. She also graced the airwaves on the CBS radio affiliate in Los Angeles, “KNX 10.70 News Radio” with pet health tips. She presently can be seen in thousands of veterinary offices coast to coast on the in clinic educational series “PetCare TV,” and provides answers to internet using pet owners on WebMD as one of AVMA’s expert consultants. For the past six years, she has serves as the host of the internet based radio show ‘the Pet Doctor’ heard on PetLifeRadio.com. Dr. Bernadine Cruz is a certified member of the Association of American Veterinary Journalists.

Dr. Cruz assisted in the development of the “First Aid for Pets — Dogs & Cats” course endorsed by the American Red Cross and the Humane Society of the United States. She is the author of “the Secret Sex Life of Dogs and Cats”; a text for pet owners that entertains and at the same time educates them on the reproductive behaviors of their pets. Among other distinguished roles, she was chair of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Communications (2008-2009) and member of the Iams Pet Wellness Council, pawTree Veterinary Advisory Council and University of California at Davis Dean’s Advisory Council.

Dr. Bernadine is a veterinarian who takes it to the people. She has served as a volunteer veterinarian for the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, ‘the Last Great Race’ in Alaska as well as the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race in 2009 and the John Beargrease Dog Sled Marathon in Minnesota. Her three cats, Divot, Zimzala and Lydia aren’t impressed with her credentials…they just call her ‘Meow-om’