by Mark Stetter, DVM, DACZM

About His Story

"It seemed to me that frogs deserved a better anesthetic protocol, and that the key to this lay in their amazing skin. I wondered if a liquid anesthetic, applied directly, might possibly work."

About the Author

Mark D. Stetter received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and chemistry, followed by a veterinary degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne. He completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York and then served as staff veterinarian at the Audubon Institute in New Orleans. Dr. Stetter went on to complete a residency in zoological medicine at the Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society, where he became associate veterinarian. He joined Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1997 when it first opened, and is currently Director of Veterinary Services. He is board-certified by the American College of Zoological Medicine, serving as president of this organization in 2006-2007. Known among his friends and colleagues for thinking outside the box, Dr. Stetter has a special interest in medical technology and has been the first to apply advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques in a wide range of species, from frogs to elephants.