Cailin Heinze

As a veterinary nutritionist, Dr. Cailin Heinze strives to optimize the nutritional needs of animals hospitalized at the Cummings School's on-campus hospitals, the Foster Hospital for Small Animals, Tufts Wildlife Clinic, and the Hospital for Large Animals. As one of Tufts' two veterinary faculty who serve as Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition, Dr. Heinze helps to deliver the service, academic mentoring and research that comprise the nutrition service at the Foster Hospital.

Growing up on a small hobby farm outside of Pittsburgh, Dr. Heinze idolized her family's farm veterinarian from an early age. By the time she was seven, she says, she was certain that she would become a veterinarian. A strong interest in biochemistry, problem solving and working with people and animals led her to study biological sciences at Goucher College prior to earning her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After working in private practice for a few years, Dr. Heinze moved to the University of California at Davis for a veterinary residency in small animal clinical nutrition and a master's degree in nutritional biology.

Dr. Heinze joined the Tufts faculty in early 2011, drawn by its strong reputation for excellence in both human and companion animal nutrition and the opportunity to collaborate with clinicians and scientists both at the veterinary school and at surrounding research universities and institutions, including Tufts' Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy in Boston.

Her clinical duties include nutrition consultations for hospital inpatients as well as outpatient nutrition appointments. Dr. Heinze also leads clinical nutrition elective rotations for 4th year veterinary students, teaches veterinary biochemistry and nutrition courses, and lectures in other courses throughout the four-year veterinary curriculum. She is a popular speaker for continuing education courses for other veterinarians both locally and nationally. She is also a regular contributor to popular media publications such as Prevention Magazine and Eating Well and on the editorial board for the Cummings School's pet owner publications Your Dog and Catnip.

Dr. Heinze lives in nearby Northborough, MA, and enjoys hiking, camping, running and horseback riding—as well as cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers football team. She has two cockatiels, Keegan and Calloway.