Dr. Larry Nafe, MU DVM ’76, was named Veterinarian of the Year by the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association. His wife Joan (left) and daughter Laura joined him. Laura is a veterinary medical student at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2009.

Larry Nafe, MU DVM ’76, was named Veterinarian of the Year by the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association.

He operates the Hillcrest Animal Hospital, Little Rock, Ark. The hospital has been voted "Best of the Best" by the Arkansas Times and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspapers for the past ten years. Dr. Nafe is the only board certified internist and neurologist in the state of Arkansas.

The association selected Dr. Nafe for his devotion to the advancement and improvement of veterinary medicine through professional consulting, helping humane and rescue groups, and representing veterinary medicine to the public and media.

Dr. Nafe is a summa cum laude graduate of the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. He was Intern of the Year at The Animal Center, New York, in 1977, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine and Neurology there in 1979.

Upon completion of his residency he joined the staff of College of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University as an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

While at LSU he developed the integrated Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology, and Clinical Neurology course which included all domestic species. Dr. Nafe also developed and directed the Medical Records Unit for the Small Animal Hospital, and developed a protocol for the treatment of Intervertebral Disc disease.

He was named head of Small Animal Medicine in 1981. After leaving LSU he served as an adjunct assistant professor until 1987.

In 1983 Dr. Nafe established the first referral practice in Arkansas where he continues to practice today with his wife in Little Rock. Throughout his career he has been active in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. He has served in various capacities within the College including secretary and treasurer of the Specialty of Neurology, chairman of the Neurology Specialty Examination Committee, and inaugural member of the Internal Medicine Forum committee.

Dr. Nafe has given multiple professional presentations to veterinary associations on a variety of topics including neurology, neurosurgery, and internal medicine. Dr. Nafe has published more than 25 scientific articles on a variety of veterinary topics. He is a member of the Jefferson Club at the University of Missouri as well as other professional associations.

He and his wife breed and race thoroughbred race horses and are members of a variety of thoroughbred associations. They are proud parents of Laura Nafe a Class of 2009 student at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. They live outside Little Rock on 25 acres with their pets and horses.

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