Robert C. Backus, MS, DVM, PhD, DACVN
Associate Professor and Director of the Nestlé Purina Endowed Program in Small Animal Nutrition
Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Nutrition
Robert Backus specializes in small animal clinical nutrition with special interests in nutritional aspects of feline diabetes and obesity. Backus is a graduate of the University of California Davis, where he received his veterinary and doctoral training. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition and director of the Nestlé Purina Endowed Program in Small Animal Nutrition. When not working, he enjoys playing with his grandsons and sharing anecdotes about his cat, DT, who is now retired from research.
Residents
Elena Leavitt, DVM
Elena Leavitt is originally from the state of Washington. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology with minors in business and zoology from Washington State University Vancouver in 2015. She then attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed her clinical training at Mizzou in 2020. After graduating, Leavitt completed an intensive small animal rotating internship in North Carolina before starting her nutrition residency back at Mizzou. Her special interests include the gut biome, client education and renal disease. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her cat, Scribbles, as well as reading, PC gaming, and cooking.
Jenna Manacki, DVM
Jenna Manacki grew up in Southern Ontario. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Guelph, receiving a bachelor’s degree in zoology with a concentration in nutrition in 2012. She then moved to the beautiful island of St. Kitts to attend Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed her clinical training at the University of Saskatchewan in 2016. After graduating, Manacki practiced in a busy small animal clinic in Phoenix for two years. She moved back to the Toronto area to work in an emergency and primary care clinic. Her special interests include nutrition for patients with renal disease and critical care patients. Outside of the clinic, Manacki can be found traveling, hiking, finding new recipes and watching hockey.
