A professor at the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a resident of Philomath, Oregon, is recognized for excellence in teaching and dedication to the veterinary medical profession and all the animals it serves.
Linda Blythe earned her D.V.M. degree in 1974, completed a large animal internship in 1975, and received a Ph.D. in comparative pathology in 1979, all at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
Blythe is a founding faculty member of Oregon’s veterinary school, where she also served in leading administrative roles. Blythe’s teaching focuses on neuroscience and sports medicine. She received the Carl J. Norden-Pfizer Distinguished Teaching Award in 1986 and 1992 in recognition of her ability to combine basic instruction with clinical application for her students.
Blythe’s research into equine neurological diseases led to her discovery of equine temporohyoid osteoarthropathy, a disorder that can predispose horses to fracture along the base of the skull or one of the bones of the throat. She also explored the role of vitamin E in equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy, a now preventable disease of young horses. Blythe is also interested in greyhounds and canine physical rehabilitation; she is the lead author of two books on the care of the racing and retired greyhound. Blythe received the Pfizer Research Award in 1996 and was inducted into the Greyhound Hall of Fame in 2010. She has authored more than 100 scientific articles.
Among her contributions to the profession, which include involvement in the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, Blythe has been instrumental in the development of a new specialty organization, the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.
