James T. Sparks, D.V.M. & Owner
Dr. Jim Sparks was born an animal lover. Dr. Sparks remembers as a young child informing the former owner of Eagle Animal Hospital he was going to be a veterinarian and buy the practice from him. That is exactly what he did. At the age of 15, Dr. Noyes gave him his first job as a kennel attendant. "I was hooked on the profession from day one", he said.
Since 1980, he has been a valued member of the hospital's support staff, working as a receptionist and doing the work of a veterinary technician throughout high school and during the summer while an undergraduate. Dr. Sparks graduated from the University of Missouri in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in Animal Science. He earned his doctorate of veterinary medicine from the same school in 1990. Before graduating, he completed an externship with the chief veterinarian of the Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska.
Dr. Sparks has practiced at Eagle Animal Hospital ever since and enjoys his role as principal owner. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, and the Kansas City Veterinary Medical Association. His professional interest is focused on companion animal internal medicine. "I love veterinary medicine and surgery because the learning process is never done," he says. "Every day offers new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow as a veterinarian, parent, husband – strengthening the human animal bond and becoming a better person one day at a time."
At home, Dr. Sparks boasts a "true Brady Bunch" with three children of his own and three stepchildren with his wife Piper. He is an active member of the St. Therese church, is involved with many civic charities, and is a big supporter of youth athletics. He enjoys being outdoors, playing golf, fishing, and watching his children play sports. The family's pets include a German Shepherd named Dutchess, a Shepherd mix named Jesse, a King Charles Caviler Spaniel named Lacey, a rescued English Bulldog named Diva, and two guinea pigs.
Matthew Silvius, D.V.M & Co-owner
Hard work and interaction with farm animals from a young age inspired Dr. Matthew Silvius to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Raised on a farm in Lathrop, his first paying job was as a kennel assistant at Eagle Animal Hospital.
"The established culture that was here drove me to want to return as a vet," he says. "Through the support of many family members, I was able to make it happen." Dr. Silvius attended Missouri Western State University for his undergraduate studies in Biology. After graduating on the Dean's list, he enrolled at the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine. He graduated magna cum laude as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2007 and was presented with an award for Excellence in Dermatology.
Dr. Silvius' professional interests include dermatology, as well as feline medicine, dentistry, and wound management. He is a board member of the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association and the Kansas City Veterinary Medical Association, and a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association. He joined our team in 2001. Dr. Silvius is most satisfied as a veterinarian when he can find creative ways to help and serve clients and their pets. "There is no better feeling than being able to return a sick pet back home to their family," he says.
He and his wife Dr. Margaret Silvius have two pets, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Archie and a kitty named Sunny. He spends his free time working outside at home, watching state and local sports, and spending time with his family.
Stephanie Brennan, D.V.M
Dr. Stephanie Brennan is one of the newest members of our phenomenal veterinary staff, joining the Eagle family in July 2018. Stephanie was born in Memphis, Tennessee. After living in five different states by the age of eleven, her family eventually settled in Oklahoma City. Accompanying her parents to the vet with her first pet, Jenna the bunny, planted the seed in her mind of becoming a veterinarian herself. During her teenage years she remembers her childhood dog, Chester, was diagnosed with kidney failure. She shares, “Caring and comforting for my childhood dog throughout his journey with kidney disease solidified my career path.” It was soon after this Stephanie began shadowing a vet where she eventually worked as a kennel attendant, receptionist, and technician prior to vet school. This experience left her with a great appreciation for every position in a veterinary hospital.
Stephanie attended and completed her undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of Central Oklahoma. After graduation she transferred to the Oklahoma State University veterinary program, earning her doctorate of veterinary medicine in 2015. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Kansas City Veterinary Medical Association.
“Empowering clients to help make educated decisions regarding their pet’s health and seeing how that strengthens the human-animal bond has been the most rewarding part of my job.”
Stephanie has two dogs, Oliver, a Kuvasz mix, and Cody, a Labrador mix. When not working, she enjoys reading, spending time with her dogs, and discovering new places in Kansas City and in the Northland.
Tom Del Pico, D.V.M
Dr. Tom Del Pico joined our Eagle team July 2020. As sole owner of Smithville Animal Hospital retired in 2019. Dr. Tom has been providing outstand veterinary care for the Smithville area for over 30 year. He graduated with a B.S. in Animal Science, Cum Laude from the University of Missouri where he was selected to the Honor’s College in the Department of Agriculture. Dr. Del Pico graduated from the University of Missouri’s school of Veterinary Medicine in 1983. He grew up on a boarding and breeding stable in Chesterfield where they raised both gated and Paso Fino horses. As a high school student, Dr. Tom volunteered countless hours in both equine ambulatory and small animal clinics. Two legendary figures he met during attending the summer programs at the St. Louis Zoo, influenced his desire to work outdoors and embrace the joy and challenge of caring for animals.
Beyond the obvious, gaining satisfaction from helping both pets and their families, this profession has exceeded his expectations. He shares, “Every day in practice is not like the day before, one never stops learning in the “practice” of medicine. I especially enjoy the improvisational methods that we sometimes need to employ in order to solve our patient’s problems. With the ever-growing technologies and emerging therapies our ability to create solutions for our patients that “fit” them is very gratifying to me.”
Dr. Del Pico is a member of the AVMA and KCVMA. His professional interests include pain management, allergies, sport-dog medicine, and soft tissue surgery.
When not working, Dr. Tom enjoys woodworking, cycling, racing pigeons, upland dog training, and landscaping. He and his wife, Denise have two sons. She is a professor of Journalism and Strategic Marketing at Kansas University. They have two pets, Ada, the Weimaraner, and Fex the Pixie-Bob.
MICHELLE RHODES D.V.M.
Dr. Michelle Rhodes, a Kansas City native, has been practicing high quality of veterinary medicine for 13 years. She graduated from the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. Started out in private practice, where she practiced small animal veterinary medicine for 9 years at Three Trails Animal Hospital. Dr. Rhodes went on to be the primary surgeon at Union Hill Animal Hospital, taking on tough cases for 3.5 yrs. Then went on to severe the community working as the staff veterinarian and surgeon at The Humane Society of Greater KC.
Dr. Rhodes is an experienced veterinary acupuncturist. She became certified in veterinary acupuncture in 2011 from Curacore Vet through Colorado State. She learned acupuncture from a science-based approach and has been specializing in pain management ever since. She is currently a member of AVMA- American Veterinary Medical Association and MVMA- Missouri Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Rhodes and her husband grew up in the KC metropolitan area, where they currently raise their 2 boys. The Rhodes family are active in the KC community and love to spend their time outdoors exploring the forever expanding city.
The Rhodes family includes 5 fur babies: Wilco the cool cat, Vader the skeptical feline, Abby “the best dog in the world” lab mix, Betty Ray the bully of all Pitbulls, and LuLu the challenging small dog Sheba Inu mix. All of who range in different ages teaching Dr. Rhodes personal experience at all life stages.
Dr. Rhodes’s motto is: “Owner knows their pet best and is their pet’s voice. My job is to listen to the owner and develop a plan for their specific pet’s condition to allow for a long healthy life”. To get to know Dr. Rhodes better, schedule an appointment with her at her next convenient available time.
Andrea DeLuke, D.V.M
Dr. Nowak is available to perform advanced soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries at Eagle Animal Hospital. She specializes in TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) surgeries, Patellar luxation repair, fracture repair, arthrotomy, among other orthopedic surgeries. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Ross University in 2004. She completed her clinical training at the University of Missouri and then pursued a small animal rotating internship at Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty Center in Tucson, AZ. Dr. Nowak continued working as an Emergency Doctor in Tucson for several years, and during this time she discovered her passion for surgery. Dr. Nowak returned to the Midwest and completed a small animal surgery residency at Mission MedVet in Mission, KS.
Prior to the spring of 2019, she performed countless surgeries to save or improve the lives of animals as a staff veterinarian in the surgery department at referral hospitals in St. Louis & Kansas City. Dr. Nowak is trained in soft tissue, orthopedic & neurologic surgery, with special interests in oncologic surgery and cranial cruciate ligament surgery. In her free time, Dr. Nowak enjoys traveling with her two children. She has three dogs, two cats and a yard full of chickens.