Bio
Victor J. Stora, DVM, is a veterinarian specializing in canine clinical genetics, genetic counseling, and reproductive medicine, with particular interests in cancer genetics, hereditary tumor predisposition, and comparative genetic disease.
Dr. Stora earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine and subsequently completed a small-animal medicine and surgery internship at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. He then completed residency training in reproduction, medical genetics, and pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital, with support from the American Kennel Club, AKC Canine Health Foundation, and Theriogenology Foundation.
Following his residency, Dr. Stora completed a fellowship in clinical genetics at the Referral Center for Animal Models (RCAM) at the University of Pennsylvania. He subsequently spent three years working in comparative and translational genetics research, contributing to programs investigating genetic diseases and emerging genetic therapies shared between human patients—particularly children—and naturally occurring canine and feline counterparts. This work reflected a One Medicine approach, using naturally occurring genetic disease in companion animals to advance understanding and therapeutic development for both veterinary and human patients.
His clinical and academic interests center on canine genetic counseling, hereditary disease assessment, reproductive medicine, and andrology, with a particular focus on cancer susceptibility, hereditary cancer syndromes, tumor genetics, and the integration of molecular genetics into clinical decision-making and responsible breeding programs.
Dr. Stora has also presented seminars and educational programs across the United States on clinical genetic counseling, inherited disease, cancer genetics, and the practical application of genetics in veterinary medicine and canine breeding.
Outside of clinical practice, Dr. Stora is a longtime breeder of Shetland Sheepdogs under the House Istoria kennel name. His experience as both a clinician-geneticist and breeder provides a practical perspective on the intersection of genetic health, reproductive decision-making, phenotype, pedigree analysis, and long-term breed stewardship.