Dr. Shanan received his DVM from Michigan State University in 1985 and has been in private practice in Chicago since. He is the owner of Compassionate Veterinary Care, offering in-home medical and consultation services for geriatric and terminally ill companion animals since 1995.

Dr. Shanan has been an invited speaker at the AVMA convention and at the Purdue University Veterinary School Grand Rounds program, and has been described as a mix of philosopher, ethicist, counselor and veterinarian.

In 2008 Dr. Shanan Completed Northwestern University's School of Medicine Education in Palliative and End-of-life Care Curriculum. In 2009 he founded the International Association for Animal hospice and Palliative Care [IAAHPC]. He is a contributing author to the International Veterinary Academy for Pain Management [IVAPM] Guidelines for Veterinary Hospice and Palliative Care, and to the May 2011 issue of the Veterinary Clinics of North America - Small Animal Practice, dedicated to Veterinary Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care.