Why did you decide to become a veterinarian? As long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to work with animals. I don’t think there was one thing that triggered it; I’ve just never wanted to do anything else. Taking care of animals has been a lifelong interest of mine.

What do you love about being a veterinarian?  I love the challenge of my job, and I love meeting new people and seeing new things every day! Helping animals that can’t help themselves is really rewarding. Being able to teach people about animal care is also really important to me. Pets are family members, and I want to help people do the best they can for them. 

What advice would you give to readers who are considering a career in the veterinary field? Definitely work hard! It is a long road, but it is worth it. It’s also a good idea to get some experience at a veterinary hospital or a shelter—to get a sense of what goes on behind the scenes and to make sure that it’s really what you want to do. If it is, work hard and don’t give up!

What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment? Are there any specific career goals that you are working toward? I think going to veterinary school in Liverpool, England was my biggest personal accomplishment. I went there by myself, not knowing anyone. It was definitely a different experience, but a good one; it taught me a lot. As far as career goals, I’m always trying to get better at my job, to get more experience, and to keep up with current and new treatments.

What advances in veterinary medicine would you like to see in the near future? What current treatments or technologies are you most excited about? Unfortunately, we see a lot of kidney disease and cancer. It would be nice if there were cures for these conditions and more options for treating and maintaining a good quality of life for pets with chronic diseases. Currently, there are many different cancer treatments and surgical procedures available. Most of them are done at referral facilities. We can do quite a bit at Chase Veterinary Clinic—tumor and cyst removals, abdominal surgeries, some orthopedic surgeries, and routine things like spay and neuter, etc.—but there are also a lot of good specialists in the area.

Are there any common misconceptions about veterinary care that you would like to dispel? Some people think that, because their animals don’t go outside, they don’t need heartworm preventatives or rabies vaccinations. Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes, so pets can get infected if the insects get inside the house and bite them. And, if the cat sneaks out the one time the door is open, he or she could be bitten by another animal and contract rabies.

Are there any important health or safety issues—or routine preventative care—that pet owners commonly overlook? Proper nutrition is sometimes an issue. Pets aren’t always fed a good, balanced diet. There are things that can make feeding a proper diet a bit challenging. For example, it can be hard when people have multiple animals, especially if one of them has a condition that requires a certain diet. It’s also hard to break the habit of feeding table scraps, or too many treats. On the other hand, some animals are really picky and it is hard to get them to eat anything at all. With overfeeding, or improper nutrition, there’s a higher risk of health issues such as diabetes, Pancreatitis, urinary problems, and heart and/or joint strain.

I have lost two dogs in the past year, and you have been there at the very end for both of them. Does that part of your job ever get easier, or is it still difficult every time? No, it never gets easier. Even when I know that it’s time, and the owner is making the right decision, it’s always tough. That pet is somebody’s family member—somebody’s kid—so it’s hard to say goodbye to an animal even though it’s often the right thing to do. I try to make it as peaceful as possible for both the client and the pet and also to be as supportive as I can be in that situation.

What do you do to decompress when your job gets particularly stressful? What do you like to do during your time off? I go to kickboxing a few times a week, and it’s a really good workout and a great stress relief! I also take my own dog for walks to clear my head. On days off I like to ride my horse or just relax. I’m also interested in traveling, and over the past few years I’ve been going on trips and enjoying different places.

If you could own any animals you haven’t had so far, what would you choose? When I was in England, I worked on a couple of sheep farms. I’d love to have my own little farm with some sheep and goats.

You’ve worked at Chase Veterinary for almost 11 years now. What makes it such a special place? There are five veterinarians at the practice—myself and Drs. Chase, Shad, Connor and Pyun—and we all work well together. We are all there for the same reasons and share the goal of providing optimal animal care for our clients. I also enjoy the variety, as I get to work with small animals (dogs, cats and “pocket” pets such as rabbits, ferrets and guinea pigs) and horses.