
by Lauren Cavagnolo | Photos courtesy of Danner Veterinary Hospital
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! In his 44 years of practice, Dan Danner, DVM, has seen it all and more.
Dr. Danner has spent his career caring not only for domestic and small animals, including pocket pets, but also traditional equine species, exotic species, wildlife, and avian groups. He has been recognized repeatedly over the years for readers’ choice awards by Oklahoma Magazine and most recently by the Tulsa World and Tulsa Pets Magazine for his latest practice, Danner Veterinary Hospital. Danner has also served on the state veterinary board, appointed by former Governor Brad Henry. During his 10-year term on the board, Danner was president for several years and eventually was elected to the national board.
A Lifelong Interest in Animals
Danner’s interest in animals has been lifelong. As a young child, he frequently brought home crawdads and other creatures from Joe Creek. As he grew older, he became particularly interested in horses and talked his parents into buying him one. “We would ride out to and around LaFortune Park and through the Der Wienerschnitzel. We would get a pop and go around LaFortune and then get a free refill and would always have fun and laugh,” Danner recalled.
As a senior in high school, he earned high point youth for a Palomino gelding he had trained. He later went on to take another horse, a stallion named Mr. Hourglass, all the way to a supreme championship.
Danner attended veterinary school at Oklahoma State University but had a full scholarship for diving, earning him the nickname Surf and Turf.
“People used to ask me, ‘Are you going to go diving this weekend or show horses?’ ” Danner chuckled.
Current Practice and Clients
Danner’s current practice, formerly All Creatures at 81st and Harvard, was purchased three years ago and has been completely remodeled. The laboratory and surgical suite feature state-of-the-art equipment. The full-service hospital offers everything from routine exams to back surgeries, knee surgeries, orthopedics, root canals, and more. Boarding and grooming are also available on site.
Danner Veterinary Hospital serves an area of about a 300-mile radius, with clients frequently making the drive from Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, and all over Oklahoma. Danner estimates his clients include 130 families with monkeys who have traveled from all over since he opened his latest practice in 2019.
One of the things Danner loves about his practice is the constant variety. From performing surgery on a paralyzed dog with a ruptured calcified disc to surgery on a 550-pound tiger with an impaction, no two days are the same.
“It’s all fresh all the time,” Danner enthused.

Danner says he loves it that no two days are the same at his practice.
Weigh the Risks
Working with animals, especially larger exotics and wildlife, is not without risk. “One thing I learned is animal behavior. And that will save you if you are a veterinarian,” Danner said. “The eyes are the windows to the soul.”
Danner said paying attention to an animal’s body language and knowing the appropriate way to approach various animals have prevented potential mishaps.
“I still have all my fingers after all these years,” Danner said, raising his hands. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t had a few close calls.
In his early career, Danner spent time at Lion Country Safari in Grand Prairie, Texas. A cheetah had come in and was limping. In trying to get its attention in its enclosure, Danner said, “In the blink of an eye, I felt
a pop. I looked down, and it had cut clear through the tendon of my thumb.”
Years later, a snap from a laboring dog who eventually gave birth to 13 puppies led Danner to sew stitches in his own lip on a holiday weekend. But overall, he says he has been blessed to avoid any major catastrophes.
Danner also said he can often take what he has learned from some animal groups to come up with unique approaches for other species. His first big root canal was on an elephant wintering at Lion Country Safari, a procedure he now performs locally on a variety of species.
Know Your Pets
The most common exotic pets Danner takes care of include “all the little critters and snugglies — hedgehogs, rabbits, ferrets, sugar gliders, hamsters, gerbils, and squirrels, which are popular because of price and availability.”
No matter what type of pet you are interested in, Danner encourages potential owners to do their homework. The motto of Danner Veterinary Hospital is “Excellence through education,” and Danner and his team place a strong emphasis on educating clients on the needs of their pets.
“Know what you are getting into, what the life expectancy is, and what it is going to cost you,” Danner explained.
As for his own career, Danner said, “There is a saying in polo … ‘Play hard or go home!’ I have always pushed the envelope and tried to live life to the fullest, personally and professionally. A great support staff will make all the difference. It is because of that support that I have been able to do and achieve as much as I have.”