From routine check-ups to times of greatest need, learn more about local DVMs who care for our beloved pets
BY ANNA HOLTON-DEAN
“Today’s veterinarians are the only doctors educated to protect the health of both animals and people. They work hard to address the health and welfare needs of every
species of animal. Veterinarians also play critical roles in environmental protection,
research, food safety and public health,” according to the AVMA.
Wow, that’s a big job description! And it’s why here at TulsaPets we are dedicating this issue to our local veterinarians who handle the job so well, taking care of our beloved animals, small or large. Whether it’s a routine preventative visit or an emergency call in the middle of the night, we can count on our vets to be there when we need them.
Read on to learn more about local DVMs as they offer advice and share some of their best moments on the job.
15th Street Veterinary Group Kara
Herrington, DVM
Specialty: Small animal medicine.
Timely advice to pet owners: Living in Tulsa, we see a lot of mosquitoes. That means our pets are at high risk for contracting heartworm disease. All it takes is one bite from an infected mosquito, and your pet can develop worms in their heart. Prevention is easy and affordable—if you are able to, why would you choose not to protect your pets?
What do you love most about your career?
Apart from the satisfying nature of helping an animal recover from illness or feel more comfortable, I have a passion for science and love learning about new developments in veterinary medicine. The amazing thing about medical science is that it is constantly changing, and there is always something new to learn.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? A 30-pound German Shepherd puppy once swallowed a large 14-inch stick whole (intact, not broken!). Half of it was in his stomach, and the other half of it was still in his esophagus. It was not visible from his mouth, and he was very sick, constantly trying to vomit and swallow interchangeably. I had to perform abdominal surgery to remove it, carefully and slowly extracting the stick from his stomach and out through his abdomen. He made a full recovery and is a happy and healthy adult dog now!
Anything else you want to share with readers? In a time where information and opinions are readily available on the internet, I advise everyone to use caution when searching any given topic. Stick to credible sources only (such as information provided by universities), and always consult your veterinarian when making medical choices for your pet.
All Creatures Veterinary Hospital
Dan G. Danner, DVM
Specialty/services: It has been a very interesting and experience-filled 41 years in my veterinary career. I spent a lot of time in high school training Palomino and Quarter horses and became the High Point Youth for Oklahoma. Those contacts helped to get me into OSU Veterinary College. With an interest in exotics, I interned at the OKC Zoo and at Dallas Lion Country Safari.
When in Dallas, I had the opportunity to train at Animal Medical & Surgical Hospital. During that three-year period, I learned how to do everything from back surgery on paralyzed animals to ACL knee surgery, orthopedics, etc., and all facets of soft tissue surgery.
We have taken dental care to a whole new level, doing root canals when possible to save dying teeth. The care we gave Safari Sanctuary just last month had me doing root canals on four teeth as Jade, a 375-pound Siberian Tiger, was losing a lot of weight from the pain in her mouth. When I was in full-time practice, we had over 350 primate/monkey families in a five-state area. All of this adds to the quality of care from a different area of treatments and surgeries. This is why we are so unique.
Timely advice to pet owners: It seems to be hard to find quality surgeons for ear crops with proper care and pain management. We have clients coming in from all over the three-state area. In my last practice, the American Animal Hospital Association and Veterinary Economics, a major trade journal, chose my hospital to be “Second in the Nation” in 1988 for quality care and design. Oklahoma Magazine had us in the “Best of the Best” top three practices for 13 years, another honor we are very proud of.
I was also appointed to the Oklahoma State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for 10 years and elected to the National American Association of Veterinary State Boards. These are the groups who review quality and ethical veterinary care from each and every practitioner, another proud honor. These collective honors and experiences have us in a very proud league!
Anything else you want to share with readers? The point of quality veterinary medicine and surgery is to give it your very best and know what your limits are. I have learned a lot in the last 41 years and love what I do! That is why All Creatures Veterinary Hospital reopened July 1, with full care and referral business from all over Northeast Oklahoma. Find out what we can do for your family pet member!
Animal Acupuncture and Sports Medicine Facility
Heather Owen, DVM
Specialty/services: Rehabilitation, sports medicine and acupuncture.
New services: Regenerative medicine: stem cells and platelet-rich plasma to help damaged tissue, ligaments and joints heal faster and with less long-term effects. Digital thermography allows us to measure rising body temperatures and helps us pinpoint where an inflamed area is more precisely. Musculoskeletal ultrasound [allows] for us to evaluate joints and soft tissues easier and implement treatment to help resolve their disease.
Timely advice to pet owners: Early disease detection and early intervention can help prevent a lot of lifetime battles for your pet. Please take your pet to their primary vet for thorough orthopedic evaluations. If a problem is noted, such as hip/elbow disease, the earlier we intervene, the better the quality of life for your animal. For some animals, this means surgery and rehabilitation; for other animals, it means just a few weeks of medications to help their injury heal.
Some animals need more intense therapy to help get through these injuries, such as shockwave, photobiomodulation, acupuncture, neuromuscular stimulation or hydrotherapy. We are available to work with your primary veterinarian to help your pet recover and get back to life!
What do you love most about your career?
I absolutely love getting to serve my patients because they never ask for help and rarely complain about having a problem, even when their problem is dramatic. They remind me if animals can continue to serve us even with an injury, how can I better serve others without one? My patients are always so grateful with a wag of their tail, a cuddle, or giving purrs or kisses to let us know how appreciative they are for us helping them.
I am also loving this new season of getting to teach and help my colleagues around the world better understand the integrative approach to chronic pain management. Getting to travel, meet and teach veterinarians who are specialists in their areas of expertise is absolutely humbling.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? There are so many! We see so many dogs that have ruptured discs in their backs that have led to paralysis in their back legs or all legs. We have had a year of helping countless paralyzed dogs learn to stand, walk and run again!
Anything else you want to share with readers? We have had a year of torn Achilles’ tendons, and with the help of regenerative medicine, these dogs are running and jumping again with healed Achilles’ tendons.
Animal Eye Clinic
Robert Gwin, DVM
Specialty/services: My practice is limited to diseases and surgery of the eye, working through your veterinarian on a referral basis.
Timely advice to pet owners: Often, if left untreated, eye diseases can become irreversible. Eyes are very delicate, and problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, infections and inflammations can deteriorate rapidly if not properly diagnosed and treated. My suggestion would be to always have your pet’s eyes evaluated sooner rather than later!
What do you love most about your career?
The best part about being a veterinary ophthalmologist is restoring vision in blind patients. Their owners are ecstatic, and the return of vision is very rewarding to all involved. Owners love to see their pets regain vision and function normally at home. Referring veterinarians are happy to be a part of the solution when referring cases early, and I appreciate that.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? A couple cases come to mind right away. Last year, we had a 2-year-old small mix breed come in with owl trauma. It appeared that the talons had destroyed the third eyelid and surrounding tissues and left a mangled, bloody mess. The actual eye itself was intact, and we were able to reconstruct the severely damaged third eyelid and surrounding tissues to a completely functional and cosmetically normal eye. Please see our website for pictures!
The second case that comes to mind is a rescue Pit Bull mix with severe mange, entropion in both eyes, ruptured ulcers and blindness. It was recommended that the dog have both its eyes removed, but I suggested despite the severity of the situation, the dog be brought in for evaluation. I was able to save both eyes, and the dog actually regained vision in its right eye! There is always hope even in what appears to be a hopeless case.
Anything else you want to share with readers? Cataract removal is our main surgery. We do about 150 patients each year. The development of cataracts can be quite rapid in some cases, such as diabetics. Cataractinduced inflammation is very serious—it is critical that a patient be seen by a board-certified ophthalmologist as quickly as possible! Red, irritated and inflamed eyes can progress rapidly and result in the patient no longer being a candidate for cataract removal.
Glaucoma is a critical disease that can be extremely challenging to control. Early evaluation is important due to the possible irreversible blindness associated with the high pressures of glaucoma. I see a wide variety of ocular diseases including tumors, dry eye, unexplained blindness, trauma and corneal ulcers. Our clinic also does OFA certification exams to provide breeders with information regarding canine eye diseases, so that they may make informed breeding decisions in an effort to produce healthier dogs.
Briarglen Veterinary Clinic Jeff Schoenhals, DVM
What do you love most about your career?
Meeting the people and helping the pets.
What has been your most remarkable pet recovery? Actually, it is a cow recovery. I made a farm call because several cows were lying in Johnsongrass and barely alive. The Johnsongrass has cyanide in it. I gave the cows an injection of the antidote, then they jumped up and ran away. It was very dramatic.
“The best part about being a veterinary ophthalmologist is restoring vision in blind patients.”
Robert Gwin, DVM
Capron Veterinary Hospital/ Dental Clinic for Pets Ken Capron, DVM
Specialty/services: I am a general small animal practitioner and a board-certified veterinary dentist and oral surgeon. We offer general services for dogs and cats as well as special services of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, such as Periodontics, Endodontics, Orthodontics, Metal Crowns, Routine and Advanced Cleaning and Polishing, and IntraOral Digital Dental X-rays.
We have a complete on-site lab; we do vaccinations, Class IV therapy laser and other medical and surgical services needed. We receive veterinary dental referrals from the four-state area.
Timely advice to pet owners: Over the years of my practice, I have found many times that the longer a person waits to take care of a medical problem for their pet, the worse the situations become, and it becomes more expensive due to more in depth diagnostics, surgery, medications and dental procedures required.
What do you love most about your career?
Being able to help a living being (animal) that cannot help itself.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? One of the most serious cases that I have treated occurred early this spring. A 1-year-old female cat had a head-on collision with a car on a Thursday night and was rushed to the Tulsa Animal Emergency Center; they gave urgent care and stabilization. AEC referred to me on Friday morning for major head and oral surgery.
The mandible (lower jaw) was separated, a large 1-inch opening on the left side of the jaw that was deep. The left ear was split open. The right eye was very inflamed and bulged. The maxilla (upper jaw) was split open about 4 inches into the hard palate and completely through to the end of the soft palate with bruising to the throat. The palate was opened wide about one-fourth of an inch. The right upper palate had a fracture line about 2 inches long next to the upper premolars and molar teeth.
I placed about 40 sutures inside the mouth and about 20 outside the mouth along with two stainless steel sutures, bringing the left and right mandible together to be stabilized while the ligament healed between the left
and right mandibles. The cat was under gas anesthesia for three hours and 40 minutes.
We sent the cat home on Saturday at noon, and it was doing great. Three weeks later, we did a recheck and removed the sutures, and all the soft tissue had healed; the cat was purring and very friendly—and thanked me for the life-saving surgery. I removed one of the stainless steel sutures and left the other one to be removed about six months later, and I will see the cat in about two months.
Anything else you want to share with readers? I discovered about 35 years ago that the more I learned about taking care of the “port hole” to the body (inside the mouth) of an animal (just like in people), the better the overall health of the animal.
“I would like to share that this profession can be a very emotional job. My staff and I work tirelessly to help every pet daily, but it doesn’t just end there.
Every night when we leave the clinic, we take home these patients in our minds and our hearts.”
Jennifer Anderson, DVM
Care Animal Hospital
Mark Higgins, DVM
Specialty: Companion animal practice. New services: We now offer cardiac ultrasound for dogs and cats with heart conditions.
Timely advice to pet owners: This is the time of year we see more pets that have been stressed by heat, especially flat faced dog breeds, such as Bulldogs. Take care when exercising them in hot weather.
What do you love most about your career?
I love my career because it has allowed me to accomplish my personal life goals of helping both people and animals.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? Several years ago, I treated a cat that had been in the fan of a car. It had a very low body temperature, many lacerations and a couple broken ribs but pulled through.
Anything else you want to share with readers? Veterinary medicine has much more access to new technologies that have greatly improved our ability to help animals. It is exciting and rewarding.
City Veterinary Hospital
Chet Thomas, DVM
Timely advice to pet owners: Remember to have adequate water supplied constantly to your outdoor pets. If you like to run with your dog in the summertime, please do so only in the early morning or late evening hours to avoid heatstroke, thermal pavement injuries, etc.
What do you love most about your career?
What I like most about veterinary medicine are the people and pets that I get to interact with on a daily basis. We consistently attempt to build long-term relationships with our twoand four-legged friends.
Anything else you want to share with readers? Don’t forget to join us for Bark in the Park at ONEOK Field this summer. Bring your vaccinated dog/s on a leash for Wednesday night home games (7:05 p.m.) with the Tulsa Drillers during July and August, along with a blanket or lawn chair.
Crestwood Crossing Animal Hospital
Phil McKinney, DVM
Timely advice to pet owners: My timely advice would be regarding the advent of summer and high temperatures (aka “Hot Topics!”):
1)Never leave your pet in a car without supervision and the AC running.
2)If you’re wanting to keep your dog in good shape by running, remember that it is so easy to burn your dog’s foot pads on asphalt or concrete. Please attempt to run early in the morning or late in the evening. 3)Don’t forget that Fido can overheat easily
in the high temps and high humidity. Heat exhaustion or heat stroke (particularly short nosed or brachycephalic breeds) is very real, and both require a veterinary hospital visit and treatment for the best outcome.
4)We can’t emphasize enough about external parasite control to keep your dog/cat free from fleas and ticks and the myriad of diseases (some life threatening: i.e., Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, cytauxzoonosis, and hepatozoonosis passed on to your pet from exposure).
5)You can’t forget about the possibility of snakebites and/or bee and wasp stings. Copperheads and rattlesnakes are not that uncommon in Northeastern Oklahoma, and depending on the size of the pet and the location of the bite/sting, it can present life-threatening situations that require emergency care. Be safe out there!
Good Shepherd Veterinary Hospital Katie Holley, DVM
Specialty: Small animal practice.
New services: Good Shepherd is excited to announce the additions of Dr. Dennis Henson, Dr. Delaina Skinner and Dr. Katie Holley to the Good Shepherd Veterinary Hospital team!
Timely advice to pet owners: Carry water on long walks for your pet, especially in the heat! Around this time of year, the heat can be intense. On walks, it’s always a good idea to carry water and a collapsible travel bowl with you. It’s important to keep our furry friends hydrated in the heat just like we hydrate ourselves! Always make sure they have access to shade and water when they are outside.
On longer walks, make sure you pay attention to them and take breaks in shady areas. Be particularly careful with brachycephalic breeds (English/French Bulldog, Pug, Shih Tzu, Brussels Griffon, etc.) as they are more susceptible to overheating. Hyperthermia and heat stroke are medical emergencies that should be treated by a veterinarian immediately.
What do you love most about your career?
I love all of the different people and animals I get to meet. Every day is an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life for the better, and I love that!
Anything else you want to share with readers? In addition to the heat, we are also prone to having mosquitoes. Heartworms are a common disease transmitted to dogs (and sometimes cats and ferrets) by mosquitoes, and it can be fatal. Yearly heartworm tests as well as keeping your pet on heartworm prevention can help keep them safe from this disease. You can talk to your vet about prevention options to help keep your pets safe.
Hammond Animal Hospital
Lauren Johnson, DVM
Specialty/services: General practitioner [offering] surgery, laser surgery, wellness, nutrition counseling, geriatric medicine, dentistry, boarding, etc.
Timely advice to pet owners: Whenever you have questions or concerns, always seek advice from a veterinarian! All too often, I see people seeking help on social media or Google for their pets, and many times, they get it wrong! A physical exam goes a long way, and veterinarians know what questions to ask in order to diagnose a problem. No two cases are alike, so seeking recommendations from a friend or relative that once had a pet with similar symptoms as yours does not likewise mean they had the same cause or diagnosis.
What do you love most about your career?
I genuinely love helping both animals and people. There truly is nothing more rewarding than playing an active role in extending a patient’s lifespan, either by preventative care or diagnostics and treatment. I sincerely try to approach each patient as if they were my own and likewise tend to bond with the entire family in the process. I’ve made many friendships along the way.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? There are too many to single out. Animals are amazing due to their ability to compensate from pain, illness and trauma. I’ve cared for many patients when the odds were seemingly stacked against them, and it never gets old or ceases to amaze me if/ when they make full recoveries! These cases cover a vast range of conditions including heatstroke, poisonings, hit-by-cars, foreign bodies/obstructions, neglect, heavy parasitic burdens, congestive heart failure, etc.
Anything else you want to share with readers? I absolutely love what I do!
Pawsitive Veterinary Care
Jennifer Anderson, DVM
Specialty/services: I purchased Hecht Veterinary Hospital January 2018. At that time, I renamed the clinic to Pawsitive Veterinary Care. We are a general practice offering vaccinations, surgery, boarding and sick patient care.
Timely advice to pet owners: [Benjamin Franklin said,] ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ We love to see pets at least yearly, to perform examinations and try to catch changes before they become a problem. Yearly bloodwork allows us to monitor values and catch minor elevations before animals become sick.
What do you love most about your career?
I love being able to build long-term relationships with my clients. I enjoy watching their puppies/kittens grow into happy, healthy adults and being entrusted with their veterinary care throughout the years. We want to be there during the terrifying times of illnesses, and for the heartbreaking end of life moment. I also greatly enjoy working with different organizations to help give back to our community. This profession allows us to touch so many lives and to hopefully make the community a better place.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? Over the years, there have been so many pets that have left lasting impressions on me. One example would be a cat named Eric. He was attacked by dogs while outside. His owners brought him in to us, and he was unable to stand, lift his head or even meow.
He had numerous wounds from the attack over his entire body. Eric was hospitalized with our clinic for almost a month. During that time, he underwent surgery to repair his numerous wounds. We worked daily with Eric on physical therapy and supportive care to help him regain movement. He was on numerous antibiotics to help control infection. It took Eric two to three weeks of physical therapy to begin being able to walk on his own. In the end, Eric was able to walk out of the clinic fully healed and back to his family.
Anything else you want to share with readers? I would like to share that this profession can be a very emotional job. My staff and I work tirelessly to help every pet daily,
but it doesn’t just end there. Every night when we leave the clinic, we take home these patients in our minds and our hearts. Please remember during difficult and emotional times that we are here to help.
River Trail Animal Hospital & Pet Lodge Beka Heinz, DVM
Specialty: Weird cases and rescue patients. Timely advice to pet owners: Have an emergency preparedness plan ready. Know where your shot records are, don’t forget medications, and have a plan of where your pets can go in the event of an emergency.
What do you love most about your career?
Saving lives, hands down.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? There’s been so many! The most recent one is a Wheaten Terrier named Buddy who had behavioral issues. None of the normal behavioral techniques were working, so we checked for tick-borne diseases, and he had two! He’s now on the appropriate medication, and his behavior is steadily improving.
Anything else you want to share with readers? Don’t leave dirty underwear out. It will get eaten.
Riverbrook Animal Hospital
Jessica Lynne Green, DVM
Specialty: Small animal general practice. New Services: Riverbrook Animal Hospital now offers dental radiographs! We added a new dental X-ray machine last summer, and we have been ecstatic about the quality of care it helps us provide our patients. Before dental X-rays, we could not see the health of the tooth under the gum line, and with dental X-rays, we now can. We are catching dental disease and teeth that need to be extracted a lot sooner than we were able to before. We also purchased a new dental machine as well, which helps us get your pets’ teeth looking like new again. Call to schedule a dental cleaning with us!
Timely advice to pet owners: Three topics that I think are extremely important in veterinary medicine are keeping patients on monthly preventions, keeping patients at their ideal weight, and making sure puppies get started with behavioral training early.
1) It only takes one mosquito to transmit heartworms to our furry friends, so make sure your pets are on monthly heartworm and flea and tick preventions. This includes cats as well because mosquitoes can find their way into our homes easily, especially in Oklahoma.
2) Even though we love to spoil our animals with food, it is important to keep them at a good healthy weight because obesity can predispose patients to lots of medical problems, such as arthritis and diabetes.
3 The easiest time to teach your dog manners and basic obedience is when they are young! As soon as they get up-to-date on their vaccinations, I highly recommend starting some form of a training class.
What do you love the most about your career? Honestly, I love teaching. There is nothing more rewarding than being able to communicate the importance of vaccines, preventions, necessary medications and necessary medical procedures. By teaching the importance of these subjects to owners, veterinarians strengthen the human-animal bond and keep our patients healthy.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? Three months after starting at Riverbrook Animal Hospital, I had the pleasure of meeting Pepper and owner Maria. Pepper is a 12-year-old Dachshund with a long history of chronic allergies and skin issues. However, Pepper had never received long-term relief, which is why she came to visit Riverbrook for a second opinion.
The first time I met Pepper I couldn’t help but smile as I walked in the room to meet the sassy Dachshund in a cute sweater. However, under that sweater there was little to no hair on her body, and she had a pretty severe skin infection.
Pepper was started on allergy meds, a twoweek course of antibiotics, a new food, and given a medicated bath in the hospital. For a few months, I saw Pepper every two weeks as we tried to get her allergies and skin under control. At every recheck, you could expect to see Pepper in a new sweater with one of her family members in tow (whether it be Maria or Maria’s son or daughter).
Over this process, I have gotten to know Maria and her family, and I always look forward to seeing them. Maria and her family bring in their other fur babies to Riverbrook, too, although Pepper will always have a special place in my heart.
At every recheck, I was excited to see the improvement in her haircoat, and little by little, she was becoming a little less hairless. Her family noticed the improvement in her hair coat as well and said her attitude and energy levels were better at home. At her appointment a few months ago, she looked like a completely different dog, and underneath her sweater there was a less itchy pup with a full coat of hair.
To this day, I wish I would have taken a picture of her on the first day because she has come such a long way! I didn’t know we would be able to get her here when I first met her, but, overall, Pepper has taught me patience and persistence, and it has been a rewarding experience to be her doctor.
Anything else you want to share with readers? I joined Dr. Layton and Dr. Davied at Riverbrook Animal Hospital in May 2018. My mother always told me to find a career that makes me excited to go to work every day, which led me to veterinary medicine. I grew up in the Tulsa area and graduated from Broken Arrow High School.
After high school, I attended Eastern Oklahoma State College and then transferred and finished my undergraduate degree in Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences at Oklahoma State University. I have a special interest in dermatology, ophthalmology and surgery.
I currently live in Coweta with my husband Justin, cat Preston, and dog Chester. In my spare time I love to read, cross stitch, listen to music and go to the lake. I am very thankful to be working at a well-established practice with great mentorship and amazing clients. Thanks to everyone at Riverbrook for always making me feel welcome!
Don’t forget to come visit us at Bark in the Park at Drillers Stadium on July 10, July 17, and August 14! We will be handing out pupsicles, dog toys, and we will have goodie bags as well.
Small Animal Hospital of Owasso Adrienne Palmer, DVM
New services: Small and exotic animal medicine.
Timely advice to pet owners: Please always do your research before adopting any pet. This is especially important for exotic animal species as many of the problems veterinarians see with these animals usually result from improper husbandry. Research ensures that the pet not only receives the care it
needs but can also determine if it is a good fit with your lifestyle.
What do you love most about your career?
I love that I get to make connections and bond with my clients as we strive to provide the best care possible for the animals we both love. I am passionate about strengthening the human-animal bond, and seeing clients and their pets live longer and healthier lives together is the most fulfilling part of this career.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? As a fourth-year veterinary student, I cared for a dog who had only one anatomically normal leg. With intensive physical therapy, rehabilitation and training with prosthetics, I watched an unsure pup, who could only crawl and hated having her legs manipulated, turn into a confident dog who learned to use her prosthetics to take her where she needed to go.
Anything else you want to share with readers? I look forward to working with the community to create a happier and healthier pet population. I hope to see you and your furry/feathered/scaled family members soon!
Village Vet Animal Clinic
Mark Setser, DVM MS
Specialty: I own a companion animal practice that includes small mammals (dogs, cats, ferrets and rabbits), rodents (mice, hamsters and chinchillas), birds (parrots, finches, chickens and raptors), reptiles (lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodilians), amphibians (frogs, toads and caecilians), fish (saltwater, freshwater and pond fish), and invertebrates (tarantulas, millipedes). If you welcome it as part of your family, I probably welcome it in my practice.
New services: We are one of the only clinics around Tulsa to offer stem cell treatment to regulate joints and other tissues. We are excited about our online pharmacy and the option of having medications delivered right to our clients’ doors.
Timely advice to pet owners: Don’t wait to have any concerns evaluated. Know your pet! Appropriate food and environment are key! I can help you with that. My staff is passionate about husbandry as well. It is a life and death issue.
What do you love most about your career?
Working with people to understand their pets better and helping pets enjoy their long life, happy, healthy and free of pain.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? There have been so many— the puppy with a crushed skull and face that is now happy and healthy. There was a lion cub shot with a 50-caliber handgun that we reconstructed its face and leg— fully recovered. A shark was attacked by an eel; we put him back together. Seemingly dead bearded dragon and iguanas recovered, a tarantula that lost her legs then grew them back—it is amazing what creatures can recover from if properly repaired and supported.
Anything else you want to share with readers? I started at the Tulsa Zoo almost 50 years ago. Over the years, I have earned advanced degrees in Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacology. I have taught students at Oklahoma State for veterinary and undergraduates, vet tech students and special seminars covering wildlife rescue and repair. My practice participates in community outreach with elementary, junior high and high schools.
For 40 years, I have owned and practiced out of two hospitals. I recently sold my Tulsa practice and am working solely out of Village Vet Animal Clinic in Broken Arrow. It is nice to be able to stay in one place. I want to make sure everyone knows that just because I am staying in one location, doesn’t mean I am slowing down. I absolutely can’t imagine any other life.
Woodland West Animal Hospital
Mike Jones, DVM
Specialty: We offer seven days a week, 365
days a year, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. full veterinary services.
Timely advice to pet owners: It is always better to schedule an appointment to make sure something is not very serious than to wait and see if it gets better in a day or so.
What do you love most about your career?
The variety of things we see is always challenging and always interesting.
Can you tell us about your most remarkable pet recovery? My most remarkable recovery was a Rottweiler that needed double rear leg amputation that we did and then ordered a custom fit cart, and the dog did great.
Anything else you want to share with readers? This is just a very rewarding profession and awesome, dealing with people and their relationship with their pets.■