Dr. M.W. “Tookie” Myers
Deepwood Veterinary Clinic
Centreville
What made you want to become a vet?
I take after my father in my desire to help others and especially to help animals of all kinds. I went with my parents to the veterinary visits of our pets and got the idea this was how I could best accomplish this. While my original goal going through veterinary school was to work with American saddlebred horses, particularly in the reproductive area, I was always fascinated with all animals and had no idea that the desire to care for them would actually be what happened after I graduated and began my veterinary career. Along with the horses, livestock, companion animals and exotic pets, I have worked for the Norfolk Zoo (now the Virginia Zoo), the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus, the Virginia Marine Science Museum and Professional Laboratory and Research services, where I helped in the development of many flea and tick products, as well as deworming products. Fate seemed to intervene to make sure I helped as many animals as possible.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
I basically have a “hobby” I get paid to do. I have always wanted to be a veterinarian and have never had to restrict myself to any particular discipline, allowing me to complete my ‘helping persona’ continuously. I have literally been ‘on call’ for 42 years, 365 days a year.
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Is that true? Tell us the coolest thing you’ve ever seen one of your patients do.
The most amazing things I’ve seen animals do is not about teaching them tricks, but observing the intuitive and intellectual problem-solving skills they can manifest. The most complex I have heard of was a patient of mine, a Red Devon ox that was a part of a driving team of the Mount Vernon Estate named Earl. The team had retired and needed a home. A good friend of mine in North Carolina was wanting some tame cattle to keep on his farm and I arranged to have him pick them up. He was fascinated with the actions they would take and the problem-solving skills they would demonstrate. Earl won the prize one day when my friend had rented a post hole digger and had drilled about 12 holes to set some posts and then went in for lunch. An hour or so later, he returned to continue the dig and he saw nine holes filled with dirt. Earl was using his forward curled horns to push the dirt back into hole number 10. Neither of us could figure out how he decided to do this, and the big question was, “Why?”
Tell us about your own pets.
I have had many pets and livestock through the years. Horses (up to 22 head for a while), cattle, goats, pot-bellied pigs, fish (ran a 100-tank tropical fish hatchery on the side for a few years), a 12-foot Burmese python and a few more. Currently, my wife and I are down to Rockford, her horse, and a cockatiel named Piewacket. Piewacket was in a shelter where I was the supervising veterinarian. I adopted him for my wife and he is quite entertaining.
What’s your advice for someone who wants to become a vet?
Do this because you want to be a veterinarian. It is not a 9-to-5 job. It needs to be a passion, whether it is a mixed practice or a specialty. It should be who you are as much as what you do.
If you had to pick, who is your favorite fictional pet: Lassie, Snoopy or Scooby-Doo?
Actually, when I was young, it would have been Mister Ed, the talking horse.
Dr. Natasha Ungerer
Clarendon Animal Care
Arlington
What made you want to become a vet?
Ever since I can remember, I knew I would be a veterinarian when I grew up—even my All About Me Dr. Seuss book from when I was 6 years old notes that I was going to be a “vetrinarean.” When I was younger, this dream was fueled primarily by a love of animals, but now is fueled not only by that, but by a passion for the relationships we get to develop with our clients and patients, and the way we’re able to combine science with getting to work with animals each day.
Favorite memory of working with a patient?
At one point, a patient was brought to us by Animal Control—she had a wounded leg that had been initially treated and bandaged elsewhere. By the time we saw her she was nearly septic and the leg had to be amputated in order to save her. However, she recovered beautifully and is now living happily with one of our team members! We’re so fortunate to have such amazing rescue and animal welfare organizations in Northern Virginia and it’s heartwarming to see how many animals they are able to help.
Tell us about your own pets.
We have two dogs—Dewey, an English Pointer, and Kirby, a rescued hound. Kirby ended up with us when I worked as an associate doctor at a previous hospital here in Northern Virginia and felt sorry for him as he was recovering from surgery (for eating a rope toy!) and looking for a home after being turned over by a previous owner.
What are the top three questions pet owners should ask when selecting a vet?
How do you handle patients that are anxious/nervous with veterinary visits? How do you decide which vaccines a patient should receive? How long are your office visits? Many hospitals, in an effort to see as many patients as possible, are booking 20- or even 15-minute appointments, but we recommend 30-minute appointments, or even longer in some cases.
Aside from the fact they can’t talk, how is working with an animal patient different from working with a human patient?
One of the things we focus on at Clarendon Animal Care is operating in a low-stress environment for our patients. Because animals cannot talk, they manifest their emotions differently, and sometimes in ways that can be dangerous to themselves or those handling them. We are all trained to recognize these signs of fear, anxiety and stress, and operate within the comfort level of the patient, rather than the older method of excessive restraint. This means we have to use more subtle body movements and handling techniques in many situations.
If you had to pick, who is your favorite fictional pet: Lassie, Snoopy or Scooby-Doo?
Snoopy, mainly because this was one of the TV shows I remember watching as a kid!
Dr. Jennifer Au
Virginia Veterinary Centers
Fredericksburg
What made you want to become a veterinary surgeon?
I love the challenge and physical demands of surgery along with being able to fix my patients, or at least help them feel better.
Favorite memory of a patient?
A very small Chihuahua that was unable to walk due to chronic bilateral radius/ulna (front leg) fractures was brought to me by a rescue group. The surgery was challenging due to the chronicity, bilateral nature of the fractures, and the patient’s diminutive size. Once she healed, she was adopted and now ‘rules the roost’ with dogs many times her size.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Being able to fix animals, especially ones with fractures or a lameness. Knowing I can help them use a leg better, improve their comfort level and return to a good quality of life is rewarding.
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Is that true? Tell us the coolest thing you’ve ever seen one of your patients do.
I’ve had a couple of patients with severe spinal cord injuries, that could no longer feel or move their rear limbs, develop the ability to ‘spinal walk,’ which is a reflexive gait pattern. The pet still does not feel their rear limbs but regains the ability to walk. Aggressive physical rehabilitation played a role in their recovery. Owners don’t always understand that their pet still can’t feel their rear limbs, yet walks. I had one owner mention that their pet used to hate nail trims, but now, as a spinal walker, the pet only minded having the front nails trimmed, not the rear ones (because they don’t feel the rear ones).
What’s one thing that surprised you about being a vet when you first started your career?
Being a vet, in some ways, ruins your ability to just enjoy pets. When I go to a dog park for example, instead of seeing dogs playing, I see all the diseases common to a particular breed or the injuries that can occur.
What are the top three questions pet owners should ask when selecting a vet?
In regards to surgery for a pet: Is this a surgical procedure that should be referred to a specialist who is a board-certified surgeon? What is the experience level of the person performing surgery with this particular procedure? What kind of pain control and monitoring, both under anesthesia and post-operatively, are provided for your pet?
Aside from the fact they can’t talk, how is working with an animal patient different from working with a human patient?
Animals are amazingly resilient and adaptive. I can amputate a leg for cancer and the pet will be up walking and eating the next day. Most people would still be in the hospital bed questioning their life at that moment.
If you had to pick, who is your favorite fictional pet: Lassie, Snoopy or Scooby-Doo?
Snoopy. Every year around the holidays, I have to do the Snoopy dance when I hear that song from A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Dr. Jay Joyce
Total Equine Veterinary Associates
Leesburg
What made you want to become a vet?
Sometime in my life, I picked up a genuine sense of service and community. Whether from my early days as an Eagle Boy Scout, or from attending the Naval Academy, or serving nine years active duty as an officer in the Navy, I knew I needed a profession driven toward service and community. Concurrent with the development of my service mindset, I have had a lifelong affiliation with horses and many animals. As I was transitioning out of the Navy, it came quite naturally to combine these two passions—horses and service.
Tell us a favorite memory with a patient.
Locally, our veterinary practice serves an organization called Loudoun Therapeutic Riding (LTR) and it is co-located next to our office building at the Morven Park Equestrian Center in Leesburg. LTR seeks to improve the lives of people with cognitive, physical and psychological disabilities through equine-assisted activities. My best memory isn’t really a single moment, but a compilation of nearly 15 years attending to the various veterinary needs of this remarkable group of horses and supporting the instructors of this program. When I am in my office, I can see the participants of this program engaging the horses and I know their health and soundness are my responsibility. As I can keep these horses healthy, the horses can continue to serve the people. Every day I get to see this heartwarming outcome and it reinforces my mission to continue to serve them.
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Is that true? Tell us the coolest thing you’ve ever seen one of your patients do.
They are all so cool. I can only think of the hundreds of cool things I see horses do every month. To me, horses are remarkable creatures—more so than any other in human history. This amazing animal has served us in countless ways, and it has always remained faithful, trainable, willing and reliable. The scope of their abilities is nearly limitless. Just think about it. We have used horses in wars to haul men and equipment, they are used in farming, as transportation either alone or pulling a wagon or cart, in sports like jumping, dressage, fox hunting, polo, racing and roping. And they are still being used in these capacities in nearly every country around the world. They do it all.
Tell us about your pets.
We have dogs, rescue cats and horses. We live on a 17-acre farm with barns and pastures and an arena—and lots of work. We also have a barn cat that conveyed with the farm last year. His name is Little Man. He is elusive and shy. We may see him monthly. He is fat, happy and a great “mouser.”
What’s your advice for someone who wants to become a vet?
Having pursued vet med later in life, I am going to focus my advice to older candidates considering vet school. No. 1 is it is never too late. Even if you finish vet school at age 40, you still have 30-plus years to practice. No one ever retires from veterinary practice, we just work less and less; but we don’t really stop. This is because we love what we do and are dedicated to a lifetime of learning and giving. As you complete the prerequisite college or night school classes necessary to apply, you’ll know quickly if you have the passion and aptitude for the profession. And if you do, you will succeed. So go for it.
If you had to pick, who is your favorite fictional pet: Lassie, Snoopy or Scooby-Doo?
Scooby-Dooby Doo! He’s a problem-solver and very funny. He’s perfect.
This post originally appeared in our August 2020 print issue. To see the August issue’s list of the region’s best veterinarians, as voted by our readers, click here. For more profiles like this, subscribe to our monthly Pets newsletter.
