1325 Hopkinton Road, Hopkinton NH 03229 (directions)
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 7:30am to 6:00pm | Wed: 7:30am to 7:30pm
November 1, 2023 – We are seeking a full-time veterinarian with at least three years’ experience in canine and feline practice to work at our facilities. Hours will average approximately 40 hours per week and include a rotation of Saturday hours (one Saturday out of four) and one to two late nights per week shift.
Click here to view/download the Employment Package for Prospective Veterinarian which includes a description of the position as well information about our practice.
Hopkinton Animal Hospital provides the finest veterinary care in a loving and relaxed environment. With Board Certified Specialists on staff, we provide the gold standard of medical care including TPLO, I-131 treatment for cats, ultrasound, chemo, and surgery but in a smaller and more intimate setting where everyone knows your name.
Using a variety of techniques, we keep your pets as stress free and relaxed as possible to provide the best care.
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Friday:
7:30am to 6:00pm
Wednesdays:
7:30am to 7:30pm
Phone
Phone: 603-487-6447
Fax: 603-696-1941
Directions
1325 Hopkinton Road
Hopkinton NH 03229
Click here for Google map
Email
[email protected]
VetStoria
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Shop now at Hopkinton Animal Hospital’s online pharmacy, powered by Vets First Choice, the nation’s leading online veterinary partner-pharmacy.
As Fear Free Professionals, staff at Hopkinton Animal Hospital look after your pet’s physical and emotional well-being.
Hopkinton Animal Hospital is a Gold-level Cat Friendly Practice. The Gold Standard status is for veterinary hospitals that have incorporated the optimum level of Cat Friendly Criteria.
Join Weare/Hopkinton Animal Hospital’s Hills to Home program and get Hill’s pet foods (Prescription Diet, Science Diet, Ideal Balance, and Healthy Advantage) for dogs and cats delivered to your home for free.
Michelle joins the team with over 15 years of large and small animal veterinary assistant experience. Always having a passion for animals big and small, she grew up helping out on the family’s dairy farm and had a hand in rehabilitating wildlife with her aunt.
Her family always had an array of animals but her strongest passion has been horses and has had the pleasure of owning and showing them since she was 13yrs old. She really enjoys retraining off-track Thoroughbreds. She owns 3 horses that she and her daughter enjoy.
Michelle, her fiancé and kids also have 3 Cockatiels, 3 cats, 2 dogs – Hitachi the Akita (aka Michelle’s sidekick) , Tig the German Shorthair Pointer, Flemish giant rabbits, assorted chickens and they raise Hereford pigs.
Michelle and her family live in Hopkinton on a large piece of land they enjoy farming and hunting on. She likes to spend time outdoors horseback riding, gardening, hiking, camping, going to the beach and ice fishing in the Winter. She’s also an avid reader and loves to watch horse racing.
Dr. Kinney graduated from the Tufts Veterinary School in 2022 with an International Veterinary Medicine post graduate certificate. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Geneva College with minors in Fine Arts and Chemistry.
She grew up in Limington, ME and from an early age had a love of animals, riding horses every week. At the Animal Rescue League of Greater Portland, she volunteered to care for the cats and rabbits and introduce them to potential families. Her dream of becoming a veterinarian developed during College when she began shadowing and then working at the Sacopee Veterinary Hospital in Cornish, Maine. Speaking with pet parents and helping them to communicate with the doctor, taking medical histories, and assisting with small procedures all further developed her dream.
Attending Veterinary School has been the greatest achievement of her life so far. While at Tufts, she travelled to Rwanda to help investigate the rates of poisonous snake envenomation, a neglected tropical disease and public health concern. During her Tufts clinical rotations she took a particular interest in surgery, internal medicine, and ultrasound diagnostic imaging. Dr. Kinney has recently moved to Concord and is excited to explore the natural beauties of New Hampshire.
We are among a very few NH veterinary practices whose staff is certified in the Fear Free program, allowing us to reduce feelings of stress for you and your pet during appointments.
We practice Fear Free every day so that your pets (and you!) are less stressed when they visit us. Being Fear Free certified means that we have the tools, protocols and knowledge to reduce fear, anxiety and stress, and lets us deliver better care to our patients by looking after their physical and emotional well-being.
Exotic pets (birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles, hamsters, ferrets, rats, mice, sugar gliders, and chinchillas) have unique needs and the Hopkinton Animal Hospital staff is experienced and equipped to handle them. Founded in 2000, the Exotic and Bird Clinic of New England is a vital resource for both pet owners and referring veterinarians, and is located at both Hopkinton Animal Hospital and our sister facility, Weare Animal Hospital.
To further increase the experience of the staff with exotic pets, the Hospital volunteers their time and resources to the NH Audubon and local registered wildlife rehabilitators. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department frequently relies on the team to aid an injured wild animal.
Dr. Michael Dutton became an American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) Veterinary Specialist in Avian Practice in 2008. In 2012, he became an Exotic Companion Mammal Specialist as well. He is the only Avian or Exotic Companion Mammal Specialist in New Hampshire, and one of a very few veterinarians in the world who have more than one specialty.
Dr. Dominique Peel recently became an American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) Exotic Companion Mammal Resident, on the path to become Board Certified in two years. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Auburn, AL in 2017, when she joined the Weare Animal Hospital team. She had previously interned with us during veterinary school and fell in love with the staff, clients, pets and the high standard of veterinary medicine practiced.
Simply put, “Pain hurts,” and we want to minimize it for your pets. To achieve that goal, our staff and equipment are up to date in the latest that Veterinary medicine has to make your pet as comfortable as possible. Dr. Dutton earned a post-doctoral Master of Science degree in Veterinary Pain Management and became certified in Pain Management by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.
Building on that, the rest of the staff receive continual education and experience on ways to best avoid, minimize, and control pain in pets.
We employ a variety of techniques including medications, stem cell therapy, and physical therapy. Each plan is tailored to your pet and their specific needs.
Stem Cell Therapy
Cutting edge therapy is available at the Hopkinton Animal Hospital for dogs with arthritis. Both Dr. Dutton and Dr. Peel are credentialed in Stem Cell Therapy by Vet-Stem. This exciting new therapy uses your own dog’s adult stem cells (derived from their fat) to promote your dog’s own healing processes. Currently it is approved for arthritis and certain autoimmune diseases.
The process consists of obtaining a fat sample from your dog under sterile conditions, having Vet-Stem process the sample to collect the adult stem cells, and then 2 days later after the original fat collection injecting the cells into the traumatized or affected area.
Brief Overview
Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell (VSRC) therapy has demonstrated successful therapeutic outcomes in horses with tendon and ligament injuries, fractures, and joint disease, it is now being used to treat arthritis in dogs. Since 2005, select clinics have treated dogs with arthritis and orthopedic soft tissue injuries.
Current canine orthopedic application: osteoarthritis and orthopedic soft tissue (tendon and ligament injuries).
Platelet Rich Plasma
The process consists of separating out platelets and other healing factors from your pet’s own blood, concentrating them, and then injecting them into the affected joint. Research has shown that many pets benefit although the exact method is still being actively researched.
We commonly use ultrasound, either by itself or in conjunction with x-rays, to help examine your pet’s internal organs. Using high frequency sound waves, internal organ structure is better visualized and helps determine the next steps in therapy. We routinely perform pregnancy ultrasounds, cardiac ultrasounds and find it extremely helpful in diagnosing foreign-body ingestions.
Our hospital is equipped with the latest digital x-ray capabilities. With this cost-effective diagnostic tool we are able to visualize important internal structures quickly. This is one of our most widely used medical tools, alongside our In-House Blood Analyzers.
Your pet’s dental health is just as important to his or her overall health as your dental health is to your general health.
There are two critical components of your pet’s veterinary dental care: oral examinations and dental cleanings. We provide routine annual dental examinations and should your pet require dental care we offer full dental cleanings with extractions on an as-needed basis.
Veterinary dental care begins at the puppy and kitten life stage. AAHA recommends that veterinarians evaluate puppies and kittens for problems related to the deciduous (baby) teeth, missing or extra teeth, swellings and oral development. As your pet ages, your veterinarian will look for developmental anomalies, the accumulation of plaque and tartar, periodontal disease and oral tumors.
We perform a basic oral examination on patients while awake, often in the exam room with you. However, a short-lasting anesthetic is required in order to provide a complete and thorough examination as well as dental cleanings.
The AAHA Dental Care Guidelines recommend regular oral examinations and dental cleanings, under general anesthesia, for all adult dogs and cats. AAHA recommends these procedures at least annually starting at one year of age for cats and small-breed dogs, and at two years of age for large-breed dogs.
If your pet is scheduled for surgery with us, you and your pet are met in the morning by a technician who will review your pet’s procedure with you and answer any questions you have. That same technician will be by your pet’s side until they return home to you at the end of the day. In addition to the surgeon, two technicians are with your pet in surgery to monitor your pet’s vital signs and to assist the doctor.
We combine appropriate anesthesia protocols along with pain management to increase the comfort and safety of your pet here in our hospital. Your pet will continue to be monitored throughout the day and, more often than not, one of our dedicated staff will cuddle and talk with your pet. It’s how we would want our pets treated.
We perform preventive and therapeutic surgeries such as spays and castrations and joint and bone repair. We routinely perform biopsies, tumor removals, and intestinal resections as well as other surgeries in our AAHA facility. Rest assured that if your pet ever needs surgery, their care and well-being will be our primary concern.
TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) Surgery
TPLO has become one of the most popular orthopedic surgeries performed on dogs who have torn their cranial cruciate ligament, also commonly referred a dog’s torn ACL. TPLO is particularly successful in large breeds and those with advanced joint degeneration.
Dr. Dutton, Board certified ABVP Canine and Feline Specialist, performs TPLO surgeries at our Hopkinton office. Click here for more details on TPLO Surgery at Hopkinton Animal Hospital.
Orthopedic Screenings
Dogs genetically are prone to a variety of bone and joint conditions. Hip dysplasia is the most common one encountered. A very sensitive, early test we can perform is PennHip x-rays.
Dogs as young as sixteen weeks can be tested for hip dysplasia. If discovered this early, a simple preventive surgery by 20 weeks of age can dramatically reduce hip arthritis in the dog’s later years. In addition to PennHip, we also perform numerous other orthopedic studies allowing for O.F.A. certification of your dog’s joints.
Here at Hopkinton Animal Hospital we understand this is not an easy subject. However, we pride ourselves on our compassion and understanding of this difficult time and will try our best to accommodate you and your family’s needs. Our goal is to provide the best care for your pet for as long as your pet needs us. We are here for you.
Knowing when it’s time to euthanize your pet is difficult, and different for every pet owner. If you’re considering your pet’s end of life care, this article and assessment may help.
Having high tech blood analyzer equipment in our hospital provides us with critical information that may be needed in a time sensitive situation. This gives us up to date, real time results, which will help us diagnose and treat your pet much quicker than ever before.
We pride ourselves on having the most up to date diagnostic equipment availalbe. With this cost-effective diagnostic information at our fingertips, we are able to practice the best medicine at the best price for our clients and patients.
Hopkinton Animal Hospital is equipped with the proper nutritional needs for your pet. We carry a large range of prescription diets to best support your pet and their health. We are firm believers that diet plays a large part in keeping your pets healthy, and our team is dedicated and educated in helping you choose the right food for your pet.
We have partnered with Hill’s, the pet food company that makes Hill’s Prescription Diet, Hill’s Science Diet, Hill’s Ideal Balance, and Hill’s Healthy Advantage. Join our program and get Hill’s pet foods for dogs and cats delivered to your home for free.
For your convenience, we have a wide range of pharmaceuticals available on-site at our hospital. If there is something your pet needs that we don’t have, we also have our online pharmacy, operated by Vet’s First Choice. Click here to visit the Vet’s First Choice website.
Dr. Michael Dutton founded the Hopkinton Animal Hospital in 2018 as an extension of the Weare Animal Hospital. Hopkinton Animal Hospital allowed the doctors and staff to continue to grow and excel in providing superior care and service in a second location. He founded the Weare Animal Hospital in 1992 to practice the type of medicine he wanted; personal, caring and at a high level of medical expertise. To that end, Dr. Dutton has invested in the staff and expanded each year so the Hospital now offers many services that used to be available only at referral centers or University hospitals. He also obtained the coveted American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Hospital certification for both Weare and Hopkinton Animal Hospitals. There are only 23 AAHA accredited hospitals in New Hampshire.
Practicing what he preaches, Dr. Dutton has concentrated on a few areas of expertise and excelled. He is one of the few veterinary specialists boarded in more than one specialty, and the only veterinary specialist in the world who has successfully proven excellence in four specialty categories. He is quadrupled (4X) boarded: Canine and Feline Practice, Avian Practice, Exotic Companion Mammal Practice, and Reptile and Amphibian Practice. He also has concentrated on alleviating pain in animals and obtained a Master’s Degree in Pain Management in 2012 and is a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.
Since 1992, Dr. Dutton has served in a variety of community volunteer positions including the Weare Lions Club, Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, Weare Animal Guardians, providing free care for the Concord and Massabesic Audubon Societies, Wings of the Dawn wildlife rehabilitation, Cub Scout Pack 24 and Boy Scout Troop 24. He is also called on frequently to aid NH Fish and Game when they receive an injured animal.
Dr. Dutton is active in the community and lives in Weare with his wife and two children. He enjoys downhill skiing with his family, gardening, swimming, jogging, and M&M’s. He is owned by two golden retrievers Carly and Emmie, a yellow Labrador Adie, and a cat named The Professor. Always working to improve the health of pets, he has enrolled his golden Carly in the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, a landmark study of 3,000 golden retrievers designed to understand the high incidence of cancer in golden retrievers.
He is the real Captain of the ship and quite proud of his crew.
Dr. Peel joined the Weare Animal Hospital team in the summer of 2017. She has also practiced at Hopkinton Animal Hospital since it opened in May 2018. In May 2017, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine located in Auburn, AL. She also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from Murray State University in Kentucky.
She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the New Hampshire Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, the Association of Avian Veterinarians, and the American Animal Hospital Association. Dr. Peel is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Exotic Companion Mammal Practice.
She has had an interest in animals since a young age and her lifelong career goal has always been to become a veterinarian. While in veterinary school, she interned for several weeks at Weare Animal Hospital where she immediately fell in love with everyone (staff, clients, and pets) and the high standard of veterinary medicine practiced.
She is very passionate about being involved in her community and has volunteered several hours at various animal shelters and animal rescue organizations. While in veterinary school, she worked at Auburn University’s Small Animal Emergency Hospital and gained crucial experience. She also highly values continuing education and research which has led her to participate in several research projects involving red tailed hawks.
While she loves cats and dogs, her passion also extends to the medicine and surgery of all companion animals and wildlife including exotic mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds. She has a special interest in ferret medicine and surgery. In addition, she especially enjoys surgery and ultrasonography in various species and is passionate about furthering her knowledge and skills in these areas.
She resides in Hillsboro with her wife and two children along with their four dogs, four cats, and a ferret. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets as well as reading, traveling, and learning new hobbies or skills.
Dr. Jordan Gagne joined the Weare Animal Hospital team in 2018 after graduating from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from the University of Maine with minors in chemistry and microbiology.
Dr. Gagne grew up just around the corner, in Goffstown NH. She first fell in love with veterinary medicine when she brought her own sick family pet in to the Weare Animal Hospital back in 2012, during her undergraduate career. Dr Gagne says Weare Animal Hospital has always been home to her, and she cannot imagine practicing anywhere else.
She is passionate about all things cats, with her primary interests lying in feline internal medicine, surgery, and low-stress handling. Dr. Gagne is a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in Canine and Feline Practice. She has also obtained Fear Free Elite, Cat Friendly Veterinarian, and Human Animal Bond certifications. Dr. Gagne is a member of the New Hampshire Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Feline Practitioners, and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.
Dr. Gagne resides in Hillsborough with her Border Collie mix Oswald, daschund Emily, and four cats: Remington, Rooney (a retired Weare Animal Hospital Clinic Cat!), Delilah, and Oliver. In her free time, she enjoys running and hiking with her dog, fishing, snuggling with her kitties, and spending time with family.
Lauren is our Practice Manager. She came to the Weare Animal Hospital in August of 2007 when she and her family relocated to New Hampshire from Connecticut. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Becker College in Massachusetts and is a Certified Veterinary Technician. She lives in Hillsboro with her husband, son, black Labrador Flynn and Julius the Gecko.
Lauren has a very strong interest in veterinary dentistry, focusing on the prevention of disease and educating clients at all stages of periodontal disease. She assures that each patient receives the highest level and quality of care at the Weare Animal Hospital.
Lauren enjoys baking, running, grilling and spending time outdoors with her family.
Nick started working in the veterinary field as a second career after spending 10 years as a truck driver. Nick decided he needed a change from life on the road and enrolled in Great Bay’s Veterinary Technology Program.
As a reptile lover, Nick opted to do his school internship with us to learn more about exotics and we knew we had to have him join our team as an employee!
Nick has 10 snakes at home and in his free time enjoys playing guitar and collecting vinyls.
Audra has been working at the Weare Animal Hospital since 1993 and, other than Dr. Dutton, she has been employed at the hospital the longest. Because of this, Audra has enjoyed the privilege of watching many patients grow from puppies to seniors in the years that she has been here. She is a Certified Veterinary Technician, enjoying the challenges and rewards of her career.
Audra lives for a good foreign body surgery or a caesarean section. She thrives under the pressures of emergency situations. Always on the ball, she is basically the Captain of the Ship or, at the very least, the First Mate.
Audra started showing dogs when she was eight years old. She has extensive knowledge of breeding, showing, and training dogs as she bred Australian Shepherds growing up.
Audra lives in Webster with her husband and two children. She is owned by a yellow labrador Bella Bean, two cats Ollie and Parker, and an abundance of fish. Bella Bean and Ollie were both rescued by the Weare Animal Hospital. In her spare time she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time up at camp in Northern New Hampshire with her family.
Lori joined the staff of Hopkinton Animal Hospital in August 2018. Prior to joining us, she worked in Pathology (Human) as a Cytotechnologist for many years, as well as a Personal Care Service Provider for the Concord Regional VNA. She holds a degree in Animal Biology from the University of New Brunswick in Canada.
A life-long animal lover, Lori brings that love to work every day to care for your pets. Even though she is new to the veterinary field she brings caring, dedication and a zest for learning. She is using her knowledge as a Cytotechnologist and applying it to the veterinary world.
Lori lives in Concord with her husband, two sons and their two miniature Schnauzers, Ruby & Maxie. She can be found supporting her boys either on the track field or the lacrosse field.
Wanting to further her knowledge with exotics and wildlife Kelsey joined our team in August 2020 after working at another small animal practice. In 2015 she started her career with an Externship at an animal shelter and followed that by working at an Emergency Hospital and working closely with an orthopedic surgeon.
Kelsey never backs down from an opportunity for personal growth. On top of working full time, being a mother, and a caretaker of her own animals, she also found time to study a vast amount of material and passed her Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) without ever having gone to school. Of course that wasn’t her only achievement – Kelsey is now working with her beloved dog Fern to track deer for hunters with Kelsey’s guidance and training. Kelsey loves to extend a hand to others and be out in the woods. What’s a better way than to do both those things than with her canine companion by her side.
Kelsey currently lives in Andover, NH with her boyfriend, son, two cats (Flint and Cinder), two dogs (Brandy and Fern), three Guinea pigs (Peony, Ash & Oak) and chickens.
Daisy was born in Massachusetts but has lived in New Hampshire most of her life. She currently resides at her home in Hillsborough with her fiancé. She has been an animal lover of all kinds since day one!
She started her veterinary career as a kennel assistant in 2014 and became a tech soon after. She graduated from Great Bay Community College in 2018 with an associates in veterinary technology and passed her CVT in August 2018. Her love for exotics has grown tremendously since graduating college. She hopes to continue learning about exotics and hopefully one day get her VTS in exotic medicine!
Tab joined the Hopkinton Animal Hospital team in September of 2020 and brought along 17 years of experience from another animal hospitals. She grew up in Boscawen, New Hampshire, and at a very young age she knew she wanted to work with animals. Tab came to Hopkinton Animal Hospital looking to expand her knowledge of exotics and wildlife.
Tab currently lives in Andover with her husband Branden, where they raise and train hunting dogs. Tab enjoys hiking, hunting, and anything outdoors. She is pictured with her beloved Plott Hound Groot.
Galen joined our team in the summer of 2019 after working in a surgical referral hospital where he honed his surgery technician skills. His inquisitiveness, desire to continuously learn and his attention to detail offset the fact that he is such a boy among almost all women.
Galen came to New Hampshire after his (now) fiancée started school at MA College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. A midwestern boy, he’s come to love our mountains and ocean and loves to hike, travel through New England, and generally spend as much time outside as possible.
Galen lives in Manchester with his fiancée and his two dogs, Kobe and black lab, and Goose, a great Pyrenees. They’re both rescues from Chicago and love the snow, and now also enjoy New England.
Bryce grew up in Weare NH, and still resides there. She graduated from Great Bay Community College in the Veterinary technician program, while working as a vet assistant at a hospital on the seacoast for a few years. She then went on to work at another practice in NH, as a vet technician, for just over 3 years and now she has found us and could not be happier. Bryce is beyond excited to work with a larger array of species, expand her knowledge and be a part of our close knit team.
Bryce has quite the collection of animals of her own. She owns three dogs: a pitbull named Kane (who all will say is her favorite), a black labrador named Opie, and a miniature dachshund named Burkley. She also owns two cats and three Holland lop rabbits. She decided to grow her household and take on a 2-day old bottle baby goat named “Little Moo”, who lived in her house for a few months and then he of course needed friends so that led to three more Nigerian dwarf goats added to the crew. She now has an array of chicken breeds and thoroughly enjoys fresh eggs and their help with a decrease of the tick population at her house. Last, but certainly not least, Bryce bought her very first horse of her own; a young stocky little mustang named Denver, who she is training to be her trail mount.
In her spare time, Bryce can be found at the barn, hiking with her doggos, four-wheeling, snowmobiling, kayaking, hunting with her fiance, shooting archery courses, shopping at Marshalls, remodeling her home and yard sale-ing. She’s a true lover of the outdoors and hopes to keep growing her little hobby farm. Bryce loves this field, because no day is alike, each day is presented with many new cases. She really cares about her client patient relationships and making animals as comfortable as possible during their visits.
Haley joined our team in 2022 when she decided that animal health could no longer be a part-time or volunteer position for her. She started volunteering at the Manchester Animal Shelter in 2016, became a cat care staff member in 2017, and then the primary exotic pet caretaker. In 2020, she joined the Pope Memorial SPCA in 2020 and still works there part-time and especially loves turning probable barn cats into love bugs.
For five years before joining us, she worked in human pathology and gained experience with medical terms, working with doctors, developed an extreme attention to detail, and an overall strong stomach.
Haley’s family pets include two cats, Angel and JW, both 15, and Chester, a green cheek conure. Buddy the rabbit is completely “my boy”.
Haley was born in Georgia and moved to NH when she was 2. Although technically not a New England native, she has always considered herself a New Englander.
Brandi was a preschool teacher for 17 years before deciding to follow her passion for Dog Training in 2012. She earned a Certificate in Dog Training through the Animal Behavior College, and has also been certified through the Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CPDT-KA) in September of 2015.
In July of 2015 she left the world of preschool teaching to begin a new career in Veterinary Medicine. She is currently working towards earning a Veterinary Assistant Certification through Animal Behavior College. Brandi is excited to continue to learn and grow in the Animal Behavior and Veterinary field in any way she can. She can be found throughout the hospital, always excited to see the unusual critter, and is not afraid to get her hands dirty.
She is owned by a energetic Australian Cattle dog Kitt and adorable pint size Chihuahua Risa. In her free time she participates in dog sports with her Cattle dog, hiking, kayaking and yoga.
Originally from Connecticut, Brian moved to New Hampshire to attend UNH for his undergraduate degree in Zoology. Afterwards, he decided to attend UNH’s Veterinary Technician program and became a Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) in 2016. Since then, he has worked at two other large hospitals.
Brian has always wanted to work at an animal hospital that specialized in exotic pets, so here he is! Personally, he has had corn snakes, leopard geckos, crested geckos, a Russian tortoise, a veiled chameleon, a panther chameleon, iguanas, and a uromastyx lizard.
Brian lives in Barnstead and enjoys camping, spending time with his family, and playing video games.
Ciara has had a passion for animals and wanted to be in the veterinary field for as long as she can remember. Ciara worked her way from a doggy daycare to a rescue to veterinary technician, and she has almost completed her school to obtain CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician) status. She joined the Hopkinton team to expand her knowledge of exotics and because of the great environment (her words).
Ciara lives in Hooksett with her rescue dogs, Bambi and Tansy, and her Chinchilla named Waffle.
Ciara loves doing anything outdoors with her dogs and absolutely loves to travel. Her goal is to visit as many places as she can in her lifetime.
Dr. Julianne Richard was excited to join the team at Hopkinton Animal Hospital in the fall of 2022. She graduated from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in 2017, and she also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Boston University.
Following her graduation from vet school, Dr. Richard completed a small animal rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. She then returned to Tufts for four years, pursuing a specialty internship and residency in zoological medicine with a special focus in exotic pets. During this time, she also completed her Master of Public Health degree from Tufts University, aquatic animal veterinary certification through the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association, and Fear Free-Avian certification. She is currently working on obtaining diplomate status in the American College of Zoological Medicine. She is currently the co-chair of the membership committee of the Association of Avian Veterinarians. She is also a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, and the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians.
Her passion for exotic animal medicine was born through several volunteer positions with the New England Aquarium’s animal health teams. She subsequently volunteered and completed externships at various zoos, aquariums, and exotic animal hospitals before and during veterinary school. She even traveled to South Africa, Honduras, and the Cayman Islands to treat a variety of wild species in their natural habitats.
She resides on a small farm in Webster with her two dogs, Dixie (a yellow Lab) and Noah (a Cavalier King Charles spaniel). Many chickens and several horses also call this farm a home. She enjoys cooking and baking new recipes, hiking with her dogs, watching college and professional football games, spending time with her family, and traveling (especially to Walt Disney World) in her spare time. She is excited to further explore all of what New Hampshire can offer.
Talia was born and raised in Goffstown and currently resides there with her boyfriend Dave. She found her love for veterinary medicine 10 years ago and has been a tech ever since! Dogs are her favorite, but she loves to assist with all the other critters as well.
In her spare time she loves to watch horror movies and spend time with her boyfriend and their husky, Mika, and come Halloween time, she can be found doing lots of fun, spooky activities! Mika is a bit camera shy and wouldn’t join her mom for a photo!
Nikera has been working towards a career since she was 7 years old when her dad asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up! She took care of stray kittens and lost dogs and then graduated into a hospital environment where she has worked with all sorts of domesticated animals.
Nikera is also passionate about wildlife and was very excited to join our team to gain some more exposure!
Nikera is working towards obtaining her credentialing as a Certified Veterinary Technician. She has dreams of opening her won sanctuary for bully breeds and horses that are homeless, injured or looking for a retirement home to live out the rest of their years.
Nikera shares her home with a pitbull mix named Kuzco, a cat named Nemo, a king snake named Boogaloo, and a cockatiel named mango. When not at work Nikera is a foodie that loves puzzles (jigsaw, word, math, you name it), nature walks, archery, anime, and travelling to different countries.
Here at the animal hospital, we recommend annual or semiannual examinations along with appropriate vaccinations, fecal testing, and baseline blood work to prevent or diagnose many problems that we commonly see in cats, dogs, and the exotic pet. We all know the saying that “one human year equals seven dog or cat years” so having that annual pet exam is the same as if we received our own physical examination every seven years.
We tailor our well pet exams to their lifestyle, breed type, age and what is happening locally. We offer a wide variety of vaccinations that upon examination will be recommended for you and your pet’s lifestyles. For example, about 1 in 7 of our dog patients test positive for Lyme bacteria exposure. We have a very effective preventive Lyme vaccine for dogs and recommend its use. About 21% of our dog patients test positive for intestinal worms (some of which are transmissible to people), so we recommend annual fecal examination.
Other areas where a proactive preventive approach helps include: preventing pet obesity, good dental hygiene, flea and tick control and heartworm preventative.
