Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany King DVM.
Brittany, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Becoming a veterinarian has been the most incredible journey as well as a very multi-layered pursuit! I began my college career swimming on the swim team at both Auburn where we were NCAA Division I National Champions as well as at Texas A & M. During undergraduate I discovered my passion for medicine and in particular veterinary medicine. I then began the pursuit of obtaining entry into veterinary school to accomplish my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine Degree. I graduated from St. George’s University in 2010 with my DVM. I lived for 3 years on the island of Grenada and 1 year in Scotland to accomplish this goal. While in Grenada, I founded the charitable vaccination and public health “One Health One Medicine Clinics” that are a sustainable endeavor. I combined the medical school, veterinary school, and public health schools to provide twice yearly island-wide free clinics for the people and animals of Grenada. These clinics include vaccinations, wound care, zoonotic disease information, public health education, HIV testing, breast exams, eye exams, and nutritional aspects amongst numerous other benefits for an all-encompassing approach to medicine. I also had the opportunity to perform research projects while in veterinary school. One Christmas I performed an endoparasite project on elephants in the Golden Triangle of Thailand. I even got to train as a mahout, bathe with the elephants in the Mekong River, and play elephant polo! Another summer I camped in the national parks of Uganda to perform a Brucellosis research project on kobs, cattle, and goats. I even got to do some zebra necropsies in the bush! Upon graduation, I began practice in the corporate sector with Banfield in Houston for 5 years, during this time I pursued my dream of charitable athletic endeavors. I raised thousands of dollars for the Banfield Charitable Trust that helps owners and pet family members in need who cannot afford care by swimming 22+ miles across the English Channel in 2012 and running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 11days in 2015. I’ve also raised money for various causes by completing the second round of marathons on each continent, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and completing the 140.6 mile Ironman Triathlon. In 2015, I was fortunate to be able to join the Montrose Veterinary Clinic. I truly found my passion again for the profession at this wonderful clinic. There is such a difference between a small private clinic and a corporate feel. Both have many benefits. I love client interaction and community outreach. I feel so grateful to work at a clinic with such wonderfully supportive clientele. Currently I serve on the National Hospice Program, The Pet Peace of Mind Team Board as well as locally as a Eucharistic minister at St. Anne’s. Recently I obtained my private pilot’s license to hopefully one day volunteer for the Pilots N’ Paws Program. Veterinary medicine is just so exciting! There are so many avenues one can explore with it from corporate to private to public health to community outreach etc. I really am truly enjoying everything the career has to offer!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path towards veterinary medicine is never a smooth road from the pursuit of the dream to the current day to day work life. It is 100% worth it though! Just getting into a veterinary school is one of the most challenging professional schools to begin with. There is not even a vet school per state. It is harder to get into than medical school. Then, once becoming a veterinarian, the roles one plays on a single work day are extremely variable. Unlike human medicine, veterinary medicine is not as specialized although we have excellent board certified specialists. Within one day, I can have the role of pediatrician, dentist, general practitioner, internal medicinist, surgeon, emergency doctor, ophthalmologist, cardiologist, dermatologist, orthopedic surgeon, oncologist, international travel consultation specialist, foreign disease specialist, radiologist, anesthetist, gastroenterologist, etc. …and on top of that on numerous species than cannot verbally tell you what is wrong with them or why they are sick. I am certainly never bored! Then there are the emotional struggles, the financial struggles, there are challenging cases, there are cases where you have tried everything and sometimes you lose the battle. A single day can feel like a roller coaster. I, like many in our profession, get very emotionally attached to our patients. Sadly, because of the life span of pets’ vs humans, we often see our furry family members from birth to the end of life. And that is hard. I truly cry on nearly every euthanasia which happens numerous times a week. We empathize for the family and what they are experiencing. The human animal bond is so valuable and so incredible and never to be underestimated. Lastly, one has struggles where the work environment may not be smooth. Recently in my work environment, we lost an incredible veterinarian. Dr. Valerie McDaniel was my mentor, my friend, my colleague, my employer, and one of the most beautifully selflessly kind and giving people I have ever known. We had so much fun working together on a daily basis. She made me smile daily! Her loss devastated the entire clinic. We miss her tremendously. The last few months during this time has been harder than most people can even imagine. The grief, the media, the sheer loss, the uncertainties, and everything that centered around her loss has been a very trying time for all of us. I think the thing that I have been most impressed with has been the overwhelming amount of positive client and community support. Not only did we have a beautiful candle light vigil service for her that the community attended, but the emails, cards, flowers, gifts, and messages sent by clients and local veterinary clinics have been inspiring. I cannot tell you how much this has meant to each and every one of the staff members. It has kept us going during some very troubling times. We will all be forever grateful for that.
Montrose Veterinary Clinic – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our Montrose animal hospital is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), which means that we hold ourselves to the highest standard of excellence. We bring our skill, compassion, and state-of-the-art technology to pet owners and their animals from the nearby Houston communities of Montrose, River Oaks and 610 Loop Areas. Whether you’re a seasoned pet owner or welcoming a new animal into your home for the first time, it’s important to find a veterinarian you can trust. We value the human animal bond and see the benefits on a day to day basis. At our animal hospital, our Montrose veterinarian team consists of Dr. Catherine Powell of Texas, Dr. Chivonne Ali of Trinidad, and myself as a graduate of St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine on the island of Grenada. Together, our staff offers a unique blend of clinical expertise, specialty training, and genuine compassion for animals. I personally have taken a liking to some orthopedic procedures I trained for under the mentorship of a board certified surgeon years ago. I also truly enjoy community outreach and client education. We’re a full-service animal hospital in Montrose offering everything your pet needs to stay healthy at every stage of life. Our comprehensive veterinary services include:
•Annual wellness exams
•Pet vaccinations
•Parasite prevention
•Pet boarding
•Pet dental care
•Diagnostics and lab work
•Pet surgery
•Emergency and urgent care
•Pain management
•Puppy and kitten care
•Senior pet care
•Hospice and euthanasia services
Personally, I think what sets us apart from other veterinary clinics is the variety of services we offer, the compassion, the pet family feel, the staff member bond, and the boutique atmosphere at Montrose Veterinary Clinic. A person can tell when they walk into a business if the energy is positive, friendly, and happy based on the chemistry of the staff. We have a very close-knit staff, and I think it radiates to the patients and clients we have the privilege of calling pet and human family members.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
There have been so many rewarding moments truly, but one of the most rewarding ones of my career occurred a couple of years ago. There was a college student that brought a little schnauzer as an emergency to me that he saw get hit by a car and drag her body off to the side of the highway. She had two broken rear femurs (back leg bones). He had no money to help this little dog. I saw her and stabilized her. Remarkably, she did not die from the car nor have any internal major injuries. We took the x-rays to confirm the diagnosis of the broken legs. I actually really enjoy orthopedic surgeries, the challenge was needing to find the funds for me to perform her surgery to pin both her back legs. Eventually, I raised the funds to perform her surgery through donations and the help of partner hospitals and by swimming across the English Channel. I remember her coming back to me a few months later running on all four legs with the new adopted name of “Lucky Penny”. That moment literally brought me to tears.
Another recent surgery included a cystotomy and urethrostomy (bladder and urethra stone removal) on a blocked schnauzer (could not urinate) that could not afford to have the surgery performed at a specialist. I agreed to try to do what I could at a lower cost. Sadly for the owner, she had been to multiple veterinary clinics that were not able to help. I was the last hope for this little guy or she would need to euthanize him. I remember being so relieved at the end of the surgery and two week recovery to finally get to send him home. She was so grateful, and I really felt like our team at Montrose Veterinary Clinic made a difference for the little dog and owner! It was a very proud moment for all of us. And that little schnauzer is doing beautifully!
Contact Info:
- Address: Montrose Veterinary Clinic
1701 Montrose BLVD
Houston Texas 77006 - Website: http://www.montrosevetclinic.com/
- Phone: 713-524-3814
- Email: clientservices@montrosevetclinic.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Montrosevetclinic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MontroseVet
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-montrose-veterinary-clinic-houston
- Other: https://plus.google.com/101025943730021925795
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