On November 15, 1993, we welcomed a new veterinarian to our practice! Tammy Pfeiffer, a Nebraska girl who grew up on a family farm in Gosper County near Arapahoe, had just graduated from Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in May 1993. An earnest young professional ready to make her mark in the veterinary world, Tammy had studied at Kearney State College for three years prior to her acceptance at KSU, and also worked for three years as a veterinary assistant at Hilltop Pet Clinic in Kearney. Twenty-five years later, she is an invaluable member of our medical team, with special interests and skills that include include surgery, internal medicine, endoscopy, and abdominal ultrasonography. She also sees many of our exotic patients, including birds, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and rabbits.
As you can see from our photos, Dr. Pfeiffer grew up surrounded by kitties! She learned about livestock and hard work on the farm, and chose a career in veterinary medicine because she loved animals and science; in addition, new technology has always held an intrigue for her. She says her best memories and experiences as a vet are of helping pets get better when they are sick, and offsetting the sadness that can often accompany the job with the joy that comes in meeting adorable new puppies and kittens and exotics pets.
Fun fact: Dr. Pfeiffer’s favorite veterinary medicine word is “Cheyletiella” because it reminds her of studying for a parasitology test in vet school, and her roommate doing a dance to mimic the leg movements of the skin mite (it’s also known as “walking dandruff!”) The memory always makes her laugh!
In 2003, Dr. Pfeiffer entered into a joint partnership with colleagues Dr. Karen Campbell, Dr. Linda Rock-Paul, and Dr. Aaron Truax, and purchased our hospital from its founder, Dr. James E. Boyd. (Dr. Campbell retired in December 2016, so the partnership is now a trio.) Dr. Pfeiffer serves as our Chief Financial Officer, and has also earned the honorary titles of Chief Landscape Artist and Outdoor Decor Designer! In addition, Dr. Pfeiffer serves on the board of directors of Kansas State University’s “Pet Tribute” program and she is a member of the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA,) the AVMA and AAHA.
We can’t imagine where we’d be today without Dr. Pfeiffer. Her knowledge, practicality, and attention to detail have helped our team and our practice to grow immeasurably over the past 25 years. Those qualities are also reflected in Dr. Pfeiffer’s list of three things she would most want to have with her if she were stranded on a desert island: Prednisolone for allergies and itchiness, a pillow (because she likes her pillow) and a blanket (because she doesn’t like to be cold!)
When she is not saving lives or snuggling kittens here at the hospital, Dr. Pfeiffer enjoys watching movies at home with her husband, Mike, and traveling around the world. Her many photo albums include memories of Spain; Peru; Egypt; the Galapagos Islands; and most recently, an amazing trip to Africa that included visits to Nairobi, Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara, and the Ngorongoro Crater. On safari, Dr. Pfeiffer was excited to see lions, elephants, hippopotamuses, giraffes, cheetahs, zebras, and leopards. (Fun fact: if she were an animal, Dr. Pfeiffer says she’d be a leopard!) Back home in Bellevue, little tortoiseshell “lioness” Leila rules the Pfeiffer-Wilkins pride, and keeps a close watch on their aquarium and its inhabitants. The fishy friends include a sailfin tang named D.J., and a clownfish named (of course) Nemo.
We’d like to extend our thanks and congratulations to Dr. Pfeiffer for all her years of service to our team and our clients. On this grand occasion of her 25th Anniversary, we are looking forward to working with her for many years to come!