DVM
When asked what a veterinarian does, most people will answer that veterinarians are doctors for animals. However, many people don't know how true that statement really is.
The average veterinarian completes 4 1/2 years of undergraduate education, taking classes such as biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, math, animal science, and more...and that's just to prepare them for veterinary school. Some veterinarians already have a Master's degree or PhD before they enter veterinary school. Others may enter a dual DVM/MS or DVM/PhD program, and some go on after veterinary school to get additional degrees and/or specialty training.
In veterinary school, the 4-year education is equal to what medical school students receive – but for a number of animal species instead of just one. Course subjects include anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, immunology, pathology, toxicology, biochemistry, surgical techniques, and many more, as well as in-depth courses on specific animal species and body systems. The early years are mostly spent in the classroom and laboratory to prepare the students for client-owned animal patients. Veterinary students get additional education and experience during clinical rotations, seeing animal patients under the close supervision of experienced mentors.
Once they graduate from a U.S. veterinary school, they receive a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD) degree (the degrees are different in other countries). They are now veterinarians and are qualified to perform the duties of the profession. A number of veterinarians also seek additional training in the form of an internship (usually one year) and/or residency (approximately 2-3 years) and may become board certified in a specialty area.
In order to practice veterinary medicine on animal patients, they must be licensed in each state in which they practice. State licensure requires a veterinarian to pass a national examination that tests their veterinary knowledge. Some states also require a veterinarian to pass a state-specific examination, most often to test their knowledge of the state's laws and regulations governing veterinary medicine. In order to maintain their state veterinary license, veterinarians must obtain continuing education.
So, the next time you see your veterinarian, you know that your pet is being cared for by a highly trained professional.
Information provided by American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AMVF)Kenneth C. Skinner, DVM, CCRP
Dr. Kenneth C. Skinner’s life-long dedication to animals naturally led to a veterinary career. He received his B.S. in Zoology from Northern Arizona University and completed graduate work in Agribusiness from Arizona State University. He earned his D.V.M. from Washington State University in 2001 and has been with PAH since 2003. Dr. Skinner’s professional interests include mixed animal medicine, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery. His passion for surgery and dentistry keep him learning new up to date surgical techniques including having completed over 150 TPLO surgeries and 1000’s of anterior cruciate repairs.
Since joining the PAH team he has seen many changes over the years. Dr. Skinner is most proud of winning the 2014 “AAHA Hospital of the Year” award. With this award comes great pride, but also a desire to continue to be the best practice and provide the best patient care. In January 2014, Dr. Skinner took over as the PAH medical director, as well as gaining a greater responsibility of practice ownership. He hopes to strive for practice excellence and honor those who have come before him.
He enjoys spending time with his family, which includes 2 growing (fast) daughters, 2 dogs, 4 exotic cats and a dedicated wife. During the down time and for a mental escape you will find him riding his road or mountain bikes or training for the next local race. Dr. Skinner also spends much of his free time providing care for the animals at multiple zoos and serving the local community.
Dr. Skinner has served on the board of directors and numerous committees for the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association since 2005. He had the honor of being of the AzVMA President in 2012-2013, and received an award for his dedication to his staff. Currently Dr. Skinner serves on the Animal disaster services and the Arizona Animal Response Team, helping animals across Arizona during emergencies.
What’s next for Dr. Skinner? He is currently pursuing a national position on the Board of directors for the American Animal Hospital Association, and training for the 104 miles Tour de Tucson Bike race.
Why did I become a veterinarian?
My grandmother was the first women racehorse trainer at Turf paradise. I remember from age 6, going to the track and watching her work those horses. I recall when the vets would treat the racehorses and she would help, that has always left a lasting memory of dedication, knowledge and passion. The night I think it truly began was when our vet came to the house to treat my pony. After a gallon of mineral oil and a tube up the nose, the pony was cured; I was forever indebted for his care and compassion that cold Arizona night. Besides that, I was never very good at baseball.
Companion Animal and Large Animal Veterinarian
Cameron S. Dow, DVM
Dr. Dow, has grown up in the veterinary profession; as the son of the previous owner of Prescott Animal Hospital, he has seen the practice evolve over the years. Dr. C. Dow’s wife (Dr. Amie Dow) is also a veterinarian working in small animal emergency. Dr. Cameron Dow has over 200 credit hours in continuing education for small animal abdominal and cardiac ultrasounds. Diagnostic imaging such as the combination of Xrays and Ultrasound allow for a thorough analysis of any pets internal problems. His interests include cardiac and abdominal ultrasound, internal medicine, & ophthalmology. Dr. Dow has served several terms on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association ending his last term in 2021. He also serves on the state’s Veterinary Examining Board Investigative Committee.
Dow is a Distinguished Military Graduate of the University of Arizona’s Army ROTC program and commissioned as an Army Officer. Dr. Dow also served as an Army Ranger and a Infantry Platoon Leader, Scout Platoon Leader, Iraqi Army Advisor and Bronze Star Reciepient. After tours of both Kosovo and Iraq, he transitioned out of the military and entered veterinary school. Dr. Dow attended the oldest public veterinary school in the nation at Iowa State University graduating in 2009. Dr. Dow is a member of the Arizona Veterinary Medical Association (AZVMA), and American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Dr. Dow is also a graduate of Prescott High School and even inducted into its Hall of Fame for Wrestling and Football achievements.
Companion Animal Veterinarian
D. Raenell Killian, DVM
Dr. D. Raenell Killian grew up in Chino Valley surrounded by animals. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Animal Science and earned her D.V.M. from Oregon State University in 2006. She enjoys mixed animal practice with a special interest in Camelids, surgical procedures and the human-animal bond. Dr. Killian has recently won the Morris Animal Foundation’s “Award of Excellence,” recognizing Outstanding Veterinary Service.
In addition to her interest in animals, Dr. Killian volunteers with organizations that help children/youth grow, through education and scholarships. These organizations help build confidence and ethics, and build future leaders.
One such organization is 4-H. “I believe in this organization. I was a 4-Her for 10 years as a youth. I now volunteer my time giving clinics and supporting 4-H leaders in their educational endeavors. I support the 4-H/FFA Expo every year. I perform a vet check on all animals prior to the show and buy animals at the auction.”
Dr. Killian is also a member of the Sun Up Rotary Club. The club has many youth programs. Examples are the Rotary foreign exchange program and RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards).
She also volunteers with the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo organization. “In the past, I have been the Royalty Chairman. I continue to volunteer my time in that department, primarily in horsemanship clinics.”
Dr. Killian has 3 cats, 2 dogs, and 2 horses. In her spare time she enjoys riding horses and crocheting.
Why did I become a veterinarian?
I became a veterinarian because I wanted to help educate people about their pets. In this way I could improve the human-animal bond and prevent or relieve animal illness.
Companion Animal and Large Animal Veterinarian
Ashley K. Joy, DVM
Dr. Ashley K. Joy grew up in Prescott and spent several years as a member of the PAH staff before moving to attend Arizona State University, where she graduated as Magna Cum Laude and earned a BS in Agribusiness as well as a minor in art history. She then went on to the University of Florida where she graduated with her DVM in May of 2014. Dr. Joy’s professional interests include dentistry, nutrition, and exotic animal medicine. Outside of the hospital, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, being outdoors, yoga, and quilting.
Why did I become a veterinarian?
There was never any other path! Some of my first memories are of the utter joy I felt while in the presence of and interacting with animals. I have experienced mutual understanding and respect with them since before I could walk; an amazing bond that feeds my very soul. I want nothing more than to be an advocate for those who don’t have their own voice, and to help people recognize and nurture their own bonds with their animal companions.
Companion Animal Veterinarian
Lauren A. Peters, DVM, cVMA
Dr. Lauren A. Peters grew up in Maryland, along the Chesapeake Bay. Throughout her childhood, she spent most of her time pestering the neighbors' barn cats and horses, as she did not have any of her own. She attended Johns Hopkins University following high school and earned a B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, before graduating early and working on a small cattle operation on the Eastern shore of Maryland. Dr. Peters was then accepted to Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterniary Medicine on the Virginia Tech campus. Dr. Peters graduated veterinary school in 2015 and immediately packed her bags to move west. She began her career in Rock Springs, Wyoming at a small mixed animal practice. After almost two years in Wyoming, Dr. Peters relocated to beautiful Prescott, Arizona, eager to begin her new employment with Prescott Animal Hospital.
In her spare time, Dr. Lauren Peters enjoys anything that involves being outdoors. Hiking, mountain biking, running, camping, and exploring her new environment are some of her favorite things to do on her days off. She has two pets of her own these days: a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed Siberian Husky named Kita and a handicapped, hair-tie eating cat named Weebles.
Why did I become a veterinarian?
When I was very young, I was sure I wanted to be a jockey, ride in the Kentucky Derby, and win. When reality set in, I was much taller than any jockey could ever be. I thought to myself, if I can't ride horses in races, I might as well be able to fix them! The idea stuck, though I became a mixed animal veterinarian rather than strictly equine. I truly enjoy medicine, the logic and problem solving that goes along with it. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and helping their pets!
Companion Animal Veterinarian
Leigh B. Jason, DVM
Dr. Leigh Jason was born and raised in the Hudson Valley of New York State. She grew up around animals - numerous dogs, cats, horses, squirrels, birds and reptiles have felt her love and ministrations from the time of her youth until today. Leigh was an active member of Pony Club and owned horses beginning around age 8 and continuing until she matriculated at the University of Richmond, where she was Captain of the Richmond Equestrian Team. Dr. Jason’s undergraduate fields of study were Biology and Philosophy, and she graduated in 2005 with a double major in these disciplines.
Upon graduating from Richmond, Dr. Jason decided to enter the veterinary workforce in order to determine the extent of her passion for the profession. To that end she worked as a veterinary technician in Lexington Kentucky at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, perhaps the premier veterinary clinic in the nation addressing the needs of the racehorse industry. While there, she also was involved as a groom and handler in the racehorse auction industry at Fasig Tipton. Within a short period of time, however, her frustrations with the limits placed on her as a veterinary technician, with respect to treatment and diagnosis, convinced her that her passion for the profession was real and would not be satisfied until she attained a veterinary degree.
Leigh enrolled and 4 years later, in 2012, graduated from Ross University, with an intermediate stop at Cornell University. For the past 5 or so years, Dr. Jason worked at a busy mixed animal practice in New York, where she treated a wide range of animals and developed strong bonds with their devoted owners. It is that experience as a seasoned surgeon and diagnostician, as well as a caring and dedicated bedside manner, that Dr. Jason brings to the Prescott Animal Hospital.
Dr. Leigh Jason’s motivation as a veterinarian is to share her passion for animals with her clients and patients through the healing process. Dr. Jason believes that as caregivers to nature’s wonderful creatures, we have an obligation to provide the best life experiences possible to animals that cannot care for themselves. Especially with regard to our devoted companions, who enrich our lives in so many ways, Dr. Jason is committed to providing superior care to the patient and sympathetic understanding to the client. Visits to the vet are usually stressful situations involving a non-communicative patient and an anxious client. It is Dr. Jason’s desire that in your’s and your pet’s interactions with her, she is able to be the stabilizing force that addresses the patient’s needs in an effective and efficient manner, and the needs of the client for reassurance and information about the issue which brought the patient to Prescott Animal Hospital.
Why did I become a veterinarian?
As for why I decided to become a veterinarian, I am engaged in and endeavor to become the voice for my patients. I am devoted to doing everything I can to apply the science of veterinary medicine to address the individual needs each and every patient that visits me at Prescott Animal Hospital. That passion is innate to my sense of who I am, a sense that coalesced in me during my youth and adolescence and blossomed during my studies to become a veterinarian. I hope to fulfill that passion here in Prescott.
Companion Animal Veterinarian
Lauren Taylor, DVM
Dr. Lauren Taylor grew up in Lake Havasu City, AZ where she started her veterinary career as a veterinary assistant at the age of 16. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Veterinary Science and Chemistry from The University of Arizona in 2011. During college, she continued to work in the veterinary field as a veterinary technician, was involved in farm animal reproductive research, and interned at Reid Park Zoo. She graduated with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine as a part of the inaugural class at Midwestern University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. As a veterinary student, Dr. Taylor spent part of her clinical year externing at PAH’s Equine Center and fell in love with the hospital and city. She enjoys mixed animal practice with particular interest in anesthesia, emergency medicine, and exotic animal medicine.
Why I became a veterinarian?
I was born and lived in Oceanside, CA before moving to Arizona, and spent many summers and school breaks visiting my grandparents there while growing up. My absolute favorite thing to do with my grandparents was to visit the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Birch Aquarium, and treat the neighborhood cats as my own. It never mattered what type of animal it was, I was always fascinated by them all, their health, and conservation. I do not remember ever wanting to be anything other than a veterinarian, and my path through the veterinary field has lead me to develop a great respect for all animals; large, small, domestic, or wild.
Companion Animal Veterinarian
Raegan Chambers, DVM
Dr. Raegan Chambers grew up in Hanford, CA. She graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior in 2010. While attending school at UC Davis she worked as a veterinary technician at the university hospital and volunteered at the Sacramento Zoo as a zoo keeper. In 2010 Dr. Chambers was accepted to attend Midwestern University where she obtained her Master's in Biomedical Research, with her research emphasizing in Parkinson's disease. She graduated with her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine as a part of the inaugural class at Midwestern University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2018. After spending several months at the PAH Equine Center during her extern year she decided Prescott was the perfect fit. Dr. Chambers loves the never ending surprises of mixed animal medicine and especially enjoys surgery, internal medicine, and neurology.
Why did I become a veterinarian?
There has not been a time in my life where I didn't want to be a veterinarian. As a little girl I was happiest when I was able to interact with animals of all types and decided early on I wanted to dedicate my life to being an advocate for their health and conservation. What I love most about veterinary medicine is being able to play a variety of different roles every day. On any given day I can go from a canine surgeon, to a feline dentist, to an equine optometrist, and on some days even a tiger anesthesiologist. I truly have one of the coolest jobs in the world.
Companion Animal Veterinarian
Sarah L. Glenn
Dr. Sarah L. Glenn grew up in beautiful Traverse City, MI. Throughout her childhood she was always drawn to helping animals from the neighborhood barn cats to the injured birds. She attended Michigan State University following high school and earned a B.S. in Zoology. Dr. Glenn volunteered throughout undergrad at a local feline sanctuary called Cat Tail Farms where she was responsible for bringing college students weekly to help clean and care for the hundreds of homeless cats. Dr. Glenn was then accepted to Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine where she obtained her DVM in 2011. Dr. Glenn fell in love with the greater Prescott area during her summer vacations from college and knew she wanted to move out west after graduation. Immediately following graduation she moved to Prescott and has been practicing in the area ever since. Dr. Glenn's special interest is feline medicine.
During her spare time, Dr. Glenn enjoys traveling the world with her husband Dan. She has traveled to Ireland, France, Croatia, Montenegro, Austria, Australia and Japan (6 times!). She also enjoys DIY home projects, craft projects, gardening, numismatics, and extreme couponing. She has one cat named Dexter, 11 chickens and 3 goldfish.
Carol Rowe
Dr. Rowe was raised in Morgan Hill, California. Her family moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1978 where Dr. Rowe completed her senior year at Sabino High School. After graduation she attended Pima Community College and the University of Arizona, later attending Colorado State University, where she received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1988.
Dr. Rowe, an accredited veterinarian, began practicing in Tucson Arizona. Dr. Rowe moved to the White Mountains of Arizona and continued her practice in 2002 and then traveled west to plant roots in the Prescott area in 2020.
Kyle Norman, DVM
Dr. Norman grew up on a crop and swine farm in Humboldt Iowa. During high school he was active in athletics as well as FFA. Dr. Norman earned a Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University in Biology before attending Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating from Iowa State Dr. Norman started his career as a mixed animal practitioner in SE Minnesota and NE Iowa. Dr. Norman practiced there for four years and developed an interest in orthopedic surgery. In 2019 Dr. Norman moved to Lakeside Arizona and practiced small animal medicine for 2 years before taking a position at Prescott Animal Hospital. In his free time, Dr. Norman enjoys hunting, flying, working on cars, and spending time with Nicole.
Nicole Howey
Dr. Nicole Howey grew up in Brandon, South Dakota. She began her love of animals at a young age, especially horses. She grew up competing horses in driving, Dressage, and Eventing. She continued to compete in Dressage throughout college. She completed her B.A. at Albion College, in Albion, Michigan majoring in cell biology and minoring in art. She then completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Iowa State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Dr. Howey moved to northern Wisconsin where she spent two years working at a mixed animal practice focusing on small animal and equine medicine and surgery. She then moved to northern Arizona with Dr. Norman in June 2019, both working in Pinetop/Lakeside doing small animal and ambulatory equine practice. Her special interests include small animal orthopedic surgery, soft tissue surgery, and equine general practice. Dr. Howey brings her trusty companion Mia, the little border collie, with her on all the daily adventures. You might spot Mia around the clinic! In her spare time, Dr. Howey is always at the barn! She enjoys riding and competing in 3 Day Eventing with her horse Prince, an appendix thoroughbred. She also enjoys playing the violin, oil painting, and hiking.