Dougherty Veterinary Clinic

Locally owned and operated since 1971

Dr. Kelly Powell, DVM checks out Bear's teeth while Veterinary Technician Mindy Offerson keeps him calm. Rollo (next page) gets his bandage changed and stitches removed as his sister, Nikki, gives moral support.

Staff

Whetheryour pet says “meow,” “woof” or “peep,” they are all welcome at Dougherty Veterinary Clinic.

“We treat all companion animals who have feathers or fur,” clinic administrator Mina Bradley said. “We see dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds, guinea pigs, rats, mice and chinchillas. We basically just don’t treat snakes or farm animals.”

Deep roots in Duluth

Dougherty Veterinary Clinic, located at 215 E. 14th St. in Duluth, has been locally owned and operated since 1971. The clinic was founded by Dr. Tom Dougherty, who is now retired, but retains the title of “chief medical director.” Dougherty maintains his license and continuing education credits, however, so he can continue to fill in when needed.

Today, the clinic is operated by Bradley, who is Dougherty’s daughter, along with 19 other women. Every Dougherty employee, including all three veterinarians, is female.

“We’ve certainly had male employees, but as of right now, all of our staff are women,” Bradley noted. “There are significantly more women graduating veterinary school today than men.”

The Dougherty Clinic is a busy place. In the last three years, it’s treated well over 6,000 animals, while also providing compassionate care and support for their owners. In addition to excellent patient care, the Dougherty staff are proud of their community outreach efforts, medical specializations and more.

The Dougherty Veterinary Clinic staff includes Dr. Lisa Jeanetta, who has been an employee since 1997; Dr. Kelly Powell, on-staff since 2005; and Dr. Maureen Wolfgram, who started with the clinic 20 years ago, left for a time, and returned about a year ago. There are also veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants and a practice manager, Rona Everson, who has been on staff for 30 years. In total, there are 20 staff members at Dougherty.

“We have extreme longevity with a lot of our employees,” Bradley said. “They all work very hard, and we are so appreciative of their service.”

Specialties

Dougherty offers a variety of services for companion animals:

• Well-pet exams

• Vaccinations

• Spay/neuter services

• X-ray services

• Dentistry and dental radiology

• Ophthalmology

• Dermatology

• Endoscopy

• Ultrasound services

• Internal medicine

• In-house laboratory testing

• Soft tissue surgery, such as lump removal, with biopsy

• Porcupine quill removal

Additionally, each veterinarian has her own specialty. For instance, Jeanetta specializes in orthopedic procedures. These include cranial cruciate ligament repair (CCL) for dogs and repairing bone fractures in dogs and cats.

“We are a referral clinic for these services, meaning we see people from as far away as Canada and Michigan,” Bradley said.

Powell specializes in small animal dentistry.

“We really offer ‘cradle-to-the-grave-care,’” Bradley said of the clinic’s wide range of services. “We can see your new puppy or kitten when they are healthy, through their entire life, and then help owners make the agonizing decision on when it’s appropriate to euthanize their pet.”

For services like chemotherapy, radiation, MRI and CAT scan services, Dougherty maintains a good partnership with several specialty centers in the Twin Cities, including the University of Minnesota and Blue Pearl.

Community outreach

The Dougherty Clinic participates in several unique community outreach endeavors. For instance, they work closely with Deb Holman at Duluth’s CHUM, a nonprofit human services agency offering emergency food, shelter and advocacy services.

If a CHUM client is in need of housing services, but has a companion animal who lacks vaccinations and the subsequent paperwork needed to receive housing services, the Dougherty staff will help. After receiving notification and a request from

Holman, they will provide the pet with the vaccinations and papers they need in order to enter a housing arrangement along with their owner — free of charge. Additionally, Dougherty Veterinary Clinic, along with several other local veterinary clinics, has partnered with Animal Allies and the Douglas County Humane Society. Through this special partnership, new pet owners can receive free first exams for their newly adopted pets.

And Jeanetta has worked closely with the Duluth Police Department to ensure the K-9 officers have access to Narcan treatments in the case of an accidental overdose. Jeanetta has provided police officers and sheriffs with special training on the appropriate dosage for the dogs.

Keeping pets (and their owners) happy and healthy

Mina Bradley and the rest of the staff at Dougherty are incredibly proud of the work they do, day in and day out. This includes being locally owned and operated, employing and promoting women, helping the community, and of course keeping so many animals happy and healthy.

“It takes a special person to be an animal caregiver, and we can proudly say that all of our veterinarians and support staff are excellent caregivers,” Bradley said. “I love watching how the staff here can help make things better for the animals — and their owners.”

For more information, visit doughertyveterinary.com. D

Your Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and their team are ready to assist you in making the best decisions for a healthy mouth and lasting smile. We have a wide scope practice to offer, including:

•Dental Implants

•Wisdom Teeth Extraction

•Corrective Jaw Surgery

•Financing Available/CareCredit Serving the area since 1969

By Kasha Stoll

Great Lakes Aquarium