New Business / June 2005
River City Pet Hospital
 Dr. Gwen McHenry |
By Pat Lawrence
Dr. Gwen McHenry clearly welcomes new
experiences. An artist, a gardener, a writer and
the mother of a new baby, the Ohio veterinarian
is also an entrepreneur. Last month, she opened
the doors to her clinic, River City Pet Hospital
in Marietta.
Growing up in New Matamoros, Gwen
always loved nature and science. “In about third
grade, when I found out there was such a thing
as an animal doctor, I knew that’s what I would
be.”
After graduating from the Ohio State
University in 1999, Dr. McHenry worked
with a rural Ohio practice in Perry county. “We
saw a lot of farm animals along with the pets.”
She developed an interest in what she calls
“exotics”, animals and reptiles that are not the
usual pets, “like lizards and rodents, iguanas,
rabbits and ferrets”. She says, “People often
don’t understand the special needs of ‘exotic’
animals. Beyond special nutritional needs, they
may also have environmental requirements.
For lizards, proper lighting is a major issue.
Keeping unusual animals as pets means that
owners may have to make adjustments to their
own living area to accommodate the animals
needs. The responsibilities of a pet owner are
very different and can be a lifetime commitment-
with birds and reptiles.”
After about two years as a country veterinarian,
Gwen moved closer to home, joining a
practice in Washington County and also seeing
patients at the Emergency Veterinary Clinic in
Parkersburg.
Eventually, the idea of opening her own
office became irresistible. “I appreciated how
other doctor’s handled their patients and their
offices, but everyone has their own way of doing
things. To do the things I believed were best
meant I had to open my own practice. Monday,
May 2, was our first day.”
The River City Pet Hospital in the Kroger
Center on Acme Street has 2400 sq. ft,
with two examination rooms and a surgical
room. Dr. McHenry says animals
have benefited as much from medical
advances as people have. “Antibiotics,
anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers,
anti-arthritis medicines, vaccines and
preventive medicines like flea treatments
have made dramatic improvements in
how well veterinarians can care for animals.
Veterinarians once performed most
of their operations in a barn with their
bare hands. Now, we repair a broken bone in a
sterile environment, gowned and gloved. Even
though many animals have stronger immune
systems than humans do, they can be vulnerable
to infection, especially with deep procedures like
bone surgery.”
Dr. McHenry is assisted by a licensed veterinary
technician, Brook Rudolph, graduate of
a two year vet tech program at Columbus State,
and two part-time receptionists.
Although River City Pet Hospital is a
small animal practice, Dr. McHenry says, “I still
do a little work with goats. Their personalities
are a lot like a dog’s. I grew up with them and
just like them so much, I have a goat following!”
She still treats donkeys, mules and horses
on occasion. “Donkeys and mules are smart.
That stubbornness is just because they’re smart
enough to see their other options.” Lizards are
still part of her practice, too. “Lizards get ‘egg
bound’; the eggs have to be surgically removed.
Female lizards don’t need a male, they will produce
eggs when there’s a good opportunity, but
sometimes they can’t get them out.”
She says cats are another animal that may
need more than their owners realize. “Cats have
different special needs of often need more that
we give them. They have unique nutritional
needs, a unique metabolism and unique needs
as they age.”
On Mondays and Thursdays, the clinic
is open from 8am-1pm and reopens from
4:30-8pm “so people who work can get their
pets to the vet.” Tuesdays and Fridays are 8-5
and Saturdays, the clinic is open from 8:30-
12:30.
At home with her husband in Vincent
Ohio, Gwen tends to her two month old
daughter and her garden. In a few years,
Fiona, named for her Irish heritage, will enjoy
the children’s books her mother writes and
illustrates. She’ll understand why it’s only
natural that so many of the major characters
have four feet.
For more information, contact Dr. Gwen
McHenry at 740-374-7387( 740-374-PETS)
or visit the River City Pet Hospital during their
Open House from 5-8pm, Thursday, June 9th.
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