Thank You Dr. Emily Amsler and East Padden Animal Hospital
Emily Amsler, who has been a practicing veterinarian for 10 years, completed her undergraduate and veterinary degrees at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. Finding that conventional medicine wasn’t effective enough for some of her patients, she took the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society course to explore Eastern medicine as a way of complementing and improving her practice. The cases that most interest her, she admits, are emergency cases, dentistry and chronic pain control.
“I first became involved with Furry Friends by volunteering at the shelter in my pre-veterinary years,” explains Emily, “and when I finished vet school and became established at a local clinic I was excited to offer my services to them as a veterinarian. The people who run the organization and all of the volunteers are wonderful and are so focused on the happiness and health of the cats in their care as well as those in the community.
“I presently provide spay/neuter services as well as help provide or coordinate emergency medical care for Furry Friends’ cats at the clinic I work for. My favorite part of working with Furry Friends is obviously the cats, especially being able to provide a resource for sick kitties when it’s beyond the ability of the talented medical staff already on the team. My biggest challenge, on the other hand, is not having enough time to volunteer more!
“One of the hardest but most successful surgeries I performed for Furry Friends was on a kitten with a deformed sternum. She is doing wonderfully. I get updates from her owner regularly and she can breathe normally now! I ‘give back’ because volunteering is one of the best ways to feel part of a community of like-minded people, make lasting relationships and fill your home with ‘too many cats.’ (Emily currently shares her home with three cats, two dogs and a tortoise).
“Cats are often seen as independent animals that can fend for themselves outdoors, but they need love and homes just like us. Furry Friends works hard to make this happen for so many cats every year! I also love being able to help with low income families who are trying to do right by their beloved cats but don’t have the resources to provide life-saving care.”
Multi-talented and diverse in her interests, Emily’s include scuba diving, hiking, traveling, paddle boarding, rock climbing, cooking, home improvement projects, knitting and sewing.
To find out more about East Padden Animal Hospital, please visit their website
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Furry Friends VIP Spotlights are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.
