Pinecrest Veterinary Hospital
1 Why did you decide to become a veterinarian? I think like most veterinarians, it began with a love for animals. I worked in veterinary clinics when I was in high school and college, and I volunteered with wildlife rescue organizations. Those experiences convinced me that veterinary medicine was the path for me.
2 You went to Cornell University for veterinary school. How did the training there prepare you for practice? It was a privilege to go to Cornell and, looking back, the education was absolutely top-notch. We were actually educated by the people who wrote the books. Our training covered the practice of medicine and surgery of many varied species, and we worked side by side with world-class experts in their fields. Such a solid education provided a broad base of knowledge to build upon.
3 You and your wife, Dr. Cynthia Langdon, started Pinecrest Veterinary Hospital (PinecrestVets) together. How does that personal partnership enhance the practice? We really enjoy working together. We each bring some different strengths and skills to the table, and that makes for a successful team. We care a lot about the practice as well as the clients and their pets. We have formed some very longstanding relationships with our clientele over the years, and that is really important to us.
4 PinecrestVets is a state-of-the-art practice. What technology makes your practice comprehensive? We have been a paperless office since we opened and our entire medical record system is computerized. Our website just launched an online pharmacy. Our X-ray system and ultrasound are completely digital and produce really amazing images, which is essential. We have an in-house laboratory for blood work, which is also directly integrated into the computer system. We also collaborate very well with many local specialists, so our patients have access to cutting-edge care and diagnostics. More important than technology, I think we have an amazing staff who really care and really work hard for our clients.
5 You’re quite an athlete in your spare time. Tell us about the PinecrestVets Endurance Team. My wife and I started running marathons a few years back, and that has evolved into a passion for endurance sports. We compete in running events and triathlons of all distances every year. Between the two of us, we have completed 10 Ironman triathlons [140.6 miles of swimming, biking and running]. We have enjoyed this active lifestyle so much that we are trying to pay it forward a little by encouraging and sponsoring our staff to participate in local events like 5K runs. It has been a big hit and we are getting some great participation.
6 Tell us something no one knows about you. My wife and I are avid scuba divers and underwater photographers. One of our greatest adventures was diving in the Galapagos Islands with whale sharks and hundreds of hammerhead sharks. It was the trip of a lifetime.
7 Why did you choose Pinecrest for your practice? Pinecrest is just a fantastic community and we are so glad to be part of it. We have amazing clients and we feel very lucky to be practicing veterinary medicine here. We are a small family business, and we think it is a great fit for the Village of Pinecrest.
