Meet Us!

How a Down Cow Led to a Lifetime of Passionate Veterinary Care

I lived in the Sanford, Florida, area as a young child and then moved to Michigan. My first winter there, I almost got lost in a snowdrift. I am a 2000 Michigan State Graduate; go Spartans! For the first two years, I practiced in rural Michigan. During this time, I gained experience in all aspects of veterinary medicine. The most unusual pet I worked on was a skunk, and she did well. I had a Holstein convince me I was not interested in being a cow doctor.

On a frigid 5:30 AM Michigan morning, I had an emergency call for a down cow. She had a problem that usually they are very sick from and will just lay there while you treat them. I fixed the problem, went to get some antibiotics for her. She stood up, looked at me, and then started chasing me around the stall. The bull in the barn became upset and began posturing outside the stall. I realized as I was running around the stall that I still could not feel my feet. They were so cold. The cow did great, however. I have been a cat/dog vet ever since.

Returning to Warmer Weather

I have taken a roundabout way to make it back to Florida. Dr. Zagrocki describes to me a nomad following family. I am no longer a nomad. I am staying for years to come. However, I did choose to come back here to practice since my family is back here again. Prior to purchasing All Care Animal Hospital, I managed a veterinary clinic for a corporation for 6 years. I miss my clients, hopefully they will retire here and I will get to see them again. Dr. Zagrocki grew All Care Animal Hospital into a great clinic with great clientele. I will be continuing his traditions of good client service and practicing quality medicine.

What Have I Been Up To…?

The first year was equivalent to having a newborn with colic. I was so proud and excited to be an owner yet could not find sleep, and it was trial and error to see what worked for the hospital. I cannot give enough praise to my team, many of whom stayed with me after the purchase, and the clients for taking the opportunity to get to know me.

Since everyone seems to be enjoying coming to the hospital, I believe we are on the right track. We became proud supporters of Building Blocks, providing support and training for people with developmental and other disabilities. We keep a position available just for someone from Building Blocks. In addition, we had two high school volunteers for the summer. A couple of teenagers kept the team hopping.

Down the Road

The second-year has been tweaking and oiling the machine. This would inherently seem less challenging; however, making subtle changes can be difficult to institute when people are functioning well. The best description is the new communication board. I enclosed the surgery window and had whiteboards mounted. It serves as a means of knowing what is going on in the hospital with all pets. You should have seen everyone’s faces when the window disappeared. Today they love the board in ways I did not anticipate. Of course, I am already thinking of what I will tweak next—leaving that as a surprise for the team next year.

On the Side

For me personally, I started Hapkido. Hapkido is the art of coordinated power. It is a culmination of multiple martial arts that are utilized for self-defense. Grandmaster Billy Burchett, a 9th-degree black belt, and all the black club belts are teaching me. Hapkido allows me to focus on improving myself both physically and mentally. This is a great way to forget a day’s troubles. Either focus on the art or get punched (they don’t swing hard) in the nose.

Local volunteerism was what I was looking to be able to do as an owner. Working for other doctors was too time restrictive to allow for volunteerism. I have continued on with All Care’s history of supporting Minneola Kiwanis. Kiwanis focuses on children encouraging studious behavior and community outreach programs. I am sure you have seen the Terrific Kids bumper stickers that are the Kiwanis club’s support. The high school Key Club is fully supported by the local Kiwanis club. Our local club is focused on growing the annual Bark in the Park. It is our means of fundraising for college scholarships and rewards for the elementary students programs.

Most recently, I started cross fit with Chris from Mean Gene’s Machine. He is well organized, light-hearted, and knowledgeable with his routines. It beats the heck out of the mind-numbing routine of weight lifting in a gym!

Thank You!

I am thoroughly enjoying living and practicing in the area. People here are a pleasure. The more I am here, the more I look forward to the next 20 years.

Doc