Veterinarian Overview
Dr. Johnsons involvement with animals began early, when, at the age of 4, she was thrown from a Shetland Pony at the county fair. She was hooked! Despite remaining involved with all kinds of animals growing up in Texas, her pathway to veterinary medicine took a circuitous route. After starting as a scholarship student in Piano Performance at TCU (go Frogs!) and graduating with a BS in Medical Technology, she worked as a Medical Technologist in human medicine for two years. Some soul searching led to her decision to go back to school to pursue a career that combined her interest in medicine with her love of animals. She graduated from Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine in 1990.I think one of the most influential factors that molds our approach as a veterinarian is our personal experience with our own pets, says Dr. Johnson. When I was in vet school, my constant companion, a dachshund mutt named Molly, developed a cancerous tumor. Although I had numerous specialists available to me, their advice was mixed, and the decision to amputate her leg with only 10% chance of success was an excruciating choice that I made alone. Having been through such crises with my own animals creates a great deal of empathy for others who are agonizing over similar difficult decisions. By the way, Molly was cured and lived another eight years as a happy tripod. Hindsight is always 20/20! Dr. Johnson initially practiced in Orange County, CA, both as an emergency vet and a small animal associate. She and her husband, Malcolm, moved to Petaluma in 1998, welcoming twins Ben and Drew in 1999. Dr. Johnson bought WSVC with her husband in 2008 after working at the clinic for the previous decade. Malcolm manages the practice, and together they strive to continually improve the level of medicine and the overall experience for pets and owners. Dr. Johnson is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the California Veterinary Medical Association, the Redwood Empire Veterinary Medical Association, and the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce.
