Veterinarian Overview
Dr. Meghan Smith decreed that she was going to be an animal doctor at the ripe old age of 3 when her mother wouldnt allow her to take home the pony from the pony rides. Thankfully, that all worked out since she didnt have a back-up plan. She started working at barns for riding lessons in middle school and this led to her interest in sports medicine. She accumulated enough credits in high school to participate in the work exit program her senior year at Sequoyah High School, which allowed her to attend school for half the day followed by working with her horses veterinarian, Dr. Laura DuVall Moloney. Dr. Smith knew she needed to have a well-rounded resume so Dr. Moloney introduced her to Dr. Diane Castle at Union Hill Animal Hospital. Volunteering during her senior year led to her a steady summer job during college.After graduating from the University of Georgia with degrees in Animal Science and Dairy Science, Dr. Smith was put on the waiting list for veterinary school at UGA. This drove her to get a job that summer in the small animal ICU at the veterinary school. A few months later, she fell off her horse during a training session, causing her to fracture several vertebrae in her back and needing emergency surgery to keep her from becoming paralyzed. She truly believes that this is why God had her on the waiting list for veterinary schoolshe was given plenty of time to heal and realize this was a very valuable life lesson. Throughout her veterinary career, the long-term pain that she constantly battles has led her to have a special interest in pain management for her patients. She strives to explore all modalities of pain management and rehabilitation, including acupuncture, stem cell therapies, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, Chinese herbs, and eventual chiropractic care. She applies these modalities to her dog, cat, and horse patients.
