Veterinarian Overview
Dr. Frank KennyDr mitas web pic What is your educational and veterinary medicine background? I attended Oak Lawn Community High School and graduated from this establishment in 2007. I attended Saint Xavier University in Chicago of Illinois for my undergraduate education and graduated with a Bachelors in Science (major in Biology) in 2011. I attended the University Of Illinois (U of I) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in Champaign-Urbana (CU) and graduated with a Doctorate degree and the title of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in May of 2018. When I was attending high school, I volunteered at the Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge of Illinois for 100 hours of total volunteer time. I helped take care of the dogs and cats that were available for adoption by providing them with water and food and by cleaning up their runs/cages when applicable (I also gave them plenty of attention). I also brought these animals into rooms with potential adopters so they could decide if the dog(s) or cat(s) was the right fit for their family. Eventually, I earned the privilege of volunteering in the animal hospital portion of that animal shelter where I cut surgical drapes to the appropriate size for surgical procedures. I actually started my career at LePar Animal Hospital in 2007, where I started as a kennel assistant. Not long after starting as a kennel assistant, I worked up the ranks to start working as a veterinary assistant. I worked consistently at LePar from 2007 to 2014, which was when I officially was accepted to attend the U of I CVM in CU for a four year course to earn my doctor of veterinary medicine title. From 2014 to 2017, I would work at LePar seasonally when I would have winter and summer breaks. Now I am going to be joining my LePar Animal Hospital family again as a DVM and I am so excited to get started working with this amazing team as a veterinarian. What made you decide to become a veterinarian? Even though it may seem cliché, I have wanted to become a veterinarian since I was a young boy. Ever since my grandmother obtained a Labrador Retriever by the name of Buster, I felt a calling to take care of animals and to make sure the people that took care of them had someone to help them along the way of that care. As I progressed through my schooling, I discovered that I also had a passion for the sciences and mathematics and I also discovered that I was adept at understanding them as well. The passion I have for the animals and the people who care for them combined with the passion I have for subjects such as the sciences and mathematics encouraged me that becoming a veterinarian was my true calling in life. What is your most memorable moment as a vet? I have just started my career as a veterinarian, so I may not be able to answer this question yet as it was intended, but I can comment on my most memorable moment as a veterinary student. I got to perform general health checks, pregnancy checks and preventative care (i.e. vaccination and parasite preventative application) to a herd of over 100 cows. It was a memorable experience because I was used to working with smaller companion animals such as dogs and cats yet I had minimal experience with cattle, which made this experience much more memorable for me overall. How did you come to join LePar Animal Hospital? I have been working at LePar since 2007, so I was always excited and prepared to potentially work at LePar as a veterinarian once I earned my doctorate and DVM title. When I discovered the LePar team would be interested in me joining them as a veterinarian, it was not a difficult decision to accept a position of associate veterinarian at this clinic. What are the best things you find about being a veterinarian? Again, I have just started as a veterinarian, but I can speak on the things to which I look forward as I start to walk down this career path. I look forward to helping take care of animals/pets not only for their sake but also to help the clients with the care of their beloved pets. What is the most common problem you encounter in the pets you see? The most common problem I have encountered in my experience as a veterinary assistant before earning my title of veterinarian was allergies in dogs, which usually leads to itchiness, skin issues and ear infections. What are your special interests in the field of veterinary medicine? I actually wish I could take special interest in all areas of the field of veterinary medicine, but that would become overwhelming very quick. The whole field of this discipline excites me, but I do admit that there is a special place in my heart for ultrasound usage, for the field of internal medicine and for the field of cardiology (the branch of medicine that deals with diseases and abnormalities of the heart). What is the most unusual pet you have helped treat? The most unusual pet I have helped to treat is an Ayam Cemani Chicken of Indonesia (look it up on Google, it is impressive). Its a rare breed of chicken. Everything about it is black: plumage, beak, tongue, legs, and toe nails, even its meat, bones, and organs! What are your favorite activities outside of treating pets? My favorite activities outside of treating pets is listening to most genres of music, playing basketball, playing video games, watching my favorite movies and reading books. What is your biggest pet peeve? My biggest pet peeve is when there is a lack of communication between people that leads to an inefficient work environment. Favorite place to eat? My favorite place to eat is Black Dog Smoke & Ale House. This restaurant has amazing barbeque-based food. Favorite place to visit? My favorite place to visit is the Wisconsin Dells, where I have made plenty of amazing memories with family and friends while on vacation there. Favorite movie? Even though this may seem like a cheating answer, my favorite movie/set of movies is the Lord of the Rings cinematic trilogy. Technically, each of the three books is considered one volume of a complete literary work, so I feel like I can lump the trilogy of movies into one movie. Favorite food? My favorite food is lasagna, especially my moms homemade version. What is your favorite sports team? My favorite sports team is the National Basketball Associations Chicago Bulls. Name 3 things most people might be surprised to learn about you? Three things most people might be surprised to learn about me is, first of all, my favorite musical genre to which I enjoy listening is hip hop/rap music. Secondly, I used to be a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Finally, I learned French as a second language while attending high school (I do not speak it fluently though).
