Page Veterinarian Joins Gothenburg Veterinary Clinic

at work -  Dr. Melissa Thompson, joined the veternarians and staff at Eastside Animal Control Center in Gothenberg, checks out a furry Maltese.

(Editors Note:) This story was taken from the Gothenburg Times and written by Elizabeth Barrett.

A graduate of the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine has about a month of veterinary work under her belt at Eastside Animal Center.

Page native Dr. Melissa Thompson joined Drs. Randy Burge and Ryan O’Hare and their staff on May 24.

Her college program was a cooperative one between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State University that began in 2007.

Thompson said she spent her first two years of graduate work at UNL before moving to Ames, IA, for her last two years.

The vet’s undergraduate degrees, both from UNL, are in veterinary and biomedical sciences and grazing livestock systems which integrates agri-business, agronomy and animal science.

“It’s a good addition to veterinary because it’s the relationship of grazing and beef and making more of grasslands,” Thompson said, noting that her specialty is beef and small rudiments such as goats and sheep and small animals.

Thompson said she’s always wanted to be a veterinarian and shared a story from her childhood about when a carpet layer came to replace carpet in her home.

“He was appalled because I was playing with a rat skeleton and told my mom that I needed new toys,” she said with a laugh.

So far, Thompson said she loves work at Eastside and Gothenburg, noting that the town of O’Neill—which is about the same size—is near Page.

During leisure time, Thompson likes to cook (she’s planted a vegetable garden) and travel.

With a couple of half marathons under her belt, she’s also training to do a short triathlon.

ebarrett@gothenburgtimes.com