Like many children who brought home injured and homeless animals, Dr. Jennifer Redmon grew up to be a veterinarian.
“I guess I had more of a connection with animals than with people,” she said. “I know that veterinary medicine is all about talking to people, but when it comes down to it, [it] is helping the animals, which we all get into this for.”
She’s been at it 23 years now.
“I figured it out in elementary school when a teacher asked what we wanted to be.”
From then, she set her sights on the profession, despite many who said she would never make it. In fact, during high school and even college, she was advised to consider another career.
“It was hard to get into vet school at the time and they thought I should have an alternate career goal.”
She acknowledged she struggled in school until a college roommate taught her how to study, which changed to life and her grades. She was accepted to vet school.
In 1992 with her degree in hand, she returned to her hometown of New Haven, Indiana, and went into practice.
She opened her own practice two months ago, concentrating on cleaning the teeth of dogs. Her goal with Pet Dental USA is to make dental care for dogs affordable, starting at $149 and up, depending on the amount of work needing to be done.
Teeth cleaning is a procedure that is not stressed enough by vets to pet owners, she says.
“I worked at the humane society for a couple of years. I was telling people about teeth cleaning, but they couldn’t afford it.”
In fact, animals can become ill from bacteria in their blood if the condition worsens.
“They don’t cry and complain about a bad tooth. They turn inward and get quiet,” she explained. “To me, the main thing is the comfort of the pet.”
She says after a pet’s teeth are cleaned, it can seem five or 10 years younger.
Redmon does not recommend hand scaling, which can make teeth look better, but can disguise dental disease.
Growing up, her sister had a severe allergy to animals, and so Redmon’s first pet was a cat that lived in the garage.
Next, her pets were dogs that did not shed, like her schnauzer that was tragically hit by a car, taken to the vet, and never returned.
“I thought they were going to bring my dog home,” she said of the extremely traumatic experience as a little girl.
The family got another dog, a cockapoo named Gidget who lived a good long life and died when Redmon was in college.
Redmon stayed in Indiana until 12 years ago. “I went to college there and vet school at Purdue,” she said.
“We came to Prescott 12 years ago because all of my husband’s family lived in Phoenix,” she said. “I refused to live in Phoenix because it is so hot and busy. I’m more of a small town girl.”
Her aunt lived in Cottonwood and once, while visiting her and considering a move, they found a property with which they fell in love near Mayer.
They made the move and are happy they did. Her 11-year-old daughter is in a good school and her husband works at Macy’s as a regional human resources manager, which takes him all over the state.
Redmon’s practice is not full service, but concentrates on teeth, vaccines, spays and neuters and general wellness check-ups. QCBN
To learn more about Pet Dental USA, call 928-772-1181. It is at 6550 East Second Street #C, Prescott Valley, Arizona.
By Patty McCormac
Quad Cities Business News
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