No glass ceiling, just a menagerie Women vets in WNY By James Walkowiak; photos by kc kratt Dr. Susan Wylegala The veterinary field used to be, to put it mildly, a male-dominated profession—it was “man’s work,” they used to say, all that tending to livestock and whatnot—but as of a few years ago, for the first time in history, female vets began to outnumber men. And it’s safe to say that the profession will continue to trend toward female doctors: these days, three out of every four students in veterinary school are female. So why are so many women becoming vets? Earlier this year, a Harvard economist said it’s because veterinary practice offers the flexibility that’s important to many educated women who want to strike the right balance between having a career and having a family. Sounds reasonable enough, but we here at Spree wanted to hear what some of Buffalo’s own veterinarians had to say about their rapidly changing profession. The four women we interviewed are what you call true professionals—passionate pet-med practitioners, each one a challenge-seeking woman dedicated to her own unique and dizzying mix of professional and personal responsibilities. They are doctors, scientists, business owners, pet owners, bosses, volunteers, mothers, wives, and teachers, and each deserves an introduction: Buffalo native Claudia Gray practices at the Ellicott Street Small Animal Hospital, where she specializes in orthopedics, surgery, and reproduction. Dr. Gray also teaches in the Veterinary Technology department at Medaille College, and serves as president of the Niagara Frontier Veterinary Society—a collegial group of about 175 veterinarians in Erie and Niagara counties who perform community outreach and cooperate with animal welfare organizations to raise public awareness of pet healthcare issues. Dr. Gray earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Ohio State University in 2000, and after cutting her teeth in southern New Hampshire, she returned to Buffalo, the town she’s happy to call home again with her husband, son, and two dogs. Dr. Claudia Grey Helen Roberts unapologetically has a closet full of clothes for her dogs. She practices small and exotic animal medicine at 5 Corners Animal Hospital in Orchard Park. Dr. Roberts is one of the few pet fish veterinarians in the country, making house calls and pond calls when necessary. She has lectured across the world at conferences on pet fish medicine, and she recently edited and coauthored a textbook on ornamental fish health. In addition to owning Aquatic Veterinary Services of WNY, which operates out of 5 Corners Animal Hospital, Dr. Roberts regularly works with the county health department and volunteers at the county rabies clinics. Heather Allen started out as a writer, did some work in advertising, and then moved to Costa Rica where she found her true calling while working at a rehabilitation center for exotic wildlife—there, she became the adoptive mother to an orphaned three-toed sloth, three howler monkeys, and thousands of birds. After graduating with her DVM from Cornell in 2003, Dr. Allen moved to Buffalo, along with her husband and their two Australian shepherds. In 2007, she partnered with Dr. Jim Albert to open City Creatures Animal Hospital in North Buffalo—the city’s first new veterinary hospital in nineteen years. In 2005, Susan Wylegala, a native of North Buffalo, bought the Cheektowaga Veterinary Hospital, becoming the business’s sole owner. She currently serves as executive director of the Western New York Veterinary Medical Association, which basically means she is the region’s representative to the New York State Veterinary Medical Society. In addition to lecturing at UB Medical School’s Mini Veterinary School Program, Dr. Wylegala makes regular appearances on AM Buffalo’s “Pet Talk Tuesday.” Her special interests include pet behavior, general medicine, and surgery. Why are so many more women than men becoming vets these days? Claudia Gray: Veterinary medicine used to be about caring for livestock that had very little sentimental value. It was a very physically demanding profession and so was naturally dominated by men, as were most professions. In our current culture, animals of all sorts are being given much more respect as feeling creatures, and we are more emotionally attached to our pets than ever before. Not only are women respected as being able to perform physically demanding tasks nowadays, but I also think women have the capacity to be more compassionate than men. Compassion is the cornerstone of companion animal medicine today. Dr. Heather Allen Helen Roberts: Here is what I think may be contributing to this trend: First, more women are attending college and professional schools than ever before. Second, the initial salary is not commensurate with the degree of commitment and effort so male students may be choosing another profession that offers a higher salary. Veterinarians graduate with huge educational debt that does not have a corresponding increase in starting salaries. In fact, the gap between educational debt and initial salary has grown wider over time. Average debt is now about $130,000. Third, more graduate veterinarians seek small animal private practice over a mixed or large animal private practice. Large animal or mixed private practices have traditionally attracted more men. Fourth, the profession is very flexible and I think that appeals to women. You can have both career and family. And fifth, depending on who you talk to, women may be better at offering empathy, nurturing, and compassion—all of which are qualities that make good vets. Heather Allen: Women are intuitive and born multitaskers; these are two fantastic qualities for a veterinarian. The veterinary profession is not very well compensated like human medicine and that may be part of the reason fewer men are entering the field. Some men in the veterinary profession still have an old-fashioned notion that women are mothers first, to the exclusion of having careers. But my brain constantly seeks challenge. I naturally complete puzzles and internal medicine is one great puzzle. I love interpreting ultrasounds and lab values and finding a diagnosis that is not immediately apparent. I love being a mom, too. I have two wonderful boys, but they love and respect me more for being “an animal doctor.” It completes the puzzle. Susan Wylegala: When I graduated from Cornell in 1988 the class was sixty-five-percent male and thirty-five-percent female. Currently at least seventy-five-percent of the graduating class is female. An in-depth study was conducted to examine the causes of such a dramatic shift in the demographics. One of the reasons cited was that the salaries of veterinarians are more compatible with that of a second income. Veterinary medicine is cited as a good profession for women with children as it offers the opportunity to work part time and adjust schedules based on family needs. Work hours can be adjusted and accommodating. Furthermore, it is the belief that as the profession changes, more women may be drawn by the compassionate nature of the profession. From an owner’s standpoint, the newer generation of veterinarians may be less likely to tackle the time and responsibility of hospital ownership. It may become more difficult for hospital owners to locate veterinarians to purchase practices in the future. Statewide, there are significantly fewer veterinarians entering large animal practice. The belief is that this may be related to the increase in female veterinarians in the profession. Has pet culture changed in recent decades? How so? Gray: Absolutely! Pets are considered by many to be true family members, and are cared for with as much dedication and concern. Many people are very emotionally dependent on their pets’ companionship, and will do just about anything to keep them healthy. Pet owners routinely have major surgical procedures performed, seek referral to veterinary specialists and teaching hospitals, engage in chemotherapy and radiation for cancers; the list goes on and on. In so many ways we have become able to offer the same type of sophisticated medicine and surgery as human medicine. This is only because pet owners have sought this level of care for their pets. Roberts: Yes! In many cases, pets are replacing children. They have come into our homes from the backyard. We take them on vacation, dress them up, buy them Christmas and birthday gifts. I have had many clients tell me their pets are their children. Despite the recession, money spent on pets is up, including grooming, food, supplies, and health care. Green and organic products (not just food) are on the rise, leaving less of a carbon “pawprint.” There are more veterinary specialists available now for pets. Our dogs and cats are capable of living quality lives a lot longer now than they used to. Allen: People are doing more for their pets. We have more knowledge about pain and its relief in animals. Anesthesia has improved. More pets are living long enough to get cancer. At City Creatures I perform chemotherapy on dogs, cats, and ferrets. These animals get the chance to live longer and better. Wylegala: Pet owners are more educated regarding their pets medical needs. The internet has certainly played an integral role in this shift. Owners are researching symptoms, diagnoses, and medications. They are asking more in-depth questions regarding their pets care. Overall, this is a good trend. However, the internet does not always provide accurate information and we need to constantly educate our clients. Pet owners are also aware that there are many options available for treating their pets. More and more, they are willing to pursue additional diagnostics, treatments, and even referral to specialty practices. At the Cheektowaga Veterinary Hospital we continually strive to upgrade our diagnostic and treatment options for clients. With an ultrasound machine, surgical laser, and new therapeutic laser we can improve patient care. Dr. Helen Roberts Buffalo’s residents are generally thought of as some of the friendliest in the country, but is it a pet-friendly city? In what ways could the city be a better place for our pets to live? Gray: I think Buffalo is indeed a pet-friendly city. There are countless ways to be involved in pet culture here—from agility classes to “paw-lates” to romping at the Barkyard. It would be fun to see some restaurants cater to dogs. I’ve read about restaurants in other cities actually serving pets off a menu—that would be great! Roberts: I think Buffalo is showing great potential to be more pet-friendly than it currently is. We have excellent resources here in the SPCA and other humane organizations. We have a dog park! Most of the pet-related events—Run for Rover, for example—are well attended by residents in the area. Animals are part of the family and there is no changing that. Other cities have multiple dog parks, stores, and street cafes where pets are welcome. We still have problems with animal abuse and a lack of understanding of how that behavior indicates a more widespread public problem, which includes child abuse, domestic violence, anger issues, etc. Allen: Having lived in New York City half of my life, Buffalo is an incredibly pet-friendly city. The dog park at Lasalle is a great asset. Dogs are more relaxed walking the streets here. More apartments are pet-friendly, taxi services allow for pets. I have clients who take the bus to bring their pets to us—that would never happen in New York. Wylegala: Overall, Buffalo is very pet-friendly city. We have many local humane organizations and shelters that are able to assist animals in need. The SPCA does a tremendous job. The NFVS PEF [Pet Emergency Fund] has assisted many pets in need through local veterinarians. We finally have a designated dog park with hopefully more to follow. How do you like to spend time with your pets? Gray: Surprisingly, I am currently without a pet. Our fifteen-year-old yellow lab Elsa recently passed away. It was very sad, but we are looking forward to introducing a new puppy sometime soon. And we will certainly enjoy Buffalo’s pet-friendliness. Roberts: My dogs go to work with me! We enjoy walking; [the cat and I enjoy] sitting in the back yard watching wildlife. I like to relax sitting by the pond, feeding my fish. Allen: I have four dogs—fifteen-year-old Australian shepherd Maya, eight-year-old golden retriever Sammy, five-year-old yellow lab Ella (she is actually my son’s dog), and four-year-old Australian cattle dog Uma. Uma comes to work every day and hangs out with the clients whose pets are getting chemotherapy or just relaxes under the reception desk. My other dogs love going for walks, playing in our yard, or going to the beach—we make quite a caravan. Other dogs come to our yard for play dates as well, a safer alternative to the dog park at times. Wylegala: My four cats—Stella, Stasz, Frieda, and Leo—help me to relax and recharge each day. They were all strays obtained through my hospital. Each has its own story to tell. Based on your experience, is there one thing every pet owner should know, but doesn’t? Gray: These days I think one of the most important things for pet owners to know is that medications from internet pharmacies may not be safe. There are certainly some internet pharmacies that follow the law and provide medications that have been properly obtained. There are, however, many unscrupulous internet pharmacies that are breaking laws, providing counterfeit medications, obtaining medications from unethical sources, and other questionable practices. I realize the appeal of saving money, but it should not be at the expense of your pet’s health. To safely order medications online, pet owners should look for pharmacies accredited by the Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites [Vet-VIPPS] or go to the FDA’s website for more information. Roberts: Animals communicate with body language—they know what you really mean despite what you say! Allen: Animals need annual physical exams regardless of whether they are totally indoors or out. Preventive medicine is the single best thing you can provide for yourself and your pet. Wylegala: Owning a pet is a responsibility. You need to be committed to love and care for your pet for life. They are not disposable commodities! James Walkowiak is not a crazy cat person, in spite of his girlfriend’s best efforts. He contributes regularly to Spree. SUBSCRIBE NOW Back to the Table of Contents Back to Top