Family Vet “Just Like Home”

Family Veterinary Clinic’s New Home is Now Open!

Crofton, Gambrills and Bowie, thank you for allowing us to serve you for twenty seven years. In that time we have been known as the vet clinic “in the house”, now it is our pleasure to introduce our new home. After much consideration for your ideas and concerns we believe that our new home will mix all of the “feel” that you have come to expect with all of the technology your loved ones deserve. The pictures say it all, a state of the art facility wrapped in the arms of a home. Enjoy!

At Family Veterinary Clinic, we take surgery very seriously.  Our veterinarians have thirty years combined experience, fifteen serving the Crofton, Gambrills and Bowie areas. Both have extensive knowledge and skill in spays, neuters, cesarean section, cystotomy, exploratory laparotomy, resection and anastomosis, minor reconstruction, digit amputation, mass removals, tail docking/declawing, and eye surgeries.  In addition to our primary veterinarians we also employ the services of Dr. Marilyn Kostolich a, Board Certified, surgeon who performs many other more complex surgeries e.g. ACL repairs. All of these surgeries are performed in our “state of the art” facility, outfitted with the latest surgical equipment.

Anyone considering having surgery performed on their loved one is faced with a daunting amount of information.  Whether it comes from their veterinarian, an online source or friends who have had similar procedures, it can be confusing and sometimes even scary. The following are just a few guidelines when considering having a procedure done.

• Be educated about the procedure.

There are plenty of resources to familiarize you with the procedure prior to having it performed.  Ask your veterinarian to explain what they will be doing. They should be willing to go over it in as much detail as you like. Go to reputable web-sites, such as ones sponsored by universities. (Click Here)

• Make sure the veterinarian is qualified and experienced in performing the procedure.

Like their human counterparts, veterinarians have become specialized, from general practitioners that you see every year to specialists that only work in one area.  Just as with human medicine, it is important to get the right doctor and although most veterinarians are capable of performing surgeries such as spays and neuters it is a good idea to have a ”Board Certified Surgeon” perform more complicated ones such as orthopedic repairs. (What is a Board Certified Surgeon?)

• “Cleanliness is next to godliness”, as the saying goes, is true when referring to surgery than at any other time.

This old proverb could be expanded to say, “A clean, well equipped and maintained surgery is next to godliness”. When general anesthesia is administered every measure should be taken, both pre and post operative, to increase the chances of a positive outcome. Most of the surgeries performed by your veterinarian call for general anesthesia. As is with the human medical field, there are standards and practices used to promote success. The veterinary field has adopted most of these standards, look for these when making your selection.

1. Experienced, qualified surgeons whom regularly perform the surgery your pet needs. (keep in mind that some surgeons perform more than 25 surgeries per day, try to schedule your pet to be one of the first  or schedule with a facility that does not place as much load on their surgeons)
2. A well-equipped, dedicated surgery suite. “The only thing that should be in surgery is surgery”. A surgery suite is not a recovery, storage, or dental room. At a minimum, it should contain monitors (pulse oximetry, respirations, temperature, ECG), heated surgery table, fluid warmer and pump, double lights, anesthesia machine with oxygen supply, and instrument table. At a maximum is should contain the same. (specialized procedures may call for additional equipment such as x-ray, ultrasound or endoscopy)
3. A clean, comfortable and heated recovery area. Heat loss during and after surgery is an important consideration; make sure the facility has a heat loss mitigation system, preferably heated recovery cages, that limit heat loss and keep patients safe while they overcome the effects of anesthesia. ( the floor, although sometimes necessary, is not ideal)
4. In-house lab.  As with humans, pets should have pre-operative blood work to check overall wellness and screen for conditions that could cause surgical complications
   

   Heated recovery cages

   

   Dedicated dental suite

   

   Full in-house lab

Staff

Our Veterinarians

 Dr. Kristin Varner-Maslar

Dr. Kristin Varner is the co-owner and medical director of FVC, along with her husband, Patrick Maslar, who runs the business end of it. They have owned FVC since 05/02. Dr. Varner was born and raised in Waterloo, IA and graduated in 5/91 with a DVM and BS degrees from Iowa State University. She moved to MD after graduation to work with horses. She practiced primarily equine medicine for 3 years before changing to small animals. Since then she has been part owner of another veterinary clinic, but now is focusing entirely on FVC. Dr. Varner and her husband had a son Joseph in May ‘03 and a daughter Charlotte in May ‘05 who keep them busy. However, in her free time she enjoys horses, horseback riding, outdoor activities like hiking, biking, water sports and reading. They have 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 horses that share their lives.

Dr. Christine Yates

Dr. Yates was born and raised in upstate New York. She attended SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY. Afterwards, she worked for two years as a veterinary assistant and then attended veterinary school at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Yates’ hobbies include hiking, playing piano, guitar, and spending time with her two best pals Charlie and Hunter. “I am very pleased to be working at Family Vet clinic and I look forward to continuing to care for you and your pets.”

Dr. Susan Brennan

Holistics

Marcie Baer

Marcie Baer provides acupuncture and herbal treatments at FVC. She completed a Master’s degree program at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute in Columbia, MD after which she was selected by Cyrie Barnes to take over her human and animal acupuncture practice in Columbia. They worked together there for more than a year. Other professional training includes Chinese and American herbs, homeopathy, NAET allergy elimination, animal acupuncture, and biomeridian/computer-based meridian testing. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Elmira College with a triple major and later completed her pre-med/vet requirements. She has worked extensively with vets in large and small animal practices as well as with specialists in veterinary surgery and internal medicine, and in the pharmaceutical industry. Marcie has owned, bred, and trained Labrador Retrievers since 1970. She is currently an AKC Judge for Hunting Retriever Events, competes at all levels with her dogs, and has earned obedience titles with them. Holistic Wellness and Acupuncture

Office Manager

Loretta Campbell

Loretta, our office manager, has many functions outside this office. She runs a multifaceted management company and is our payroll/tax administrator. Although she has no pets, she is a recent grandmother to adoring twins and a bunny named Spud, who keeps her on her toes. She is an excellent cook and our staff lunches are always delicious.

Receptionists

Sharon Hughes

Sharon Hughes has been with our clinic since 1993. She is the mother of 4 sons and grandmother to a 6 year old granddaughter. She shares her home with her husband of 16 years and two very spoiled cocker spaniels. She is an avid teddy bear collector. She enjoys her interaction with our clients. Her knowledge of pet health issues and customer service are an asset to FVC.

Trisha Fox

Trisha has been with FVC since 1996. She is a nationally recognized breeder of champion Shih Tzus. Foxfire Shih Tzu originated in 1980 and since that time she has bred and shown 100 champions. Trisha is one of our receptionists and is responsible for purchasing supplies and pharmaceuticals for the clinic. When not showing dogs she can usually be found on her husband’s boat with a fishing pole in hand.

Elizabeth Gawen

Elizabeth has worked in the veterinary field for over eight years, most of it in South Carolina. She moved back home, to Maryland, where she now lives with her young son, dog and two cats. She is an avid walker, having participated in many charity events that support cancer research, autism and homeless animals.

Veterinary Technicians

Eve Andrejewski

Eve, our most senior employee, has been working as a technician since 1984, but here at FVC since 1991. You can most often find Eve drawing blood, bathing dogs and cats, assisting the doctors in surgery and dental procedures, doing nail trims or showering love on the dogs and cats who are in the hospital. Eve loves animals so much she also does pet sitting in her off time from FVC. She shares her home with one wonderful cat named Clarence that came to FVC as a stray.

Annette Weskel

Annette, a technician who has been with FVC since 1992, comes to us via Michigan. Her experience and knowledge on technical issues help ensure clients get in and out in a timely manner. She has a lot of love to give the animals which is why she shares her home with two English mastiffs, Skyler and Elijah, a rabbit Keifer, and a cat, Sailor. Oh, and husband Frank, too.

Debi Persing

Debi Persing has been a veterinary technician since 1991. She had previously worked with Dr. Varner and Lisa Smith for several years. She has been with FVC since April of 2003. Debi has experience working with exotic pets, as well as in animal eye care. Debi and her husband, along with a group of friends, run an adoption rescue for ex-racing greyhounds. Debi shares her life with 6 greyhounds, 2 Boston terriers, an aussie, 4 cats and 3 birds.

Tina Caputo

Tina Caputo has been a veterinary technician since 2002. She was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland. Tina lives with her parents, younger sister, 4 dogs and 5 cats. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends, spending time with her boyfriend, David, and watching the Capitals play.

Chelsea Chewning

Eric Ricucci

Eric has been  a technician for over four years; he has developed an expertise in the hands on aspects of veterinary medicine and client interaction.  He grew up with pets and now has two cats of his own. In his time away from the practice he enjoys photography and hockey.

Tech Assistants

Danielle Piscitelli

 Amy Campbell