On the Job

Naples veterinarian Kim Schemmer has a wild history: She treated snakes, a monitor and an elephant when she was in vet school at the University of Florida. For the past 22 years, however, she has been healer to domestic creatures at Gulfshore Animal Hospital. Three to four days a week, from about 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., you can find Schemmer and her colleagues—including four veterinarians and 17 other staff members—caring for dogs and cats (and, occasionally, rabbits, birds and guinea pigs).

Describe a typical day.

I come in, check on the animals that have been hospitalized overnight, start with appointments at 8 o’clock—or surgery, depending on the day of the week. Midday, I get caught up on animals’ medical records, phone calls or animals that get dropped off for the day. In the afternoon, I have more appointments, and the end of the day is a repeat of [my midday routine].

Do you handle emergencies after hours?

We now have the benefit of having the local emergency clinic as well as the after-hours [clinic] in Estero. We refer the majority of after-hours emergencies to those. Before we had an emergency clinic, we used to rotate emergency calls between all of the veterinarians in town.

What is the most traumatic experience you’ve had as a vet?

I think the most traumatic, and unfortunately the saddest one, is having a relationship with a client and a pet and having to go through the loss of that pet. That’s something that after 22 years continues to be the most difficult.

Do you ever treat animals at no charge?

I don't think there's a vet in this town that doesn't do that. You have people bringing in animals hit by cars, strays in the neighborhood, clients that rescue kittens and cats, more so than dogs. It had gotten to a point where we were doing more than it was reasonable for us to be doing [financially], but I feel like we’ve reined it in, and we’re doing what’s comfortable at this point.

Has the economic downturn affected business?