Head for the Hills, that is to the local veterinary clinic in either Redvers or Carlyle, is where you will be pleased to meet the new veterinarian.
Dr. Grace McGuirk DVM, 24 and originally from Prince Edward Island, has moved to Redvers. She left Guelph, ON., and is greatly enjoying herself. Having moved here for the job, with her cat, McGuirk has taken to life on the prairies.
"I find the roads and driving is different. The roads are very straight and there are quite a few gravel ones. As soon as you turn off Highway 13, they're almost all gravel." McGuirk explained as the biggest change from Ontario she has encountered so far.
She hadn't always wanted to be a veterinarian, but by grade 10 decided it was the right fit for her. Completing all of her post-secondary schooling at the University of Guelph, one of the oldest universities in Canada, McGuirk specialized in food animals.
"I specialized in dairy cows in school, well food animals, so when dealing with calves out here it's all basically the same. I just need to use different drugs when treating them." That is when treating beef cows over dairy cows, as southeast Saskatchewan does not have a large dairy cow population.
Since being in the area McGuirk has treated the usual animals: cats, dogs, cows, and horses. She looks forward to getting a chance to work with the more uncommon ones, such as llamas and bison.
"Now with calving season over it's less crazy, it's more comfortable now. I mainly have vaccinations and this week there were surgeries scheduled, but I've gotten calls telling me the animals were let out the night before and have not come back yet." McGuirk stated.
She smiled at the thought of the runaways evading capture and avoiding the vet despite the owner's best efforts, much like a child dreading the doctor.
McGuirk's work consists mainly of vaccinations, surgeries, and various emergency calls. She was pleased to explain that the clinic in Carlyle not only addresses these issues, but also has a crematorium for beloved animals that have passed.
"Christine [Dr. Ewert Hill] brought it in and I really think that it is filling a need here." McGuirk said.
For a happy, helping hand with your animals give Head for the Hills a call. Dr. McGuirk is a pleasant and knowledgeable individual who is glad to be of service to the community.
